News: Neillsville - Dux and Wall Honored (1981)

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

Surnames: Dux, Wall, Thoma, Billsbee, Stoughton, Becker, Schmitz, Roberts, Poeschel, Halverson, Soeller, Foster, Schrage, Grap, Sigurdson, Steiger, Kuehnel, Ruzic, Sturtz, Schmitt, Lulloff, Selanders, Corey, Schield, Klieforth, Hagedorn Slaats, Smith

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 10/15/1981

Louis Dux and Fred Wall are honored (1981)

Lous and Gen Dux of the Globe area and Fred and Laura Wall of Neillsville were honored Monday evening before members of the Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce at that group’s annual banquet. The two couples were selected for their service to agriculture and to the business community.

For Louis Dux, it was a night to get in a word on farming. Noting the many professional people in the audience, he asked that urban folk “think of farmers as professional people too.”

Fred Wall told the crowd that his relationship with the community was due to a long personal attachment to the area and its citizens. He noted that in the audience there were a few people who had worked for him over the years. He added, “I know mine out of ten peo9ple here—that’s worth a lot.”

Both couples received plaques denoting their selection as “Business Citizens Of The Year” and “Agri-business Citizens Of The Year.”

Active Farmers

The Dux couple was selected for the long service to the promotion and expansion of agriculture programs in the area, county and state.

Louis was born in 1925, to Herman and Alfrieda Dux. (His mother attended the Monday evening gala.) On October 2, 1948, Louis and Gen Thoma were married in Globe ceremonies. The couple have remained in that area all of their lives. They have three children, Debra, who resides with her husband, Bill and their two girls in Milwaukee; Dan and his wife Bunny and their son in Neillsville; and David, who remains on the home farm.

Louis is an active man. He has served for nine years on the board of Tri-State breeders Cooperative; serves as president of the Clark Electric Cooperative; is vice-president of the Wisconsin Electrical Cooperative Association; and is a board member of the Neillsville-Granton Farmers Union Cooperative. He also serves on the advisory board of the Neillsville Bank, is a director for Lynn Mutual Insurance and has held several leadership posts with Immanuel Lutheran Church.

The Dux couple operates a 276-acre dairy farm and rents 40 more acres. The farm now boasts a DHIA herd average of 762 pounds of butterfat and 19,000 pounds per cow.

While he enjoys fishing in his spare time, Gen takes time to tend to flowers, plants and crafts. She is also well-known for her cake decorating abilities and served for 15 years as a 4-H leader.

Service In Business

Also honored were Fred and Laura Wall, who have remained active in the Neillsville business community for nearly 45 years.

Fred was born in Evansville and moved with his parents while young to the Neillsville area. Laura was born in Granton. Both attended Neillsville High School. They were married in 1930.

Fred first worked for what was then known as Zimmerman’s Big Store, now D&M Department Store. After a short time, he opened a gas station in March of 1927. The station was first owned by H.M. Billsbee and Northern States Power. In 1932, the Deep Rock Oil Company bought out the business and Fred leased the operation until 1940. Just over ten years later, Kerr-McGee bought out Deep Rock. In 1954, they sold the service station to their son, Todd, but both Fred and Laura still remain active in the business.

The Walls, who make their home at 1107 Emery Street, have two children , Todd of Neillsville and Mrs. Robert (Susan) Stoughton of Mondovi. They also have six grandchildren.

Optimism Shown

Toward the close of festivities, E. J. Steiger, who served as master of ceremonies, told the 140 (or so) attendance that despite the recent gloomy news, the area’s citizens should be optimistic. He pointed out that there were presently down times in the economy and that newspaper, and the broadcast media have brought home the facts that diary price supports are being cut and that interest rates are remaining high.

Steiger noted that what will make the area survive through the tough times is its basis on agriculture. He said that as the population of the world continues to climb, the need for food will also increase. “Demand for food dictates a positive attitude,” Steiger concluded.

Chamber Is Busy

Several chamber of commerce matters were also on the docket at the Fannie’s Supper Club gathering. Terry Becker, chamber president, told of chamber activities in the past year. These included the hosting of Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus (thanks to Lamar and Thelma Schmitz) to the community; free movies for children at Christmas; the coordination of the Winter Carnival, including the selection of a new Miss Neillsville; an Easter Egg Hunt; June Dairy Days festivities, which helped purchase emergency lighting for a rescue van; and the purchase of trophies for the annual athletic awards night.

Becker added that the chamber had also erected a new sign promoting the city on the west entrance to town; operated a booth at the Clark County Fair; offered accommodations to deer hunters in the area; will be hosting a free movie for children on Halloween; and had spent many hours in promoting tourism and sharing information about the area.

The board of directors was also introduced at the banquet. They are Becker president; Schmitz, vice-president; Kathy Roberts, secretary; and board members Darrell Poeschel, Dick Halverson, Duane Soeller, Dr. Greg Foster, Brad Robert, Cut Schrage, Norm Foster, Wayne Grap and Craig Sigurdson.

Emcee Steiger also asked for support of four groups he termed helpful in expanding the industrial base in the community. They included the Neillsville Industrial Corporation, O’Neill Industries, the mayor and city council, and the city’s industrial park committee. Steiger singled out Harold Kuehnel for his efforts in retaining the Neillsville Foundry for the community.

Also taking part in the program were Kirstin Ruzic, who told her experiences as Miss Neillsville; Howie Sturtz II, who introduced the Wall couple; and Wayne Grap, who gave the invocation.

Numerous door prizes were also awarded. Gift certificates to Fannie’s went to Ralph Schmitt, Sr., Bob Lulloff, Debbie Selanders and Wayne Grap. Cheese was awarded to Gary Corey, E.J. Steiger; Dr. Dan Schield, Chuck Klieforth and Herman Hagedorn with a package of butter was won by Gary Slaats, Vickie Grap and Loretta Smith.