1

Bio: Abitz, Henrietta Mrs. (84th Birthday - 1862-1946)

Transcriber: Stan  

Surnames: Abitz, Mantik

----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 03/14/1946

Abitz, Henrietta Mrs. (84th Birthday - 12 Mar. 1946)

Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Mantik and Rachel were Medford callers Wednesday and visited the former’s grandmother who celebrated her 84th birthday, Tuesday. She is the Mrs. Henrietta Abitz of Medford.

2

Bio: Mantik, Sally Kay (Birth - 1950)

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: Mantik, Paulson

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) 10/12/1950

Mantik, Sally Kay (Birth - 6 Oct. 1950)

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mantik, Route 1, Abbotsford, announce the birth of a daughter, at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Marshfield, Friday, Oct. 6. She weighed 10 pounds, one and one-half ounces and was named Sally Kay. Mother and baby came from the hospital Wednesday. The Mantiks have three other daughters and one son. Mrs. O. M. Paulson, of San Gabriel, California, mother of Mrs. Mantik, is helping at the Mantik home.

3

Bio: Graves, Shirley - BPW “Woman of The Year” (1985)

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

Surnames: Graves, Meihack, Svetlik, Lauscher, Mackie

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

Graves. Mrs. Shirley-BPW “Woman of The Year” (1985)

When the Neillsville Business and Professional Women’s Club advertised for nominees to be the 1985 Woman of the Year, it should have come as no surprise that several people suggested Shirley Graves.

Graves served the residents for 23 years as a high school and elementary secretary, prior to her retirement this past May. In that time she made impression not only upon the administrators above her, but on the children looking over the top of the office desk.

“We feel that under the circumstances, serving 23 years, she’s done an excellent job,” noted Ruby Meihack, a member of the BPW’s selection committee.

Graves has been selected to be the BPW’s woman of the year and will be the guest of honor at a banquet to be held this upcoming Tuesday, September 17. Tickets for the event are available at local banking and lending institutions at a cost of $9.00.

To hear Shirley tell it, with her infectious laugh, you probably would have paid for the privilege of working with children.

Her original goals as a young lady were to enter a teaching profession, Graves said. However, with her mother ill and many other family members away during World War II, she felt her responsibilities were at home in Merrillan. “Otherwise I would have went away to be a teacher,” she said.

After the war she and her late husband, Darwin, moved to Neillsville where she began to work outside the home in places such as the Farmer’s Store and Harriet Peterson’s shop.

“It wasn’t a case of just wanting to be away from home,” she noted. “We just had a big family and needed to.”

It was Ann Svetlik, a friend who was leaving her secretarial position, that got Graves a job with the school district in an off-handed way early in the 1960’s. “She called me and said, ‘Don’t tell anyone, but there’s going to be a job opening up at the school, and I thought you’d like it,’”

Shirley applied, even though she says she felt a little green with only her high school education. But Supt. Ivan Lauscher must have seen something because he hired her. Shirley began working half days in the old elementary school, then scooting across town to take lunch tickets at the high school in the afternoon. When the new elementary was built, she was given the choice of working in the high school or the elementary, and chose the later because most of her children were then of high school age. Although she was classified as a secretary, that entailed different duties than today.

“When I started, we didn’t have teacher aids. The secretary did all the duplicating and all the extra work that needed to be done.” She noted.

Neither were there the number of administrators and guidance counselors then and a secretary might be called upon to fill those shoes. Graves recalled one little kindergarten girl who would come to school crying and would not stop until she had held her in her arms for 10 to 15 minutes.

“Finally I got it out of her that she was afraid that her mother would be lonely when she was gone. So I had her call her mother, who told her she would be alright and waiting for her at the end of the day. Everything was fine after that,” Shirley said.

On another occasion, she was pressed into doctoring for a special education youth who came to school with a large gash on his hand, evidently incurred in a barn because it was heavy with dirt and manure. “He came in and said, ‘My mom said you can fix this,’” Graves said. Fix it she did, washing it out thoroughly and changing the dressing several times a day until it has healed.

“Now you can’t do anything. You just hand them a Bandaid. You can’t even give them an aspirin if they have a headache,” she noted.

After the last of her children had graduated, Shirley decided to take a high school job despite a warning from then Supt. Gerald Mackie that she would be working for four different people. “I thought, Oh, if you only knew how many I had already been working for already,” Graves said.

Graves said she always tried to make the office a pleasant environment for children, saying good morning or hi to them and remembering them by names, even those who got into trouble. “I didn’t have any reason to be angry with them, you know. If they were sent to the office well okay, they were sent to the office.”

Perhaps for that reason, the announcement of Graves retirement was taken hard by some students who regarded her as a surrogate grandparent. Now age 61, Graves said she would have like to have waited at least one more year, but was forced to retire because of recent cancer surgery and illness.

“I knew I couldn’t keep up with the pace I had been used to. I’m not the kind of person that can go back and expect someone else to do my work,” she said.

“I miss the kids, but I don’t miss the work. When they go by my home, I wonder what they’re going to do today, and which is going to get into mischief.”

Graves will also be leaving Neillsville soon, selling her home and moving in with a daughter and her family outside of Merrillan.

4

Bio: Steiner, Francis - Outstanding Vocational Instructor (1985)

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

Surnames: Steiner

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 7/18/1985

Granton-Steiner, Francis-Outstanding Vocational Instructor (1985)

Francis Steiner, longtime instructor at the Granton High School, was named the 1985 outstanding vocational agriculture instructor and received recognition at the annual banquet of agriculture instructors held last week at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

He was honored for his teaching successes in the classroom and at fairs and contests. Over 90 FFA members at Granton have become Wisconsin State Farmers and ten have gone on to become American Farmers. A year ago, Sperry New Holland farm machinery selected him as on of the top six agricultural instructors in the nation and flew him to California to pick up his award. He is a select member of the Wisconsin Livestock Breeders Honoree Club. In 1976, he was selected with two other educators to study the agricultural needs of Nicaragua.

The past month the Granton Chapter placed first in promotion of dairy activities in the Wisconsin Junior Dairymen’s Association. This fall the Granton FFA will travel to Kansas City to pick up two national awards for recognition in community service and in chapter activities.

5

Bio: Timmler, Tammy-Named 1985- 86 Miss Clark County (1985)

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

Surnames: Timmler, Kaz, Ross, Strack, Scadden, Petryk, Hybben, Conrad

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

Timmler, Tammy-Named 1985-86 Miss Clark County (1985)

A 20-year-old Greenwood woman has been selected as the 1985-86 reigning Miss Clark County.

Honored at a ceremony last Wednesday at the climax of the “Fairest of the Fair” contest was Tammy Timmler, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Irving Timmler of Rt. 2 Greenwood. Timmler is the current Miss Clark County Farm Bureau and served as Miss Greenwood in 1982. She will take the place of outgoing Miss Clark County Kate Kaz of Thorp.

Timmler was chosen by a panel of three judges following individual and group interviews with 17 women vying for the title.
First runner-up in the contest was Kathy Ross, a former Miss Neillsville and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gene Ross. Second runner-up was the reigning Miss Neillsville, Lisa Strack, daughter of Jerry and Donna Strack.

Timmler was sponsored by the Clark County Farm Bureau while Ross was sponsored by WCCN Radio and Strack was sponsored by the Neillsville Chamber of Commerce.

Judges for the event were Heidi Scadden of Hartford, the 1984 state Fairest of the Fair, Joe Petryk of Boyceville, and Peter Hybben of Menomonie. Phyllis Conrad of Owen coordinated the event for Clark County.

Timmler will be eligible to compete in the 1986 State Fairest of the Fair contest. Kaz was a runner up in this year’s state contest.

6

BioM: Marriage Licenses (July - 1985)

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

Surnames: Jennings, Vittallo, Stump, Schmidt, Oldham, Fredrickson, Roskos, Buettner, Bell, Cram, Knudsen, Clintsman, Doescher, Pillman, Kloth, Sinette, Pekol, Hubing

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 7/11/1985

Marriage Licenses (July - 1985)

Kenneth A. Jennings, to Wanda G. Vittallo, both of Town of Grant, to be married in Neillsville, July 13.

Jay D. Stump, Loyal, to Lona L. Schmidt, Town of Beaver, to be married in Loyal, July 13.

Jack C. Oldham, to Becky J. Fredrickson, both of Town of Pine Valley, to be married in Neillsville, July 13.

Robert Steven Roskos, Town of Alma, to Kathleen Marie Buettner, Town of Levis, to be married in Neillsville, July 20.

Tracy Scott Bell, to Marilyn Evelyn Cram, both of Neillsville, to be married in Neillsville, July 19.

Paul E. Knudsen, to Nancy K. Clintsman, both of Mounds View, Minnesota, to be married in Greenwood, July 13.

Kevin Clayton Doescher, Town of Fremont, to Holly Rae Pillman, Township of Ayer, to be married in Neillsville, July 12.

Roy G. Kloth, to Jean a Sinette, both of Town of Unity. No marriage date given.

Daniel F. Pekol, Town of Seif, to Lori Ann Hubing, of Neillsville, to be married in Neillsville, July 6.

7

BioM: Marriage Licenses (Jul/Aug - 1985)

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

Surnames: Tews, Zank, Anderegg, Kauffman, Sepp, Schofield, Mashin, Eddy, Lewis, Winkler, Jarocki, Schultze, Schuhmacher, Horban, Ackerman, Soyk, Erpenbach, Witte, Nigon, Lindner, Gregorich, Hebert, Lindner, Sischo, Radtke, Hanson, Krarup, Carter

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 7/25/1985

Marriage Licenses (Jul/Aug - 1985)

Scott C. Tews, to Carol A. Zank, both of Town of Pine Valley, to be married in the Town of Pine Valley, July 20.

Michael E. Anderegg, Town of Weston to Tamra A. Kauffman, Town of Beaver, to be married in Loyal, July 20.

Steven Wade Sepp, to Debra Ann Schofield, both of Greenwood, to be married in Greenwood, July 20.

Martin R. Mashin, Town of York, to Mary K. Eddy, Neillsville, to be married in Neillsville, July 27.

Todd E. Lewis, to Susan M. Winkler, both of Town of Grant, to be married in Granton, July 27.

Jonathon J. Jarocki, Town of Withee, to Jean M. Schultze, Town of Worden, to be married in Thorp, July 27.

William A. Schumacher, to Cathy L. Horban, both of Town of Worden, to be married in the Town of Warden, August 3.

Douglas J. Ackerman, to Polly A. Soyk, both of Town of Hoard, to be married in Curtiss, July 27.

Paul Anthony Erpenbach, Neillsville, to Natalie Karen Witte, Town of Hewett, to be married at Neillsville, August 3.

Martin Jerome Nigon, to Kathleen Sue Lindner, both of Town of Eaton, to be married in Greenwood, August 3.

Charles L. Gregorich, Town of Sherman, to Lori L. Hebert, of Loyal, to be married at Loyal, July 27.

Bradley C. Lindner, Neillsville, to Judy S. Sischo, Town of Pine Valley, to be married at Pine Valley, August 3.

Russell R. Radtke, Town of Sherman to Deann S. Hanson, of Altoona, to be married at Loyal, August 17.

Neil F. Krarup, Town of Longwood, to Julie A. Carter, of Owen, to be married at Withee, August 3.

8

BioM: Marriage Licenses (Aug - 1985)

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

Surnames: Galston, Crawley, Maslanka, Kittl, McCredden, Skwierczynski, Oleson, Hollman, Horvat, Ortner, Menke, Hoyt, Slowiak, Sniegowski, Hebert, Englebretson, Engle, Cook, Wnek, Gindt, Gutenberger, Klein

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/1 and 8/8/1985

Marriage Licenses (Aug - 1985)

Gaylord H. Galston, to Shirley C. Crawley, both of Abbotsford, to be married at Neillsville, August 2.

Bruce L. Maslanka, to Mary J. Kittl, both of Abbotsford, to be married at Abbotsford, August 16.

Timothy J. McCredden, to Matalie J. Skwierczynski, both of Thorp, to be married at Milwaukee, August 1.

John A. Oleson, to Debra a. Hollman, both of Town of Mayville, to be married at Stetsonville, August 3.

Steven R. Horvat, to Susan M. Ortner, both of Town of Hendren, to be married at Willard, August 9.

Louie W. Menke, Town of Fremont, to Sharon L. Hoyt, Town of Rock, Wood Co., to be married at Chili, August 31.

Thomas J. Slowiak, to Julie J. Sniegowski, both of Town of Withee, to be married at Thorp, August 10.

Louis L. Hebert, to Penny L. Englebretson, both of Greenwood, to be married at Greenwood, August 10.

Kenneth H. Engle, to Sandra L. Cook, both of Town of Green Grove, to be married at Colby, August 10.

Terry J. Wnek, Town of Withee, to Lori A. Gindt, Thorp, to be married at Town of Edson, Chippewa Co. August 17.

Gary A. Gutenberger, to Christine M. Klein, both of Neillsville, to be married at Neillsville, August 3.

9

Church: Greenwood - Missionary Baptist Church (Burns Mortgage - 1985)

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

Surnames: Gross, Saletri

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/1/1985

Greenwood-Missionary Baptist Church (Burns Mortgage - 1985)

Missionary Baptist Church, of Greenwood, will burn the mortgage of its new building Sunday, August 4, 1985. This is also the thirtieth anniversary of a church that started in a rented room, moved to a home, and later to a renovated hotel building which had been used for other purposes and then abandoned. The new building was built in 1973.

Rev. Leroy Gross was the pastor when the new church was built. He will not be able to attend, so his brother, Rev. Victor Gross, will speak on his behalf. The present pastor is Rev. Charles E. Saletri, a graduate of the Conservative Baptist Seminary in Denver, Colorado.

10

News: Clark Co - UW-Eau Claire Achievers (Academic Achievers - 1985)

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

Surnames: Clemens, Genteman, Haines, Kurth, Larsen, Mayer, Black, Briski, Fravert, Richmond, Scherer, Lesar, O’Leary, Scholze, Sackett

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 7/18/1985

Clark Co-UW-Eau Claire Achievers (Academic Achievers - 1985)

The UW-Eau Claire spring semester academic distinction list includes the following students:

Cheryl Clemens, Cherri Genteman, Gina Haines, Dennis Kurth, Carla Larsen, and Rick Mayer, all of Neillsville.

Jennifer Black, Andrea Briski, Steven Briski, Ruth Fravert, Susan Richmond and Terrance Scherer, all of Greenwood.

Clara Gilbertson, Chili; Dean Lesar, Willard; John O’Leary and Zona Scholze, Humbird; and Sherry Sackett of Merrillan.

To be eligible for Academic Distinction recognition, a student must receive at least a 3.2 grade-point average (where 4.0 equals A) for twelve semester credits or more of college credit courses.

11

News: Clark Co - UW-Madison (Participating - 1985)

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

Surnames: Block, Neha, Vornholt

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

Clark Co-UW-Madison (Participating - 1985)

Area students participating in the summer registration and orientation program on campus recently were Jennifer Block, Greenwood; Mayumi Neha and Paul A. Vornholt, both of Neillsville.

12

News: Clark Co - UW-Stevens Point (High Honors - 1985)

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

Surnames: Spaete, Umbs

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 7/25/1985

Clark Co-UW-Stevens Point (High Honors - 1985)

Area students receiving high honors citations from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, during the spring semester, were Douglas Spaete, Granton, highest honors, and Jean Umbs, Neillsville, high honors.