BioA: Kuehn, Richard & Shirley (Golden – 2004)
Contact : Crystal Wendt
Email: Post4LincolnCoWi@aol.com

Surnames: Kuehn, Albers, Yonke, Burgener, Jicinsky, Steidtman, Fischer, Johnson, Weisskopf, Loeffler, Bergman, Praschak, Konyn

---Source: Merrill Foto News (Merrill, Lincoln, Co., Wis.) Wednesday, 16 Feb. 2005; page 15

---Kuehn, Richard and Shirley (Golden – 5 June 2004)

Richard and Shirley Kuehn, Merrill, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June 2004. On June 6, their sons James and Thomas and their families accompanied Richard and Shirley to Trinity Lutheran Church in Merrill. At the 10:30 a.m. service, there were flowers on the altar and candelabras in honor of the 50th anniversary. Pastor Kenneth Albers sang “The Lords Prayer” during the service. On June 13, their children hosted a celebration with a Sunday brunch at the Hoffman House in Wausau. A social afternoon followed. Original attendants at the celebration included Bill and Marilyn Yonke Burgener, Mary Burgener Jicinsky, Bruce Steidtman, Connie Burgener Fischer, Floyd Johnson and Ernest Weisskopf. Betty Burgener Loeffler of Ponca City, Okla., was unable to attend and Richard’s brother William is deceased.

Richard and the former Shirley Burgener were married June 5, 1954, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Doering. A dinner was served at the church and a reception and dance was held at the Schley Town Hall. Attendants were: Betty Burgener, sister of the bride, as maid of honor; and Marilyn Yonke, fiancée of the bride’s brother as bridesmaid. Best man was William Kuehn, brother of the groom. William Burgener, brother of the bride, was groomsmen. Mary Ann Burgener, sister of the bride, was flower girl and ring bearer was Bruce Steidtman, nephew of the groom. Ernest Weisskopf, cousin of the bride, and Floyd Johnson, cousin of the groom, were ushers. Connie Burgener, sister of the bride, served as personal attendant. Their parents were Pauline Kuehn, Merrill, and Herman and Violet Burgener, town of Schley.

Richard and Shirley’s family includes their children Sharon Kuehn Bergman, Okmulgee, Okla.; James (Ann), Wausau; and Thomas (Donna), of rural Tomahawk; grandchildren Daniel (Karoi) Praschak and Jennifer Praschak, both of Okmulgee, Okla.; Carly Kuehn, Wausau; James (Jessica) Konyn, Merrill; and Nathan, Alex, Ryan and Claire Kuehn, rural Tomahawk; and great-grandchildren Julian and Nathan, Okmulgee, Okla.; and Jerrissa and Jerrick Kony, Merrill.

Richard worked at Weinbrenner Shoe company in Merrill for 32 ½ years, during which time he also did part-time carpentry. In June 1977 he left the shoe company and started his own carpentry business, Richard R. Kuehn & Sons, which did both remodeling and new buildings in the Merrill, Wausau and Tomahawk areas for almost 20 years. He retired officially at the end of 1996. He then started making wood craft items and became a flea market vendor as well. He enjoys his craft making, hunting and football. Shirley worked at Weinbrenner Shoe Company for six years, where she met Rich. She worked almost 37 years in the office at Merrill Manufacturing Company, retiring in 1998. She has worked part-time in various offices since going back to work in 1999. Shirley enjoys reading, walking and writing. Both Rich and Shirley enjoy their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Family is a central part of their lives.