Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, June 3, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago – 1908
J. J. Connell of Colgate, 50, died at home. He married Mary Salter in 1878. They had four sons and a daughter. He was interred in Connell Union Cemetery on Town Line and Schlei roads.
50 years ago – 1958
The Lisbon Town Board took action to deal with the Bug Line Dump, which had a massive fire. Protesters from Merton, Lisbon and Sussex presented the board a petition with photos of the burning dump.
A capacity crowd attended a mother-daughter celebration tea at Sussex Methodist Church.
25 years ago – 1983
Alumni of the two-year Sussex High School, which operated from 1920 to 1947, worked on plans for an all-class reunion.
Hamilton student Peggy Schieffer of Lannon qualified for the state track meet with a school record shot put throw of 38 feet ¾ inch. Hamilton graduated 346 seniors.
10 years ago – 1998
A short-lived burst of wind did extensive damage, toppling a huge box elder tree at Main Street and Kneiske Drive.
Mark Flessert was named the new Lannon police chief.
5 years ago – 2003
Boy Scout Greg Behm, working on his Eagle Scout service project, brought 37 volunteers to the back lot of the Sussex-Lisbon Area Historical Society and removed a jungle of bramble and box elder trees behind the future area museum.
Carol Braeger was presented a community service award by the Hamilton School District.
Hamilton’s Andy Smith qualified as an individual for the WIAA golf sectional.
Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, June 10, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago – 1908
A new telephone line was strung from Lannon to Sussex.
It was declared unlawful to discharge rifles or handguns at the City of Waukesha Fourth of July celebration.
50 years ago – 1958
Red Cross life-saving swim classes were held at the Sussex Quarry behind the canning company.
The old Town of Menomonee shrank as Lannon, Butler and Menomonee Falls annexed some of its land.
25 years ago – 1983
Hamilton High School’s male Athlete of the Year was Tom Mladucky. Barb Helinski took home the female award.
Karen Klisch was named president of the Hamilton Athletic Booster Club.
Lisbon Town Constable Dave Gettelman, 39, was promoted to chief of the Lisbon Police Department. His pay was $8.75 per hour.
10 years ago – 1998
Kenneth Kolafa became the Sussex postmaster.
Hamilton’s Kristy Naef jumped 16 feet 8 inches to qualify for the WIAA state track meet.
A sugar maple tree was planted in Sussex Village Park near the Memorial Trail in memory of Stephanie Bohdalk.
The Teamsters went on strike at the Vulcan quarry.
Pat Vento was elected Sussex Lioness Club president.
5 years ago – 2003
Sussex firefighter Robert Vandenlangenberg, 31, died after an accident on I-94.
Mark Ernewein, a 1983 Hamilton High School graduate, was deployed to Iraq as a major in the U.S. Air Force, flying a Warthog. (His brother, Air Force Major Ken Hamilton, class of ’84, was stationed in Japan.)
Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, June 17, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago — 1908
Record-breaking attendance was expected for the City of Waukesha Fourth of July extravaganza. The celebration went on all day.
Bands played, comedy jugglers performed, and horse and motorcycle races were held at the fairgrounds. Civil War veterans were present, and $500 worth of fireworks was exploded at nightfall.
50 years ago — 1958
Sussex Land O’ Lakes pitcher Doug Tetzlaff threw a nine-inning no-hitter at Merton, only to lose the game 1-0 when he gave up one hit in the 10th.
Everyone using the Sussex swimming quarry behind the canning company needed a registration pin that cost 25 cents.
25 years ago — 1983
Hamilton Superintendent David Bassuener died suddenly at age 52 of a heart attack.
Isabelle Podolske, 61, died. She was a longtime Sussex Park and Recreation leader, a former president of the Sussex VFW auxiliary, and a near-lifetime resident of the community.
Ken Weston of Sussex received his Eagle Scout rank.
10 years ago — 1998
Carl Wegner received the Hamilton Distinguished Alumnus award.
Amanda Schuldt was Hamilton senior class president.
Mark Ehnert of Sussex invented the Spinball Wizard display case for basketballs and footballs.
Courtney Hart didn’t missed a day of school in the Hamilton School District for 13 years.
5 years ago — 2003
Harriet “Dotty” Kapp, 72, died. She served as the leading matron of the Sussex Eastern Star in 1973, 1985 and 1991.
Hamilton junior Kellyn Johnson was sixth at the WIAA state track meet in La Crosse.
Sussex hired Jeremy Smith as assistant administrator.
Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, June 24, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago — 1908
A solar eclipse occurred June 28. The entire United States was able to see the sun’s half-eclipse.
Eight-year-old Clarence Beetker of Lisbon died at home. He was survived by his parents, a brother and four sisters.
50 years ago — 1958
Home heating oil cost 16.7 cents a gallon.
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Haerle from the Sussex Shoe Repair shop celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
The Rev. James Allen Sparks was named the new pastor of Lisbon Presbyterian Church.
Sussex Main Street School scheduled a summer playground program for village children ages 5 to 13.
25 years ago — 1983
Optometrist Chris Winter marked his fourth year in Sussex.
Our Villa (now Sussex Inn) advertised a $3.40 smelt fry and a $4.95 Friday fish fry.
The Lisbon Town Board started looking into establishing a joint library with Sussex.
10 years ago — 1998
Templeton Middle School broke ground for a large addition and renovation.
The school also graduated 255 students that year.
Thelma Halquist Etzel Weber, 83, died. She was the mother of two daughters and six sons.
The Ed Fleisner Sodbusters softball team of the Sussex Softball Association scored 75 runs in two games, winning 36-4 and 39-1.
5 years ago — 2003
Lisbon acquired a new Pierce first-response fire engine.
Local police departments investigated a rash of smashed mailboxes in Sussex and Lisbon.
Lannon Girl Scout Troop 940 planted a tree in Armory Park.