Introduction

This is "The Story of My Life" as I remember it. If it had been told by one of my sisters, it would probably be different in many areas, as she might remember different instances than I did, or remember them differently.

I was born in Marathon County, Wisconsin, on January 13, 1919, and was one of seven girls. I lived here on a farm with my parents, both of whom are gone. Our mother was born in the Town of Maine on September 17, 1888, and died on January 5, 1975, in Wausau, at the age of 86 years. Our dad was born on April 30, 1883 in Germany, and died on June 21, 1936, in Merrill, at the age of 52 years.

All of my childhood years were spent on this 80 acre farm in Marathon County. My sisters according to age were named Ruth, Dorothy, Esther, Leona, Norma and Mildred, whom we called Middy. At present (April 23, 1997), all but Dorothy and Leona are living. Dorothy died in 1972, and Leona in 1965.

I left home at age 14 to attend Wausau High School and then Marathon County Normal School in Wausau. I then taught school for 38 years, starting in rural schools and then in Wausau for the greatest number of the 38 years. During the summer I usually worked, doing things like housework, working at summer camps, waitress work, working at Wausau Insurance, at Mutual Service Ins. Co., or whatever I could pick up to do. Sometimes I would go on a little trip where I could work my way through the summer. Many of the later years I went to summer school.

In 1939, 3 years after Dad died, we moved to Wausau, where I have lived for 58 years until the present. The following stories relate many of the incidents that took place between the years 1919 and 1997.