BioA: Kronberger, Mr. and Mrs. Leo (Golden - 1973)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Kronberger, Benedict, Davis, Knaak, Kronmuller, Morse, Prior, Pabisch, Lavey

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 2/29/1973

Kronberger, Mr. and Mrs. Leo (Golden - 14 February 1973)

Approximately 150 friends and relatives gathered at the Loyal United Methodist Church educational building recently to help Mr. and Mrs. Leo Kronberger, Rt. 1, Neillsville, celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.

The former Lulu Benedict and Leo Kronberger were married at the home of her parents, William and Susan (Davis) Benedict, Town of York, on Valentine’s Day 1923.

A howling blizzard tied up the horse-drawn traffic for days so the minister from Neillsville couldn’t come on the day of the wedding. Believing ill luck would follow a postponed wedding, the groom- to-be braved the storm to get the Free Methodist minister, the Rev. E. A. Knaak, whose church was not far away.

Since plans had to be changed the minister suggested singing and the bride accompanied on the piano at her own wedding.

The groom’s parents, Leonard and Barbara (Kronmuller) Kronberger, lived on an adjoining farm. The attendants
For the ceremony were his brother and sister, Arthur and Cary Kronberger. Cary, now Mrs. Frank Morse, Rt. 2 Loyal, attended the golden anniversary.

During the Kronberger’s early years of marriage, they lived west of Spokeville and later northeast of Loyal before moving to his parental farm. In 1933 they moved to their present home. The farm land was sold upon retirement a number of years ago.

Before her marriage, Mrs. Kronberger had helped in her father’s store and later also tended switch board in the telephone office there. At Present she keeps busy with crocheting, tatting and piecing attractive quilts as well as playing the piano.

Mr. Kronberger has served 28 months overseas with the 343 Infantry, 86 Blackhawk division during World War I. He had returned in the fall of 1919. After his marriage he operated a garage in Loyal in addition to farming. In recent years he has been in the lawn mower repair business at his home shop. Eight years ago he produced a deep-drill and drilled a well. His shop keeps him busy creating mechanical things.

For a number of years he was a member of the American Legion Post 175 in Loyal. They attend the York Center United Methodist Church.

Through the years, their travels have brought some exciting moments. Once they were in a train derailment in Oklahoma when a rail came up through through the floor of the half buried car beside Mrs. Kronberger. At another time the Kronbergers were caught in a tornado on a plan flight to Texas. Fortunately the couple was not injured in either instance nor has it dampened their spirit for travel.

All their six children helped plan the afternoon open house for Feb. 18 and were present for the event. They are Mrs. Robert (Dorothy) Prior, Loyal; Ivan Kronberger, Marshfield; Mrs. George (Betty) Pabisch, Austin, Tex.; Wayne Kronberger, Neillsville; Mrs. Norbert (Jean) Lavey, Nekoosa; and Jerry Kronberger, Wisconsin Rapids. There are 28 grandchildren.