Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, September 2, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago 1908
Alex Harris, 66, died at his Lisbon home on Harris Hill on Hillside Road, where he had lived for 60 years. His wife, three sons and a daughter survived. The funeral was at Lisbon 16 Church (Presbyterian). He was buried in Lisbon Central Cemetery.
50 years ago 1958
A November referendum was planned on the proposed Union (now Hamilton) School District. Carl Stolper of Sussex chaired the group studying the proposal.
A talent show and parade closed out the Sussex summer playground season.
25 years ago 1983
Air Force 2nd Lt. Roxanne Goetz married 1st Lt. Thomas Ferson.
Alex Dittrich replaced Ralph Lenz as the Hamilton School District business manager when Lenz moved up to the district superintendent position.
St. Albans Church staged an art fair and historic guided tour of its cemetery.
10 years ago 1998
A 1930s Neptune gas pump mailbox, which Ken Rappette, a local petroliana collector, had restored in Green Bay Packers colors and logos, was destroyed by a trucker at Rappettes business site on Silver Spring Road.
The Rev. Marty Coons was named pastor of Lisbon Presbyterian Church.
Russell Howard donated an old Sussex postcard collection for what he hoped would become a Sussex community museum.
5 years ago 2003
Peter Chycinski resigned from the Lisbon Town Board.
Ten Lisbon firefighters began training in emergency medical services.
Matt LeDonne played tackle for the Hamilton Chargers.
Lisbon and Sussex suffered a six-week drought.
Former Sussex IGA employee Ken Schlei died at age 75.
Editor’s Note: No “Pages from the Past” column was published in the September 10, 2008 edition of the Sussex Sun.
Pages from the Past
Posted: Sussex Sun, September 16, 2008
By Fred Keller, Sussex Village Historian
100 years ago – 1908
Lisbon Telephone Co. President William D. McGill also owned the huge Highland Stock Farm on North Lisbon Road, specializing in Holstein-Friesian cattle and Oxford Down sheep.
50 years ago – 1958
The staff of Sussex Main Street School were Eugene Belongia, principal; Glyd Steinich, eighth grade; Isidro Villa, seventh grade; Bonnie Evert, sixth grade; Ethel Yopps, fifth grade; Marton Couiliard, fourth grade; Carol Cullen, third grade; Lila Kaderabek and Harriett Broman, second grade; and Lois Zinda first grade. Ray Wendt was the school custodian; his assistant was Truman Curtis.
25 years ago – 1983
The Sussex Library celebrated its third birthday. State Rep. Lolita Schneiders passed out certificates of appreciation.
The Sussex Nutrition Center celebrated its third birthday the same day – and at the same place. The library and the center were both in the old Orchard Drive school.
The Sussex-Lisbon Women’s Club celebrated its 10th anniversary, with President Anne Hutchinson presiding.
10 years ago – 1998
Hamilton’s Garrett Tetzlaff gained 234 yards rushing as the Chargers football team demolished Waukesha North, 34-7.
Dave Pattan, 38, of Sussex was killed by a flare-up of a brush pile when he threw gasoline onto it.
A butterfly prairie was planted in Lisbon Community Park.
Richard Pankratz of Lannon put up his booth at the annual St. Columba’s fall flea market at Highways Q and J for the 24th consecutive year.
5 years ago – 2003
Hamilton graduates Stephen Schmidt, class of 1996, and Julie Altmayer, class of 2000, married.
The Lisbon Town Board appointed Darrell Rupnow and Robert Williams to replace David Gettelman and Peter Chycinski, both of whom resigned.
September 23, 2008
100 years ago 1908
John Watson and his son-in-law, Charles J. Will, owned a large farm at Hillside and North Lisbon roads known as the Watson & Will Farm. The foundation of their Holstein-Friesian herd was a world-champion cow, Colantha.
50 years ago 1958
The Sussex Village Board was presented with a petition signed by 215 village residents protesting the purchase of the 78-acre park west and south of the village. The Village Board had approved the purchase in August on a unanimous 7-0 vote.
25 years ago 1983
A surprise party was staged at McLaughlins Barn for Don and Carole Pattersons 25th wedding anniversary.
Hamiltons all-time basketball high scorer and first-team all-state basketball player, Terry Youngbauer, was signed to play professionally in Australia for the upcoming season.
Lisbon put the question of a joint Sussex-Lisbon library on hold.
10 years ago 1998
Hamilton accepted the resignation of its athletics director for the previous three years, Mike Endres.
The St. James Knights of Columbus raffled off a 14-horsepower Simplicity tractor in green and gold colors with a Reggie White signature on the hood.
St. James Convent, built in 1955, was demolished in three hours. In the early 1990s, it had served as the Sussex Emergency Food Pantry.
Lisbon decided to crack down on the 39 bills for ambulance service that had not been paid.
5 years ago 2003
Longtime Sussex Food Pantry Director Judy Casper resigned.
The Lisbon Fire Department hired a full-time firefighter, Tim Hopkins.
Lisbons Redeemer United Church of Christ staged an Oktoberfest in Sussex Village Park.