BioM: Braatz, Joanne (1963)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Braatz, Schutt, Mitchell, Bates, Beilke, Schafer, Payne, Gluch, Dieck

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) August 15, 1963

Braatz, Joanne (Marriage - 10 August 1963)

Nuptial vows were exchanged Saturday afternoon uniting in marriage Miss Joanne Braatz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Braatz of Granton, and Donald Schutt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Schutt of Harvard, Ill.  The double ring ceremony was performed by the Rev. Evan Dieck in Zion American Lutheran Church, Town of Grant, the altar of which was decked with bouquets of cut flowers.

"Because" and "The Lord’s Prayer" were sung by Mrs. Raymond Payne, Jr., of Granton, accompanied by Ronald Gluch, Jr., of Beatrice, Nebr., who also provided organ music for the ceremony.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a gown of white embroidered nylon and tulle over satin.  It was styled with a fitted bodice that featured a scalloped neckline and long, tapered sleeves.  The tiered, floor-length skirt was edged in matching scallops, and a crown of white nylon bows held a bridal veil of imported silk illusion. She carried a bouquet of pale yellow and white roses entwined with ivy.  Rosebuds were attached to the bouquet by satin streamers.

Miss Janet Mitchell of Winnebago, Ill., a friend, was maid of honor.  Bridesmaid was Mrs. Gordon Bates of Rockford, Ill.  Both wore dresses of white nylon with a pastel floral appliqué over taffeta. The dresses were styled with scoop necklines and bell-shaped skirts. They wore crowns of white braid with nose-tip veils, and carried bouquets of pale yellow and white carnations.

Janice Braatz, sister of the bride, served as flower girl. She was dressed in a white gown styled identically to those of the attendants. She carried a basket of rose petals which she strewed along the aisle as the bride entered.  James Beilke, cousin of the bride, served as ringbearer and was dressed identically to the groom.

Tim Schafer of Minneapolis, friend of the groom, served as bestman.  Gordon Bates of Rockford, Ill., was the groomsman, and ushers were Neil and Dale Braatz, brothers of the bride.

The bride is a graduate of Granton High School, attended Stout State College and has been employed in a sewing machine shop in Eau Claire. The groom is a graduate of Harvard High School and Stout State College, where he was affiliated with Chi Lambda, a social fraternity, and Epsilon Pi Tau, an international honorary fraternity.

Two hundred guests attended a supper in the church parlors and a reception at the Braatz home.

They left following the reception on a wedding trip into eastern states. Mr. and Mrs. Schutt will make their home in Bloomer, where Mr. Schutt will be an instructor in industrial education.