BioA: Orth, Mr./Mrs. Conrad N. (60th – 1968)

Transcriber: Pam Harders - posted4u@charter.net 

Surnames: Orth, Tesmer, Olson, Schram, Luepke, Long, Frook, Chamberland, Steinwand, Meyer

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 20 Jun 1968

Orth, Mr./Mrs. Conrad N. (60th – 16 JUN 1968)

Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Orth celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary Saturday, June 15, 1968, with open house at Colby City Hall from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. Mrs. Orth was presented a corsage of white tea roses and her husband a carnation boutonniere from their children.

Their wedding attendants, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tesmer, also received a corsage and boutonniere.

A three-tier wedding cake, decorated with white roses and lilies of the valley, and a centerpiece of white roses adorned the table. Eight of their nine children, 21 of their 24 grandchildren, and 9 of their 23-great-grandchildren were present for the occasion.

Father John Olson officiated the high mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church Sunday morning, honoring the couple.

Conrad N. Orth, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Orth, was born in the town of Colby, Clark County, Wisconsin, December 31, 1883, and his wife, the former Anna Tesmer, was born at Sturgeon Bay, August 14, 1886, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tesmer. The family moved to Colby when Anna was a very small child. Both Anna and Conrad received their schooling at Colby.

On June 16, 1908, Conrad N. Orth and Anna Tesmer were united in marriage at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Colby, with Father Schram officiating. Their attendants were Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tesmer, Colby.

To this union were born nine children, Norman, Chicago; Mrs. Vern (Violeta) Luepke, Aledo, Ill.; Mrs. Gertrude Long, German Valley, Ill.; Mrs. Alice Frook, Fond du Lac; Conrad Jr., Colby; Joe, Lakeland Fla.; Emory, Roanoke, Ill.; Mrs. Edward (Jeanette) Chamberland, Monmouth, Ill., and Roger, Deceased. They have lived in the Colby area their entire wedded life.

Mr. Orth owned and operated a tavern for many years, and worked for a time at the Colby Cheese Box Factory. He was also the janitor at the Colby elementary school and was assessor for the city of Colby for 23 years. Since retirement, his main hobbies are fishing and gardening, and her hobbies include sewing fancywork and playing cards with friends. Both are in good health, attend St. Mary's Church regularly, and she is a member of Christian Mothers Society of St. Mary's Parish.

Mr. Orth has two living sisters, Mrs. Ted Steinwand and Mrs. Paul Tesmer, both of Colby, and Mrs. Orth has two living brothers who are Paul Tesmer of Colby, and Herman Tesmer of Neillsville.

Mrs. Orth's original wedding bouquet of white roses and lilies of the valley, is carefully preserved in a pin of wood alcohol. Even though the jar has never been opened, the alcohol has evaporated only an inch, and the flowers are still white.

Asked if she kept the jar in a special place, she stated that it just sits in the cupboard.

Their anniversary celebration as complete Saturday when all of their children, most of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and each of their brothers and sisters gathered at the Colby Hotel for a supper at 5:00 p.m.

Among their vast array of gifts were two rosaries made of Irish horn beads, from Father C.M. Meyer, Aledo, Ill.

Out of town guests who came to attend the Diamond Anniversary were from Forreston, Ill.; Jenison, Mich.; Streator, Ill.; Freeport, Ill.; Marshfield, Owen, Manitowoc, Stanley, Neillsville, Abbotsford, Spencer, Sherwood, Oregon; McGuire Air Base, N.J.,; Unity, Wausau; New Orleans, La.; Campbellsport, Eau Claire, Oshkosh and Lakeland, Fla.