1972: Dennis E. Petras Wins New Pinto Station Wagon

Dennis E. Petras, a University of Texas student in Austin, was awarded a brand new 1973 Ford Pinto station wagon by Austin Minimax stores. He signed up for the ‘free registration, no obligation’ drawing at the Town Lake Minimax Store. The award highlighted a four-week promotion by the grocery chain in the capital city. Dennis was the son of Mrs. Millie Petras of Mullins Prairie.

In other old news, an out-oftown passerby sounded the alarm that saved the Pastime Club on Travis St. from burning to the ground. The blaze, thought to have been caused by a short in the beverage cooler compressor, was confined primarily to the center counter area. Intense heat and smoke scorched nearby walls. There was also considerable damage to shelf merchandise such as cigarettes, cigars and tobacco. The business was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence R. Ulbrich and operated by Mrs. Ulbrich. Mrs. Jack Welge of Austin owned the building where the Pastime Club was located on the south side of the Square. Betty Moerbe and Bruce Dopslauf were the 1972 winners of the Fayette County 4-H Gold Star Girl and Gold Star Boy. Betty, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Moerbe, was an eight-year veteran of county 4-H work. Her projects included: foods and nutrition, food preservation, cloth, junior leadership, poultry, swine and beef. Bruce, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Dopslauf, had been in 4-H for nine years. His projects ranged from dairy, beef, poultry, agriculture, clothing and foods to citizenship, achievement and junior leadership. Mr. and Mrs. Vlad Cernoch and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Neiser observed their golden wedding anniversaries together on Sun., October 15, with a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Holman. The Rev. Patrick Fidgeon was the celebrant. The two couples were married in a double wedding at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church on October 24, 1922. The brides were sisters. Vlad Cernoch married Annie Mazoch and Frank Neiser married Martha Mazoch. The late Rev. Alfonse Raska officiated at the ceremony, which was held in the old church that was destroyed by fire in 1964. Seven of the eight bridesmaids and groomsmen were present, as were many the other relatives and friends who attended the first weddings.

Although the game went the official 48 minutes, the great part of the action – including a little of the extra-curricular kind – seemed to take place in the waning moments when La Grange scored 1413 over the Columbus Cardinals before 1,400 screaming fans here. The tying touchdown came with just 16 seconds showing on the scoreboard clock. However, it took the good right foot of 170-pound junior guard Marcus Cook to boot the pigskin between the uprights for the game-winning extra point.

At the Cistern School, the following students made the honor roll in the first semester: fifth grade – Mike Firkins and Melissa Farek; and eighth grade – Patricia Vinklarek and Gwen Farek.

Frank Cernoch, the owner and operator of a 120-acre farm in the Holman community, was honored as 1971 Conservation Farmer by the Fayette SWCD.

James J. Piwetz Jr. received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Texas A&M University. A graduate of La Grange High School, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James J. Piwetz Sr.

Present at the 15th annual Legler-Kirsch family reunion on Sun., October 15 at the La Grange American Legion Hall were 175 descendants of Julius and Anna Hannish Legler. At the business meeting, Otto Legler of La Grange was elected president and Mrs. Laura Harms of La Grange, secretary-treasurer. Mrs. Gladys Cronenberger of La Grange was named reporter.

On behalf of the Fayette Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Mrs. R.J. Edwards presented a check for $2,300 to hospital administrator Bill Conder. The funds were to finance the purchase of a Photometer for blood analysis in the hospital.

Mr. and Mrs. James Schramm observed their 50th wedding anniversary at a party at the VFW Home in La Grange. The arrangement of white mums and asters placed at the honorees’ table graced the altar at Holy Cross Lutheran Church the next morning.

Distributing Clerk First Class Harlie Hackemack, a 14-year career Navy man, was one of two Sailors of the Year, representing all commands at a Navy Day Ball at the Davisville Seabee Center in Rhode Island. Hackemack was a native of Round Top.

Antlerless deer permits and special antlerless deer tags for the Oak Prairie District were to be available on October 30 in Fayette County at the Ellinger Chamber of Commerce Building.

A painting by Mrs. Willard Dyer of Round Rock depicting the first roadside park in Texas located on Hwy. 71 between La Grange and Smithville was presented to Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson at the third annual Lady Bird Johnson Awards for Highway Beautification.

Funeral services were held for: Mrs. Elsie M. Stolle, 55, of Prairie Valley; Joe L. Koehl, 64, of La Grange; Mrs. Louise Mensing Jarmon, 96, of La Grange; Joe N. Marusik, 60, a native of Ellinger; and John Hauser, 83, of La Grange. Lora Blume was chosen as the 1972 sweetheart for the La Grange Leopard football team.

For more great stories, visit Elaine online at www.elainethomaswriter. com/blog/ or call her at 979-263-5031.