BioA: Draeger, Mr./Mrs. Paul (55th – 1970)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Draeger, Linek, Becker, Bailey, Panke, Watson, Tessmer

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 31 Dec 1970

Draeger, Mr./Mrs. Paul (55th – 30 DEC 1970)

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Draeger of Colby (Clark Co., Wis.), who were married December 20, 1915, in St. John's Evangelical Church, now the First United Church of Christ, Colby, by the Rev. M. Linek, celebrated their 50th anniversary on December 30, 1965.

This year there will be no celebration, as they visited and saw all their children, grandsons and great-granddaughters this summer.

Their daughter, Mrs. Henrietta Becker, widow of the late Rev. Edwin Becker, is temporarily with them since June 1965. The other two children are Paul Draeger Jr. of Racine, and Everett Bailey of Alameda, California, Mrs. Draeger's sister's son, whom they reared when Mrs. Fred (Martha) Bailey died very early in life.

They have three grandsons, David Becker of Ladd, Illinois, Keith Becker of Marion, Ohio, and Paul Louis Draeger of Memphis, Tennessee, and two great-granddaughters, born since their 50th anniversary. They are Kathryn Brook Becker of Ladd, Illinois, and Kimberly Sue Becker of Marion, Ohio.

Mr. Draeger, son of Ferdinand and Ottilia Draeger, was born March 21, 1891 in Clarno, Wisconsin, and was educated in Medford. He worked for the Medford Lumber Company prior to his marriage.

His wife, the former Anna Panke, daughter of Frederick and Henrietta Panke, was born in Colby on April 15, 1892, and was educated in Colby. Colby has always been her home. She was a clerk in the Kraus and Kersten store years ago.

For this occasion the children, grandsons and great-granddaughters are placing a green bouquet of flowers in the church sanctuary and have ordered a cake decorated in green.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Draeger are in fair health, but both have had surgery since 1965, and Mr. Draeger a heart attack. They would like to do more outside work, but can only have a few flowers and a berry patch.

Mrs. Draeger enjoys her Royal Neighbor meetings and Guild meetings of the church. They both are members of the First United Church of Christ of Colby, and Mrs. Draeger is a lifelong member of the church, being baptized, confirmed and married there.

Her late father was a charter member and helped organize the church.

There are still two living attendants of their wedding, Mrs. Robert Watson of Genoa City, Wisconsin, sister of Mr. Draeger, and Edwin Tessmer of Tomahawk.