MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Thompson Community Center
PROGRAM SUMMARY
“The Historic St. Joseph’s Cemetery”
CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 87
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Tom Sutter, Christine Williams, James Richter, Laura Leimer, Mark Moderson, Brian Schneider, Gwen Sargeant, Jim Krueger, Diana Sandberg.
REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
April 8 – Secura Insurance – Steve Smits
May 3 – Jewish History in Appleton - Jerry Zabronsky
June 10 – The Old Third Ward – Antoinette Powell
July 8 – The Post Crescent – Dan Flannery
August 12 – Growing Up in Appleton in the 60s – Jim Krueger
August 23 – Cemetery Walk – “Meet the Mayors” – Riverside Cemetary
September 9 – The History of Catholic Schools by Deacon Tony Abts
October 14th 100 block of E. College Avenue - Dave Buss and Christine Williams
November 11 – Appleton Picture Show
December 5 – 11th AHS History Fair, City Center
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
· AHS Officers:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Laura Leimer
· AHS Board of Directors:
A. Terms through November 2017:
1. Mark Moderson
2. John Marx
3. Laura Leimer
4. Diana Sandberg
B. Terms through November 2016:
1. Linda Muldoon
2. Jim Krueger
3. Gwen Sargeant
4. Brian Schneider
C. Terms through November 2015:
1. Tom Sutter
2. Christine Williams
3. James Richter
· Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
C. David Buss, Research Specialist
D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. Greetings extended to members and guests.
B. AHS Board Member Linda Muldoon had thoracic aneurysm surgery last month in Madison. She has finally returned to Appleton and is doing well in a local nursing care facility.
C. Gave thanks to Jason Webber for last month’s program “The Historic Valley Fair Mall”.
D. A reminder to take in the upcoming Wisconsin Historical Society Exhibit which will open in Appleton at the Outagamie History Museum.
E. Also try to take in the free Historical exhibit at the Monte Alverno Retreat Center this weekend.
F. Upcoming Historical Event: Fox River Historic Lock Tours will be given by the Fox Wisconsin Heritage Parkway to a pre-sold group tour from the Milwaukee area on June 24, 2015. This will also include several boat excursions.
G. AHS Co-Founder Mark Moderson will be speaking on Appleton History at the Trinity Lutheran Church on Wednesday, April 15, 2015.
H. The door prize of a $10.00 Wendy’s Restaurant Gift Certificate was won by Dennis Graf.
AHS COMMUNICATIONS REPORTS:
Christine Williams, AHS Vice President and Program Committee Chair, gave a summary of upcoming programs and events (See Above).
Gwen Sargeant, AHS Board Member and Book Editor, gave a progress report on the publishing of our book Images of America-Appleton:
AGwen said Thank God that the Book is finally done. Our deepest appreciation extended to all those who contributed material and time.
BOur kickoff of the book distribution at our March 7th History Fair to be held at the City Center was also a great success with 77 copies of the book sold.
CThe book will be available at monthly AHS meetings from now on.
DBarnes and Noble on Casaloma Drive will be doing a Book Event on the book on Saturday, May 2, 2015.
Nancy Barker, area Historical Expert and an AHS Member, gave a wonderful testimonial as a followup to our Adler Brau Brewery exhibits at the History Fair. She reports that as a 9 year old she regularly drove her family’s vehicle to the Brewery loading dock to pick up an Adler Brau Beer order. Can you imagine this happening today?
FINAL REPORT ON THE 10TH AHS HISTORY FAIR WHICH WAS HELD Saturday, March 7, 2015
Jim Richter, and Mark Moderson, Co-Chairpersons, were recognized by President Sutter for putting together an outstanding History Fair.
Richter presented a full report on the 10th History Fair that was held on March 7, 2015. The event was again part of the Appleton Downtown Winter Farm Market held at the City Center.
A record breaking 501 visitors attended our 10th History Fair. People of all ages showed great support and positive comments for our theme, and the variety of exhibits displayed. A total of 77 copies of our new book, Images of America-Appleton, were sold at the event. At the same time we held an Appleton Post Card Display and Swap Meet.
Exhibits focused on Historic Appleton Businesses “Where Friends Meet”, including Bars, Breweries and Drug Stores. A wide variety of exhibits were displayed.
EXHIBITORS (Many thanks to our dedicated exhibitors):
(1) Appleton Historical Society Table - Brian Schneider, Gwen Sargeant, Laura Leimer
(2) Wisconsin Historical Society Table – Mary Jane Connor-History Tour Display
(3) John Marx – Appleton Drug Store and Apothecary Items
(4) Dave Kalz – Historic Appleton Photos
(5) Mark Moderson – Brewery and Pharmacy Items, Appleton Post Cards
(6) James Richter – Ford Drug Stores Exhibit and Artifacts
(7) Tom Sutter, AHS President – Historic Maps and Artifacts
(8) Jim Krueger – Adler Brau and Other Appleton Brewery Pictures with Artifacts
(9) Alan Deeg – Historic Photos and Artifacts
(10) Sheila Brucks – Pictures, Artifacts and Apothecary Items
(11) David Buss- Appleton’s Historic Drug Stores and Cloud Buick Exhibits
(12) Brian Zenefski- Historic Brewery Pictures and Artifacts
(13) Diana Sandberg-Appleton Public Library-History Programs Display
(14) Arvin & Betty Wolfgram – Appleton Post Cards
(15) Donna & Barney Hameister- Appleton Post Cards
(16) Barb Bacon – Appleton Maps
We thank Jennifer Stephany and Djuanna Hugdahl of Appleton Downtown Inc. for making the event possible. Thanks also go to Pfefferle Companies Inc. and their City Center Staff for providing space, equipment and assistance. We also appreciate the excellent news coverage that was provided prior to the event by the Appleton Post Crescent, the Bargain Bulletin, and WHBY Radio. Thanks also to Community 1st and Capitol Credit Unions for marquee ads.
PROGRAM : “The Historic St. Joseph’s Cemetery”
Presenter: Frank Groh
Speaker’s Background:
Frank was raised in Appleton and is married with two children and three grandchildren. He occupies his time with kayaking, snowmobiling, weekends at a cottage in northern Wisconsin, and attending activities of his grandchildren.
Frank received a Criminal Justice Degree from the University of WI - Oshkosh and served the Appleton Police Department for 28 years in various capacities, in the areas of: patrol, training officer, recruiting and hiring, and investigations, along with additional duties prior to retirement as a Sr. Sgt. in 2008. He served on the board of directors of Ryan Community, and on the executive committee of Appleton Little League. Frank served a number of terms as a board member for the Appleton Professional Police Association.
During high school and college Frank worked at St. Joseph Cemetery for summer employment (7 summers). His grandfather and father combined for over one hundred years of service to the cemetery. In 2005, he was appointed to the board of directors of St. Joseph Cemetery and in 2008 was hired as the president of the cemetery. He has attended conventions and seminars sponsored by the International Cemetery, Cremation, Funeral Association (ICCFA) and the National Catholic Cemetery Conference and the Alliance of Illinois Cemeteries. He also attended courses at the ICCFA University at the University of Memphis in Land Management, Business Administration, Sales and Marketing, and Cremation Services graduating in 2013. Frank received certification from the ICCFA as a certified: Crematory Administrator; Crematory Operator and Cremation Arranger. He has also been certified as an Illinois Cemetery Manager. Shortly after being elected to the board of directors of the WI. Cem. & Cremation Association he was appointed to the Wisconsin Cemetery Board by the Governor in 2013 and currently serves as Vice-Chairman.
The Presentation:
St.Joseph’s Cemetery is a peaceful and truly beautiful cemetery. Located at 1528 N.Ballard Road, the facility has been in existence for 135 years. They have a vision of continuance for the next 100 years, because they will be there forever.
We are not overplanning, because things change. For example, today more people are doing cremation and require a 2 foot by 2 foot space for burial, instead of the 6 foot by 9 foot space normally chosen in the past.
Significant Facts:
A. The facility was chartered in 1878 as a Parish Cemetery. The Cemetery was formally dedicated in 1887. Mr. J. H. Langenberg was one of the founding leaders and a Cemetery Manager, without whom St. Joe’s wouldn’t have happened.
B. Today it serves as a public cemetery for all people, Catholic and Non-Catholic.
C. We still have a very Christian philosophy.
D. We have a leadership team consisting of a President and a 5 person Board.
E. In 1959 Ronan P. Groh took over as President. Since that time his whole family has
worked at the Cemetery. He served until 1990.
F. From 1990 to 2004 Insurance Agent, Vern Romenesko, served as President.
G. In 2005 Frank Groh was added to the Board, and three years later he was appointed
President.
H. No longer under control of the Catholic Dioceses, they were one of four in the area that
used to be.
I. Their facility consists of 38 acres, 10 of which are undeveloped.
J. St. Joseph’s and Riverside Cemeteries, although adjacent to each other, are separate
entities. They do have a very good, cooperative agreement, however. Riverside was
established in 1872.
K. They have a small staff consisting of the President/General Manager, a Part-Time
Office Manager, a Grounds Manager/Caretaker (currently John Vander Heyden), and a
part-time Grounds Keeper.
L. A Slide Show was presented depicting scenes from around the Cemetery in the
past and through it’s development, including:
1. St. Francis of Assisi Garden with new mausoleum
2. Holy Family Section
3. Prayer and Cremation Garden which was new in 2012
4. The Lady of Our Rosary of Fatima Section
5. Resurrection Section
M. They now provide for three different forms of burial with prices ranging from $3,000 to
$60,000:
1. Traditional – Ground Grave or Above Ground Crypt
2. Cremation – not just ashes, but bone particular cremation (Historical Note:
Cremation was formally allowed by the Catholic Church in 1963.)
3. Inurnment in a Columbarium with 4 or 5 different sizes of niches
N. They have secured burial recordkeeping:
1. Even though they have gone through a fire, they still have full records
2. They have their records categorized and secured in three different ways
3. Up until 1909 there records were kept in Journals, as are many other cemeteries to
this day.
Buildings and Facilities and Their Development:
A. The facility started with flat grounds with a beautiful river overlook.
B. In 1919 an entrance arch was approved and installed, formal gates were approved and
installed in 1923.
C. A maintenance building was installed in the 1920’s.
D. They have artistic pictures displayed throughout the Cemetery.
E. There is a Grotto along the river bank and also 14 stations of the Cross in the area.
F. They have a Crucifixion Group in the center of the Cemetery with several religious
figures.
G. They do have a Chapel for indoor services and that was built in 1938.
H. Also in 1938 they purchased their first large lawnmowers.
I. In 1952 restrictions on Cemeteries tightened.
J. In 1964 they purchased their first backhoe.
K. In 1968 they paved their main road with asphalt.
L. In 1975 Statutes were removed from the Grottos due to constant vandalism and
deterioration.
M. In 1976 Garden Crypts were built.
N. In 1981 the Holy Family Section was added.
O. In 2000 a law was passed that they must provide Winter outside burials. They have full
accommodations for this.
P. In 2012 the Prayer and Cremation Garden was constructed. Massive project that looks
like a chalice from the air. So extensive it took two years to complete.
Q. Currently there is a home on the grounds for the Caretaker.
R. They do have a Civil War and Veterans section.
S. They have just completed a Garden Mausoleum.
T. Recently they purchased the Fire Alarm night club. Have no specific plans for it, but are
currently using it for equipment storage.
Speaker’s Closing Comments:
Mother Nature presents problems to the Cemetery. Currently deer are annihilating our flower beds. Now even our cedar trees are being eaten by the deer.
As far as the business we are in, St. Joseph’s Cemetery is a Catholic cemetery dedicated to providing a beautiful and peaceful resting place for the faithfully departed. From the standpoint of our customers, we encourage people to preplan burial arrangements, not necessarily prepay. We put 30% of each sale into an Endowment Fund, the proceeds of which are to continue to maintain the Cemetery.
I was asked if we sell grave markers and monuments. We do sell markers, but the law says we have to allow markers regardless of where they came from.
As I said in my opening remarks, St. Joseph’s Cemetery is a peaceful and truly beautiful cemetery. We have a vision of continuance for the next 100 years, because we will be there forever.
Respectfully, James L. Richter
AHS Secretary, 3/23/15