Bio: Landini, Louis & Mary

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Landini, Perko, Hribar, Urbanz, Barnes

----Source: Family Scrapbook

Louis Landini was born in Lucca, Italy in 1896. He came to the United States in 1911 with his mother. His father had come over a few years earlier. They settled in Duluth, Minnesota. Louis' father opened an ice cream parlor, and Louis started to work at the Portland Cement Company.

Marie (Mary) Perko was born in Pueblo, Colorado in 1902. The Perkos moved to Willard in 1912. Later Mary and her father, Joseph, went to Duluth to find work. Joe couldn't find anything so he went to Ely, Minnesota to work in the mines. Mary got a job in the Portland Cement Company.

Mary and Louis met and got married in Duluth in August of 1922. Their first two children, Robert Louis and Lucille, were born in Duluth. In 1929, Louis moved his family to Chicago. On the way, a second son, Richard, was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Louis started work as a fireman for U.S. Steel. Three more children were born in Chicago; Virginia, Louis Robert, and Ralph.

In 1948, due to health reasons, Louis was told to leave Chicago. His doctor said he had only a few years to live. In June, Louis and Mary went to California where they found a place to live near San Bernardino. On their return to Chicago, a letter was waiting to inform them that a farm next to the Perko farm was up for sale at a reasonable price. Six of the seven members of the family met and voted to either go to California or Willard. The vote was four to two in favor of Willard.

In November of 1948, Louis, Mary, Louis Robert, and Ralph moved to Willard. The first winter the boys and their mother milked a dozen cows. Louis went to Chicago to work and later he worked for Plautz Brothers, Inc. in Willard.

Louis died in the spring of 1959 after a short stay in the Neillsville Hospital. The farm was sold to Louis Robert Landini.

Lucille married Alvin Kaltinger in Willard in 1953. Richard (Dick) stayed in Chicago. He married a Chicago girl in 1949. Virginia married Louis Hribar. They moved back to Chicago. Louis Robert married Gwendolyn Urbanz. Ralph married Kathleen Barnes of Greenwood.

Mary Landini died May 6, 1980 after a short stay in the Marshfield Hospital.

It is very hard to put a lifetime in a few words. Louis and Mary had many hard times together, as well as many good times. We, their children, are thankful for their love and guidance through the years. We hope this short history is enough but in our minds and hearts, we will always remember them.