The Leigh World publishes a weekly column entitled Looking Back at the World, which is comprised of articles taken from earlier Leigh World files. A special thank you to the Leigh World for allowing me to reprint those articles. The following are selections from that column:
May 7, 1953 - reprinted February 14, 2007Mrs. Emil Hoff was pleasantly surprised on Mother's Day when she received a cablegram from her son Melvern "Pee Wee" Hoff from Derry, Ireland, wishing her a happy Mother's Day.
Pee Wee is serving with the United States Navy, and at present they are on maneuvers with the English navy for about ten days. From Derry, Ireland, they will go to France, Italy, Gibralter and then return back to the United States the latter part of June.Merle G. Watchorn, Leigh, is one of more than 700 persons who are candidates for degrees from Kansas State College in Manhattan, May 24 at exercises in the field house beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Watchorn will get two degrees: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Bachelor of Science in arts and sciences.Mrs. Ralph Schmidt of Waco Texas called relatives here on Tuesday morning saying that she and her family were alright following the tornado on Monday evening in Waco which killed so many people and wrecked businesses and homes so extensively. However, Mrs. Schmidt, who is a daughter of Mrs. Herman Otte and a niece of Mrs. Henry Beck had a narrow escape from death caused by the tornado. She was returning to her home in Waco after teaching at her school about 8 miles out of Waco, arriving in the business section at the time of the tornado. Seeking shelter, she managed to get in a building. About a minute later a wall collapsed smashing the car she drove to a height less than 2 feet completely demolishing it.
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Botsch and Myrna Rae, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Folken, Robert and Marjorie Lou, Mr. and Mrs. Merle Folken and son, Ronnie and Mr. Walter Hahn were Sunday guests of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Folken.
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Bausch, Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Dasenbrock, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Wolken, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Reichmuth, Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Malena and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bausch drove to Norfolk on Wednesday evening to attend a Square Dance Festival.
Recent high sellers at the Omaha market included:
From Platte County: Mr. Mervin Loseke, 22 steers, wt. 1137, $21.75; and 27 Hogs, wt. 217, $24.00.
From Stanton County: Mr. Jerry Dubsky, 19 steers, wt. 1112, $22.50.
From Colfax County: Jerry Jonas, 37 steers, wt. 1188 $21.50; Herman Dostal, 15 steers wt. 1148, $22.00; Joe Ondracek, 13 heifers, wt. 973 $20.00; Victor Brabec, 12 steers, wt. 944, $21.50; and George Loseke, 21 hogs, wt. 288, $22.50.Mother's Day guests at the home of Mrs. Bertha Loseke were Mr. and Mrs. Helmuth Loseke and Beverly, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Loseke and son, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Loseke and family, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Malena and family, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Loseke of Ericson and Mr. and Mrs. Ted Loseke of Lindsay.
The Presbyterian Sunday School had a Mother's Day program Sunday with all classes contributing some part to the program.
May 14, 1953 - reprinted February 14, 2007Mr. Herman Otte, who two weeks ago, was seriously injured in an accident when his pickup truck dropped off a bridge south of Leigh, also injuring his wife and son is recovering nicely, according to the latest reports from relatives. Mr. Otte underwent surgery on Monday at which time his broken collar bone was wired together.
Mrs. Elizabeth Goodge celebrated her 90th birthday on Thursday, May 7, 1953. Mrs. Goodge spent most of her life at Leigh, NE where she has always taken an active part in church and club work.
Mrs. Goodge was born in Philadelphia, PA, and at the age of six weeks, she came to NE with her parents Mr. and Mrs. Francis Dunn in 1863. In 1883 she was united in marriage to Mr. Rueben Goodge. The couple lived on a farm north of Schuyler for nine years and then moved to Leigh. Mr. Goodge was the Leigh undertaker here until his death in 1927.Ronny and Marlene Schutte were host to an anniversary party on Sunday, May 3rd when friends and relatives gathered at the W.E. Schutte home honoring them on their 20th anniversary.
The guests included: Mr. and Mrs. August Hake, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Aerni and family of Columbus, Mr. and Mrs. Werner Hake and family of Platte Center, Mr. and Mrs. August Hake, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Joe Abraham and family, Mr. and Mrs. Tryswald Schutte, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Schutte and Emil of Richland, Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Hake of Rogers and Mr. Donald Koopman of Stanton.
May 21, 1953 - reprinted February 21, 2007Miss Alta Michaelsen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Michaelsen of Leigh, became the bride of Harvey F. Nauenburg, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Nauenburg, in a 2 o'clock ceremony Sunday afternoon, May 3, at Christ Lutheran Church near Columbus. The Rev. Martin Borneman, pastor, read the marriage lines for the double ring service.
Misses Velda and Selma Michaelsen, sisters of the bride, lit the tapers in the six-branch candelabra which flanked the altar.
Miss Dorothy Michaelsen was her sister's maid of honor, and the Misses Collette Hodges and Lucille Aerni were the bridesmaids. The groom was attended by his cousin, Dick Krumland, as best man, while Cliff Weber and Lester Inselman, cousins of the bride, served as ushers.
Miss Lynne Borneman of Torrington, Wyo., cousin of the bride, was the flower girl and Roy Michaelsen acted as ringbearer for his sister's wedding.
The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a gown of white Heirloom bridal satin. The full, gathered satin skirt, accented by front panels of lace, fell into a wide three yard train. Her fingertip veil edged with lace, fell from a lace cap trimmed with pearls and for jewelry she wore a single strand of pearls, a gift from the groom. Her costume carried out the bridal tradition. White roses centered with a pink rose corsage, made up her bouquet.
A reception was held in the church parlors after the ceremony. The four-tier cake was baked and decorated by Mrs. Oscar Harnapp.
Mrs. Nauenburg, a 1952 graduate of Kramer High School, has been employed at the Columbus Bank. Mr. Nauenburg was graduated from Kramer High School in 1951 and has been farming with his father.Contractors' bid for placing more than 211,000,000 pounds of maintenance gravel on State highways will be asked at a letting in Lincoln on June 11th.
About 78,743 cubic yards of replacement gravel are to be placed where needed on 522 miles of state highways in 25 counties. In Colfax County: On the 16 miles of Nebr. No. 15 between Stanton and a point a mile south of the intersection with No 91, about 2,225 Cubic yards of gravel are to be placed.R.G. Jenny and Mr. and Mrs. William Beran of Portland, Oregon, arrived in Columbus on Sunday morning to visit among relatives and attend the wedding of Mr. Beran's brother which took place Tuesday, May 19th at Schuyler. Mrs. Beran is the former Eunice Jenny. Mr. Jenny was unable to be present at his sister's funeral, Mrs. O.C. Weber, due to illness at that time. [sic]
Mr. and Mrs. R.A. Willeford of Tobias, Nebr. have announced the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Ruth to Dick Ritter of Creston.
Both are students at Doane College. Miss Willeford has served her Sorority, Omega Psi Theta, as president this year. She is also president of the Doane College Drum Corps, besides being active in other school activities.
Dick attended Doane College for two years after graduating from Creston High School, then enlisted in the navy where he served for four years, spending several months in Korean waters. After his discharge in 1952, he returned to Doane College to complete his college education.
A late summer wedding is planned.The infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Volsicka of Madison, was baptized during church services at Zion Lutheran Church in Leigh on Sunday morning. Rev. E.C. Werner conducted the baptismal ceremony.
The little lady was given the name Katherine May Volsicka. Her sponsors were Mr. and Mrs. John Oltmer and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Korfhage.
May 28, 1953 - reprinted February 21, 2007Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Franzen of Newman Grove, Nebraska became the parents of a daughter at St. Mary's hospital at Columbus on Monday, May 18th.
Mr. and Mrs. Lester Hillen of Leigh are the parents of a daughter born Friday at the Lutheran Hospital at Columbus.
Mrs. Geo. C. Kumpf arrived home from St. Mary's hospital at Columbus on Tuesday afternoon where on Monday of last week she underwent major surgery. She is getting along fine. Mr. Kumpf and Tommy drove down after her.
John Coleman of California arrived here last week for a visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Coleman, and with his sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Barjenbruch.
Mrs. A. Ray Evans, 70, who passed away at her home in Snyder, Nebr. on last Saturday, was laid to rest in the West Point cemetery beside her husband on Tuesday afternoon, May 19.
She was the mother of Jim Evans, who for several years prior to 1949 published the Leigh World here at Leigh. Mr. and Mrs. Jim Evans and family, who made their home with her in Snyder, were in Madison on the day of her death visiting his brother, Charles. Upon returning to Snyder, they found his mother departed from this life.
Funeral services were held at 1:30 at Humlicek Mortuary at Dodge and at 2:00 p.m. at the Immanuel Lutheran church at Snyder. Rev. F.R. Pfeiffer of Scribner, officiated. Internment was in Mt. Hope cemetery at West Point.
She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Josephine Carrig and Mrs. Marie Jones of Columbus; five sons, Donald J. of Snyder, Charles of Madison, Raymond of Big Springs, Eugene of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Harold of Columbus; 21 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren; one sister and four brothers. Her husband, A. Ray Evans, who was a helper at the Leigh World while his son, Jim and family were here, passed away in July, 1950.Mr. Harry Fisher, who makes his home near Houston, Texas, arrived in Leigh on Friday evening for a visit until Monday of this week with old friends. Mr. Fisher left Leigh about 50 years ago and settled in Texas. Until about ten years ago, he owned and operated a broom factory. He is now sold out and retired.
Before coming to Leigh, he visited his friend, Marsh Rosenberry at Lincoln and a son at Dodge City for several days. In July of last year, Mrs. Fisher was killed in a car accident at which time she received a broken neck. Mr. Fisher is now 80 years young and drove up from Texas in his car.