It Happened HereDecebmer 23, 2015
It Happened Here
Eighty Years Ago
(1935)
T.R. Offil of Ashley was appointed supervisor of the Washington County WPA Sanitation Project.
Deaths: Conrad Bassler, 66, of Nashville; and Walter Arington, formerly of Nashville.
Seventy-Five Years Ago
(1940)
A Chicago firm was the lowest bidder on construction of a new post office in Nashville.
Thieves stole several pints of liquor and some cigarettes during a break-in at the Grzegorek tavern in Nashville.
Commodity prices showed wheat at 80 cents per bushel and corn at 70 cents per bushel.
Deaths: Anna Stark, 76, of Nashville; and Gustav Koening, 69, of Elkton.
Seventy Years Ago
(1945)
Two fires in Okawville resulted in extensive property damage. Fires destroyed the Harry Lammers home and extensively damaged the Ted Garling home.
The Nashville Youth Center opened with a Christmas party in the basement of the Farm Bureau building.
Returning servicemen included: T/5 Irvin C. Meinert of Nashville; Sgt. Hugo Finke of Addieville; Pvt. Eldor Pruehsner of Hoyleton; Fireman 1C Harold Huge of Nashville; Seaman 1C Henry Schuette Jr. of Nashville; Sgt. Robert Piper of Oakdale; Pvt. Thomas Sikorski of Okawville; Pvt. Harry Voelkel of Beaucoup; First Sgt. Stanley Wiegman of Hoyleton; Sgt. 2C Rudy Meyer of Nashville; T/4 Thomas McConnell of Oakdale; Pvt. Cecil Willis of Nashville; Watertender 3C Homer Louis Arment of Ashley; Pvt. Hugo Pries of Hoyleton; Pvt. Ernest Szperra of DuBois; Torpedoman 2C Charles Anderson of Nashville; Sgt. Oliver Emrick of Richview; Staff Sgt. Eugene Klosterhoff of Addieville; and T/Sgt. Wm. Briesacher of Ashley.
Justin Tate of Centralia was killed in a hunting accident west of Nashville.
Other deaths: Mrs. August Going, 73, of Covington; Mrs. Charles Nax, 83, of Nashville; Mrs. Chamber Adams of Nashville; and John Pflasterer, 81, of Darmstadt.
Sixty-Five Years Ago
(1950)
Used car prices at Small and Sons Motor Sales in Nashville featured a 1946 Ford De Lux for $795; and 1937 Ford Tudor for $95; and a 1950 Ford Custom fro $1,895.
Deaths: Charles Capps, 48, of Nashville; John Wince of Ashley; K.H. Krietemeier, 54, formerly of Richview; Charles Henry Wendler, 21 months, formerly of Nashville; Rev. J.H. Buescher, formerly of Irvington; Mrs. William Brammeier, 69, of Stone Church; Bertha Frank, 76, of Okawville; Irene Schanz, 32, of New Minden; and William Smith, 98, formerly of Nashville.
Sixty Years Ago
(1955)
Washington County Board of Supervisors raised its committee pay from $7.50 to $10 per day.
Deaths: Bert Symons, 73, of DuBois; Minnie Schmidt, 74, of Hahlen; Fred Haake, 71, formerly of Washington County; Rev. Robert Kofer, formerly of Addieville and Stone Church; and Mildred Cruse.
Fifty-Five Years Ago
(1960)
Patrons thwarted an armed robbery attempt at the Addie Inn in Addieville by subduing the would-be bandit.
For the second time in less than a year, Mrs. Elmer Detering was the victim of a daylight armed robbery in her home west of Nashville. This time the robber got only $2 from her purse.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wisniewski of Joliet bought the Decker restaurant.
Deaths: Herman Schuetz, 82, of Okawville; Betty Voss, 29, of Nashville; William Wilson, 61, of Ashley; Mrs. Ebert Dickerson, 88, a native of New Minden; Jack Fleschute, 84, formerly of Ashley and Nashville; Rose Lietz, 85, of Okawville; Mrs. Roy Elwood; and Tommy Ryterski of Nashville.
Fifty Years Ago
(1965)
Sister Mary Audrey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Suchomski, made her final vows as a Franciscan Sister of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Charles Parker of DuBois and David Gross of Okawville were among 20 cadets slated for graduation from the Illinois State Police Academy.
Rev. Raymond McAfee began his duties as pastor of the Baptist Church in Nashville.
Deaths: Mrs. Waldemar Kalbefleish of St. Louis; Mrs. Frank Davidson, a native of Nashville; Dorothea Kuhlengelken, 70, of New Minden; William Lawhorn, 52, of Beaucoup; George Witt, 86, of Radom; Sarah Gray, 53, of Richview; and Edith Eads, 56, of St. Louis.
Forty-Five Years Ago
(1970)
The Ashley High School DAR award was given to Bernadette Reidelberger of DuBois.
The Madrigal Singers of NCHS were invited by KPLR-TV in St. Louis to make a videotape of Christmas music, which would be televised during station breaks.
The Nashville Debate Club placed third in the Mt. Vernon Invitational Tournament with Ann Furuya and Kathy Malick tying for third place speaker.
The new Illinois Constitution was approved at a special election. The options to change the legislative districts, to have judges appointed, to abolish the death penalty, and lower the voting age lost.
Karen Miessner of Hoyleton became the new Little Egypt Pork Queen. Karen also represented the local association at the Illinois State Queen Contest in Peoria.
Ray Dodillet was elected president of the Washington County Farm Bureau. He replaced Thomas Schroeder, who had served since 1968.
Air Force Msgt. Lyndon G. Zacheis of Oakdale received the Air Metal.
Deaths: Ann Schierbecker, 86, of Nashville; Otto Zarske, 71, of Johannisburg; Leonard Hoffman, 10-month-son of Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester Hoffman of DuBois; Julius Gross, 71, of Bartelso; Tillie Kiselewski, 63, of Scheller; Don Briggs, 48, of Caldwell, O.H.; Marie Brune, 90, of St. Louis; Gustav Hemminghaus, 83, of Hoffman; Raymond Smith, 50, of Ashley; and Homer Dickey, 61, of Sparta.
Forty Years Ago
(1975)
John Barr, owner of Bi-County Disposal Co. sold the Clinton County interest to Kenneth Graulein Jr. of Belleville.
Mike Pieszchalski, 17, of DuBois was seriously injured when a large calibre rifle carried on the tractor on which he was riding, fell off and fired. The bullet barley missed his heart.
Deaths: Louis Niemann, 74, of Okawville; Zelma Dixon, 61, of Mena, A.R.; Sophie Kujawa, 63, of Ashley; William Rials, 83, of O’Fallon; Charles Cunningham, 44, of West Palm Beach, F.L.; Harold Hauschild, 54, of Okawville; and Charles Willoughby, 65, of Mountain Home, A.K.
Thirty-Five Years Ago
(1980)
Doane and Lynn Borrenpohl of Okawville were named Illinois Young Farmers of the Year by the Illinois Farm Bureau at its annual meeting in Chicago.
Susan Jones and Carla Schmittler of Nashville Community High School were named to the Illinois All-State Chorus.
Bertha Schwankhaus retired as a clerk in the Okawville Post Office, a position she had held since 1954.
Deaths: John Bonczyk, 74, of Nashville; Josephine Pinski, 80, of Nashville; William Gorman, 91, of Nashville; Gladys Hartley, 74, of Irvington; Myrtle Mayberry, 84, a native of Nashville; Orvela Cohlmeyer, 71, of Nashville; James Gwin, 80, of Nashville; Edward Wilke, 77, of Okawville; Floyd Howard, 70, of Ashley; Mary Forys, 66, of Nashville; Helen Smith, 75, formerly of Nashville; Hope Potter, 92, a native of Nashville; Marion “Witchie” West, 64, of Los Angeles, C.A.; Leonard Lloyd, 63, a native of Nashville; Elmo Kroener, 68, a native of Elkton; Otto Blum, 84, of Du Quoin; and Carl Mill Sr., 56, a native of Ashley Township.
Weddings: Kim Rueter and Robert Langrehr; Shirley Thomas and Emil Mossad; and Anita Seeger and Harry Dushac.
Thirty Years Ago
(1985)
Dr. Saleem I. Qureshi, MD was accepted as a member of the Washington County Hospital Courtesy Staff.
Teachers in the Hoyleton Grade School District ratified a two-year contract calling for raises of six percent and three percent, respectively.
Deaths: Mary Barsos, 28, of Nashville; Marguerite McBride, 76, of Belleville; Edward Schuff, 68, of Belleville; Wilbert Redecker, 65, of Nashville; Edwin Reidelberger, 58, of Cedar Hill, M.O.; Stella Grzegorek, 94, formerly of Nashville; May Runion, 73, of Coulterville; Rev. Gerald Gulley, 64, formerly of Ashley; and Milton Racherbaumer, 61, a native of Hoyleton.
Weddings: Rhonda Bird and Bradley Harre; and Teresa Beadle and Gary Hake.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
(1990)
The residence of Circuit Judge Lloyd Karmeier took first place in the annual Nashville Jaycee’s Christmas Lighting Contest.
Murder charges were filed against a 17-year old Ashley man in connection with the shooting death of Paul Barczewski in October. A Mt. Vernon man was charged with first degree murder in that same case.
Washington County Hospital received a letter from Barnes Hospital commending Kathy Bochantin, Dr. Coy, and Mr. Whitworth for their care of a high-risk mother who delivered a child at the hospital. Another letter praised the hospital for buying equipment used in the care of premature infants.
The Nashville News sent front page Holiday Greetings to 32 people serving in Operation Desert Shield.
Members of the Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union local representing Washington County employees ratified a three-year contract calling for a four percent across-the-board pay increase each year.
Deaths: Ida Brinkman, 85, of Nashville; Zelma Jones, 89, of Nashville; Julie Machin, 92, formerly of Nashville; John Gross, 50, of DuBois; Patricia Flinders, 35, Pinckneyville; E.J. Hays, 76, of Centralia; Paul Meyer, 85, of Carlyle; Jessie Seats, 88, of Texico; Marian Hutchings, 66, of Nashville; Bertha Diedrich, 92, of Nashville; Gladys File, 61, formerly of Addieville; and Harold Eater, 82, of Tamaroa.
Weddings: Beth Gipson and Andrew Liske; Pamela Jo Obermeier and Keith Wienstroer; Angelea Barczewski and Scott Huff; Kristi Brammeier and Jerry Miller Jr.; and Kelly Kujawa and William Odum.
Births: Mr. and Mrs. Michael Jurkowski of Radom, a son; Alan and Linda Josten of Nashville, a daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Vic Shubert of Coulterville, a daughter; Mr. and Mrs. Leo Seats of Nashville, a daughter.
Twenty Years Ago
(1995)
Carl McPherson, Illinois Power Co. manager, was named Nashville Citizen of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce.
Nashville Memorial Park Board received $3,000 from the estate of Melba Miller.
BCMW Resource Specialist Dee White and her husband, Arlen, were preparing to deliver food and toys to 260 needy families in the county.
Ann Pokorney, 85, of DuBois was rescued after gas from a leaking pipe filled her home.
Wooden rockers were 89 cents at McDaniel’s Furniture.
Deaths: John Kujawa, 87, of Waltonville; Walter Engelmann, 81, of Belleville; Gertrude Fark, 77, of Centralia; Nora Miller, 71, of Irvington; Emmett Hupp Jr., 73, of St. Louis; Catherine Otten, 81, of St. Libory, Raymond Briggs, 72, of Collinsville.
Wedding: Tracy Rapp and Gary Kiselewski.
Births: Kevin and Jennifer Brink of Nashville, a son; Paul and Tonya Grabowski of DuBois, a son; Mike and Deb Spenner of Nashville, a son; Greg and Stephanie Rennegarbe of Addieville, a daughter; Steven and Michelle Ronat of Greenville, a daughter.
Fifteen Years Ago
(2000)
Nashville News Publisher Richard Tomaszewski was named Nashville Citizen of the Year.
Les Ostendorf was named Addieville Citizen of the Year.
Winter arrived early with several inches of snow, followed by freezing rain and below normal temperatures.
French and German classes were being phased out at NCHS, and Spanish was to be expanded.
Frank Bartolotta, a native of Sicily and owner of Girolamo’s Pizzeria, gained his U.S. Citizenship.
Semi-boneless hams were 99 cents a pound and three pounds of tangerines sold for $1.68 at Kroger.
Deaths: William Forys, 37, of Oakdale; Robert Shell, 73, of Irvington; Cletus Middendorf, 73, of St. Libory; Ronald Spindler, 59, of Stone Church; Richard Kirkpatrick, 82, of Waukegan; and Lois Groennert, 92, of Columbia.
Weddings: Gina Spenner and Chris Maschhoff; and Renee Stricker and Jason Valentine.
Births: Keith and Jill Schuette of Addieville, a daughter; Nathan and Sarah Harris of Hoyleton, a daughter; Brian and Vickie Kurwicki of Nashville, a daughter.
Ten Years Ago
(2005)
Three soldiers from Washington County, Jerry Roesener, Ben Sauerhage and Rusty Kolweier, were welcomed home with other members of the 892nd Transportation Co. after a year in Iraq.
Washington Ambulance Service received a federal grant of $67,426 to purchase cardiac monitors, bunker gear and new stretchers. The grant proposal was prepared by John Felchlia, administrator, and Jan Stewart.
Washington County Fraternal Order of Police took 15 needy kids on a Christmas shopping spree.
A fire damaged a garage and three vehicles at the Jack Kerry residence in DuBois.
Births: Mike and Eleshia Kirsch of Nashville, a son; Delsa King and James “J.D.” Becker of Nashville, a daughter; and Ben and Kara Sellers, a daughter.
Deaths: Josephine Bonk, 82, of Nashville; Orval Friederich, 80, of New Athens; and Bessie Jones, 95, of Ashley.
Weddings: Krista Finne and Joshua Stiebel.
Five Years Ago
(2010)
The flute choir (along with the rest of the music department) entertained guests during the NCHS Madrigal Dinner.
Carole Moeller was named the Chamber of Commerce’s citizen of the year.
NCHS dropped their tax levy by nearly three cents, after superintendent Wendy Davis announced that the district would receive all of its delayed state payments by the end of the month.
Angela Witte and Steven Kohlbrecher were married on October 2; Kendra Kujawa and Andrw VanNatta announced their engagement and plans for a February 26 wedding; Fern Wilder and Zed Zortman celebrated their 40th anniversary on December 10.
Deaths: Mariann Jankowski, 79, of Okawville, December 15; Janet Windler, 69, of Irvington, December 18; Lucia Fitzgerald, 89, of Belleville, December 18; William Walker, 86, of Union, Mo., formerly of Ashley.
