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Bio: Abel, Kay Elaine (Birth - 1963)

Transcriber: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Surnames: Abel, Meyer

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) May 30, 1963

Abel, Kay Elaine (Birth - 22 May 1963)

Mr. and Mrs. Lester Abel of Kaukauna are the parents of a daughter, Kay Elaine, born May 22.  Mrs. Abel is the former Joyce Meyer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Meyer, and her husband is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ted Abel, all of Greenwood.

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Bio: Winkler, Mr. and Mrs. Fred (Granton Honored Citizens - 1985)

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

Surnames: Winkler, Scharf, Dudei

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 9/5/1985

Winkler, Mr. and Mrs. Fred (Granton Honored Citizens - 1985)

Henry and Elsie Winkler, longtime residents of the Granton area, have been selected as “Citizens of the Year” for the Village of Granton. They will be honored at the annual Granton Fall Festival September 6-8.

Henry was born in Germany on August 1, 1914, and came to America when 11 years old. His father’s sister lived in Chicago and encouraged them to come to America. He finished grade school in Chicago and was allowed to jump several grades because of the fine education he had received in Germany. He worked for a fuse company and then was a mechanic for the Yellow Cab Company in Chicago where he oiled and greased their cabs.

When he was 19 years old, he came to Granton to visit friends and met his wife, Elsie Scharf. Two years later they were married on October 19, 1935. This fall on Saturday, October 26, they will host an open house at the Clark County Sportsman’s Club in Granton to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

After their marriage, they returned to Chicago for ten years because they couldn’t find work in this area. It was depression and times were tough. They had no money for a honeymoon. In 1945, they bought the farm they live on and farmed the 80 acres and milked as many as 26 cows until 1964. In 1959 Henry started driving a school bus and also worked as a school janitor at Granton. Hank saw the new fieldhouse, swimming pool and industrial arts complex built during his tenure.

In 1969, Elsie decided to attend a ceramic school at Granton taught by Evelyn Dudei. She became “hooked” and since that time has spent most of her time making ceramic objects. She now has a shop and is busy the year round making gifts. For five years she gave lessons in her home. At one time she owned over 1,000 molds, but a few years ago she decided to slow down and sold most of them. Since then, she has changed her mind and is busier than ever. Her most appreciated items are her ceramic Christmas trees and Christmas crib scenes.

It should be noted that Henry does his part in the present business by… (sorry readers, the balance of this story on another page and I do not have it to copy. Dmk)

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Bio: Zahradka, (Granton Honored Grandparent - 1985)

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

Surnames: Zahradka, Eibergen, Bladl, Glasson, Flannigan, Wunsch

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/29/1985

Zahradka, (Granton Honored Grandparent - 1985)

Anna Zahradka from the Village of Granton, was named the winner in a contest to select the 1985 grandparent of the year in the Granton area. The contest was sponsored by the Granton FFA Alumni. She was nominated by Dawn Eibergen, her granddaughter.

Sunday, September 8, is National Grandparent’s Day in America, and is also the day of the Granton Fall Festival Parade. Anna and Dawn will ride in the parade as honored guests.

Dawn submitted an essay on why she wanted her grandmother selected as being someone special in her life. She said, “She is a special person to me because she has been my helper and playmate all my life. She crochets for all the grandchildren and makes the best cookies in the country. She deserved to be honored.”

Ann Zahradka was born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bladl, live and attended school in the Lindsey are. Times were poor and she vividly remembers walking to Sunday Mass in Chili. She attended St. Mary’s Catholic School in Hokah, Minnesota where she roomed with an aunt. She could catch a train at Lindsey, go to Babcock, board a train to New Lisbon, and then a train to La Crosse, where her aunt would meet her.

After graduation she returned to this area and was a telephone operator at Granton. She married Mike Zahradka on June 20, 1929. Her parents operated the hotel in Granton, where Mike was a boarder. He was a rural mail carrier and died in 1957. He originally used horses to deliver the mail, and they had a livery stable at their home in Granton. They built the home they have always lived in near Main Street in Granton.

The Zahradka’s had six children, Maryann Glasson, Denison, Tex.; Betty Eibergen, Granton; Carolyn Flannigan, Hastings, Minn.; Michael, Corning, N.Y.: Rosalee Wunsch, Sheboygan Falls; and Barbara, Sheboygan. Anna has 34 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren, at last count.

Anna enjoys excellent health and loves to travel. She has been to England, Scotland, France, Nova Scotia, Mexico and throughout the United States. Her most enjoyable trips were to San Antonio, Tex., and Las Vegas, Nev. She makes it a point to visit her children on a regular basis.

Her hobbies include crocheting and tatting, and she has made each of the grandchildren an Afghan. An avid baker, cookies are her specialty. She is a member of the Granton Senior Citizens and of St. Mary’s Church in Neillsville.

She has seen Granton grow into a modern little village, but well remembers the many people that stopped at her parent’s hotel for a meal or a room. The streets in Granton were not paved and there was no curb or gutter. There were livery stables all over town. She was married during the depression and remembers hard times. She is most proud of the fine family she and her husband raised, and all are doing well. Her grandchildren are her pride and joy.

The Granton people are proud to honor Anna Zahradka and are honored to have her at the front of the parade on Sunday, September 8.

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BioA: Blum, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert (Golden - 1985)

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

Surnames: Blum

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/15/1985

Blum, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert (Golden - 1985)

Herbert and Martha Blum, of Neillsville, celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage on August 10 and 11. The occasion was held at their home in Neillsville, and at a cottage on Lake Arbutus. Family members present attended church services at Evangelical Lutheran Church, Neillsville.

All the family, but one grandchild, Dawn Blum, was able to attend; and pictures were taken to appear on the final page of a family history album written by Mr. Blum.

Family members include Donald and Nancy Blum, Jeff and Dawn, of Rockford, Illinois; Herbert and Cielita Blum, daughter Sandy, son Wayne of Wauwatosa; Craig and JoAnn Blum, Christine, Renee, and Jeffery, of Bloomington, Minnesota; Spencer Blum, daughters Michelle, Angela and Johanna Kay, sons, Stuart and Jonathon, of St. Paul, Minnesota; Karen and daughter, Kim, of Wausau; Wayne and Mariann (Blum), daughters Christen and Jaye, of Neillsville.

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BioA: Kurasz, Mr. and Mrs. William (Golden - 1985)

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

Surnames: Kurasz, Meline, Peltier, Peissic, Murphy, Anding, Kozlowski, Schutte, Geig, Scholze, Marg, Durst, Reshel, Weber

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/22/1985

Kurasz, Mr. and Mrs. William (Golden - 1985)

William and Eva Kurasz, Rt. 3, Neillsville celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on August 10, 1985. The occasion was held at the Neillsville American Legion hosted by their children and grandchildren. Approximately 265 people were in attendance for the dinner, with more arriving for the evening dance.

A highlight of the celebration was a mock wedding, staged by the grandchildren of the couple.

Only one granddaughter, Doreen Meline, and her son, Joshua, of California, was unable to attend. Other family members participating were James and Margie Kurasz, sons Martin, Kim and Kelly, daughters Connie and Debbie, of Dubois, Wyoming; Dale and Rosie Kurasz, son Daye, daughter and son-in-law and Mike and Diana Peltier, Forest Lake, MN; Ed and Carol Kurasz, Neillsville, sons Mark and Ronald, daughters, Jane, Vicki, Mena, and Lori with her friend, Terry Peissic; Rosemary and Bernard Murphy, Greenwood, sons David, Larry and Alan, daughter Donna with friend, David Anding of Neillsville; Lee and Joan Kurasz, sons John and Craig, daughters Lynette and Brenda, all of Neillsville, Bill and Sue Kurasz, Dubois, Wyoming.

Also attending were the couple’s wedding attendants of fifty years ago; Mr. and Mrs. Julius Kozlowski, of Pray, Rev. Weber, of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Neillsville, blessed them all.

Sisters and brothers of Mrs. Kurasz attending the event were Ethel and Vivian Schute, of Neillsville; Dorothy Geig, Fairchild; Leone Scholze and Betty Marg, Black River Falls; Ella Jean Scholze, Rudolph; Virgil Durst, Osseo; James and Ivan Durst, Neillsville; Raymond Durst, Fairchild. Sister-in-law June Durst, Rudolph, Aunts Bernice Reshel, Titusville, Florida, and Della Lightfoot, Fairchild, also participated.

Family of Mr. Kurasz present were Victor and Betty Kurasz, Black River Falls; and sister-in-law, Esther Kurasz, Neillsville.

Married November 2, 1935, at Black River Falls, the couple has lived in the Neillsville area during their entire marriage. Farming for forty years, they still reside on the family farm.

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BioA: Langreck, Mr. and Mrs. Fred (Golden - 1985)

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

Surnames: Langreck

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/15/1985

Langreck, Mr. and Mrs. Fred (Golden - 1985)

OPEN HOUSE - 50th Wedding Anniversary of Fred and Celia Langreck will be Saturday, August. 24, 1985.

Polka Mass will be at 1:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Greenwood, followed by reception & buffet at Parkway Inn. Music will be from 8-12 p.m.

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BioA: Lavene, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin (40th - 1985)

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

Surnames Lavene

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/15/1985

Lavene, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin (40th - 1985)

A large crowd attended the 40th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Lavene, Saturday night at the Sportsman’s Club in Granton. A mock wedding was held with Rickey Lavene as preacher.

On Sunday, a large group had dinner at the Lavene’s, and gifts were opened.

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News Neillsville -- Townhouse Ground Breaking (1985)

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

Surnames: Larson, Lulloff, Ollech, Johnson, Mayer, Rhoades

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/22/1985

Neillsville—Townhouse Ground Breaking (1985)

Members of the concern partnership and city officials joined for a groundbreaking ceremony at the corner of Forest and Seventh Street Thursday. The lot at that location is the site of a new five-unit townhouse which will be started soon. Concern is also constructing a 20-unit apartment building on Hewett Street just south of the Legion Hall. Work will start within the next few weeks. Personnel on scene were Brad Larson, Mayor Robert Lulloff, Walter Ollech, Donald Johnson, Alderman Vern Mayer and Herb Rhoades.

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School: NHS Class of 1935 Reunion (50 Year - 1985)

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

Surnames: Bardell, Gassen, Jewett, Kleckner, Gault, Potter, Roessler, Terman, Anding, Ratsch, Armitage, Horswill, Zaschke, Mott, Olson, Anderson, Thompson, Reindel, Kreitlow, Richmond, Stelter, Mullarkey, Weeks, Braatz, Brown, Gault, Pierce, Klopf, Seif, Nesbitt, Acheson, Pagenkopf, Hagedorn, Poppe, Hansen, Rennak, Schoengarth, Rizner, Wahlen, Miller, Wedekind Moen, Hoesly, Getz, Perkins, Graf, Welch

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/29/1985

NHS Class of 1935 Reunion (50 Year - 1985)

The Neillsville High School Class of 1935 held their 50th class reunion, at the Neillsville Country Club, on August 10, 1985.

Those in attendance from out of state were, Wilbur Bardell, Wildwood, Fla.; Mr./Mrs. Carl Gassen, Evanston, Ill.; Mrs. Verne Jewett (Jean Kleckner), San Jose, Calif.; Mr./Mrs. Robert Gault (Marcia Potter), Tucson, Ariz.; and Mr./Mrs. Clarence Roessler, Green Valley, Ariz.

Class members attending from Wisconsin were, Mrs. William Terman (Emma Anding), Eau Claire; Mr./Mrs. Clarence Ratsch (Dorothy Armitage), Greenwood; Mr./Mrs. Hugh Horswill, Janesville; Mrs. Walter Zaschke (Irma Mott), Milwaukee; Olaf Olson and Elaine Anderson, Wis. Rapids; Mr./Mrs. Alvin Thompson (Gloria Reindel), Manitowoc; Mr./Mrs. Louis Kreitlow (Dorothy Richmond), Sussex; Rosaly Stelter, Milwaukee; Mr./Mrs. William Mullarkey (Mary Jane Weeks), Madison;

Those from Neillsville attending were, Mr./Mrs. Donald Braatz, Mrs. Walter Brown, (Dorothy Gault), Mr./Mrs. Ted Pierce (Vahlia Klopf), Mrs. Dale Seif (Mary Jane Nesbitt), Mrs. Donald Acheson (Helen Pagenkopf), Mr./Mrs. Julius Hagedorn, (Henrietta Poppe), Mr./Mrs. Leland Hansen (Dorothy Rennak), Mr./Mrs. Lowell Schoengarth, Mr./Mrs. William Rizner (Irma Wahlen), Mr./Mrs. Clarence Miller (Anita Wedekind), and Mrs. Virginia Moen,

Teachers in attendance were Mr./Mrs. Jacob Hoesly (Harriette Getz) and Mr./Mrs. John Perkins, all of Neillsville; and Mrs. Clem Graf (Mabel Welch), Eau Claire.

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School: NHS Class of 1940 Reunion (45th Year - 1985)

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

Surnames: Aberle, Cernik, Bird, Mortimer, Cummings, Kauffman, Jacklin, Burnett, Ott, Benduhn, Pagenkopf, Palmer, Phelps, Lyke, Rowe, Perry, Schaub, Schwellenbach, Searles, Doudna, West Whaley, Zuege, Kadlecik, Beyer, Felser, Flynn, Heiman, Hoesly, Hubing, Mellen, Lowe, Murphy, Opelt Scholtz, Gassen, Tesmer, Wagner, Short, Bauer, Robinson, Seif, Paulson

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/29/1985

NHS Class of 1940 Reunion (45th - 1985)

Thirty-one members of the Neillsville High School Class of 1940 assembled at the Neillsville Country Club, on August 17, to celebrate their 45th class reunion.

Tom Flynn was master of ceremonies and Elmer Hoesly delivered the invocation. Virginia Gassen gave a financial report and read messages from class members who could not attend.

Special cakes were baked and brought to the banquet by Bernard Schaub. Prizes donated by class members were awarded by Bill Lowe. Special prizes included a flag, given by Cliff Paulson, which had flown over the capitol in Washington, D.C. in July 1985; and walnuts brought from the state of Oregon by Marie Aberle Cernik. Six deceased class members were remembered.

Those attending from out-of-town were, Charles and Marie (Aberle) Cernik, Eugene, Ore.; Velma (Bird) Mortimer, Rock City, Ill.; Mr/Mrs. James Cummings, Alma Center; Mr./Mrs. Larry Kauffman, Hatfield; Rue and Mary (Jacklin) Burnett, Spencer; Horace Lindekugel, Watertown; Manfred and Ruth (Ott) Benduhn, Milwaukee; Ernest and Theola (Pagenkopf) Bird, Greenwood; Mr./Mrs. Joe Palmer, Milwaukee; Charles and Rosetta (Phelps) Lyke, Ft. Atkinson; Edward and Hazel (Rowe) Perry, Norridge, Ill.; Bernard Schaub, Plymouth; Mr./Mrs. Clyde Schwellenbach, Durand; Maynard and Lorene (Searles) Doudna, Richland Center; Mr./Mrs. Roy West, Las Vegas, Nev.; Mr./Mrs. Don Whaley, Durand; Donald and Verna (Zuege) Kadlecik, Racine.

Attending from the Neillsville area were, Mr./Mrs. Harold Beyer, Mr./Mrs. Dwayne Felser, Mr./Mrs. Tom Flynn, Mr./Mrs. Francis Heiman, Mr./Mrs. Elmer Hoesly, Lorraine (Hubing) Mellen, Bill and Betty (Hubing) Lowe, Mr./Mrs. Art Murphy, Mr./Mrs. Bob Opelt, Matt and Virginia (Scholtz) Gassen, Mr./Mrs. Ray Tesmer, Herb Wagner and Mr./Mrs. Dale Short.

Other guests included Anna Belle Bauer, Mary Ellen Robinson, Mr./Mrs. Louis Seif, all of Wis. Rapids; and Lionel Benduhn, of Milwaukee.

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School: NHS Class of 1945 Reunion (40th - 1985)

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

Surnames: Aumann, Bartell, Beyer, Berger, Counsell, Osborn, Elmer, Jonkel, Keller, Kroll, Krueger, Neperud, Rood, Neuhaus, Brager, Opelt, Rosandich, Ott, Pankau, Prochazka, Schlinsog, Schwanebeck, Hasz, Statz, Trewartha, Prochnow, Wachholz, Vobora, Zipfel, Ormond, Bayuk, Dux, Fanning, Farrand, Drescher, Lipke, Meihak, Neff, Zager, Russell, Roberts, Wieting, Kunze, Holmes, Ochesl, Swann, Lipsey

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 9/12/1985

NHS Class of 1945 Reunion (40th - 1985)

The Neillsville High School Class of 1945 commemorated its 40th reunion with a banquet, held Saturday, August 31, at the Neillsville Country Club.

Dick Prochazka, Rochester, Minn., emceed the evening. Committee members were Marvella (Lipke) Opelt, Rosie (Wieting) Kunze, Ruby Meihak, all of Neillsville, and Marian (Beyer) Berger, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Table arrangements and decorations were done in red and white, in keeping with the 40th (Ruby) year and the Neillsville school colors.

1945 class facts include: Class Color: Royal purple and gold: Class Motto: “Dawn;” Class Flower: Yellow Rose; Number Graduating: 53; Graduation Day: May 24, 1945; Class Officers: President, Wilmer Kroll, Rothschild; Treasurer, Marilyn Joyce (Neperud) Rood, Sparta; Secretary, Mrs. Hilda (Swann) Lipsey, Neillsville; Valedictorian: Leana (Ott) Pankau, Oshkosh; Salutatorian: Paul R. Bartell, Jr., Wausau; Classmates Who Married: Glenn and Willmette (Russell) Roberts, Neillsville.

Members and spouses in attendance were, Clarence and Doris Aumann, Loyal; Paul and Diane Bartell, Wausau; Marian (Beyer) Berger, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Harold and Doris (Counsell) Osborn, Carbondale, Ill.; Richard and Martha Elmer, Havre, Mont.; George and Jean Jonkel, Laurel, Md.; Roy Keller, Arlington, Tex.; Wilmer and Ethel Kroll, Rothschild; Devere Krueger, Minneapolis, Minn.; Vernon and Marilyn Joyce (Neperud) Rood, Sparta; Kenneth and Marion (Neuhaus) Brager, Gilman; Thomas and Arlene (Opelt) Rosandich, Oak Creek; Harry and Leana (Ott) Pankau, Oshkosh; Dick and Jerry Prochazka, Rochester, Minn.; William and Jeanette Schlinsog, Middleton; Albert and Lois (Schwanebeck) Hasz, Granton; Anton and Berniece Statz, Wis. Rapids; Helen (Trewartha) Prochnow; William and Violet (Wachholz) Neuhaus, St. Paul, Minn.; George and Lou Vobora and daughter, Julie, Medford, Ore.; Kenneth and Ruth (Zipfel) Mahon, Bay City, Mich.; Frank and Beatrice (Ormond) Bayuk, Greenwood; Arnie and Dolores Opelt, Granton; Bud and Arlene (Dux) Fanning, Janesville.

Those from Neillsville attending were, Melvin and Ina Mae Dux, Addie Jean (Farrand) Drescher, Marcella (Lipke) Opelt, Ruby Meihak, Charles and Lou Neff, Ethel (Ormond) Zager, Glenn and Willmette (Russell) Roberts, Donald and Rosie (Wieting) Kunze, and Dorothy (Holmes) Ochesl and daughter.

Door prizes of cheese, honey and maple syrup were presented. In addition prizes were awarded for: attending reunion from longest distance-George Vobora, Medford, Ore.; and member with youngest grandchild-Joyce (Neperud) Rood.