John Howard Scherer

  General Notes:

 
John and I were married on dad and mom’s wedding anniversary, December 31, 1926 though we didn’t realize it until the day. Grandpa loved so many things, his family, his God and his grandchildren. And when they came one by one and he would perhaps be a bit confused by now with the great grandchildren who are finding their way into our midst. He loved people and all living things. And good food, among them hasenpfeffer and could he cook up a tasty batch of this food. He liked a glass of beer and perhaps a little snort once in a while but the only time I ever saw him really polluted was on the first Armistice Day. Everyone had too much that day. He came home from downtown and made it without falling down but he was glad to sit. Poor George Cleary didn’t fare so well, he fell on the porch and someone called, "Henry, come over, George is sick." Dad went over and took his had and said, "he ain’t sick, he’s drunk." They then said, "don’t say drunk, say intoxicated." ^{[Laura Pfiester Scherer]}
 
 
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Gert and John were born at home - Dr. Merriman and Mrs Lockrey, the midwife, were in attendance. ^{[Kathryn Scherer Schuck]}
 
 
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My earliest memories of Uncle John are of the time that I went to Combined Locks when Jane was born in June, 1945. The house was on a huge hill (which shrunk considerably as I got older). Uncle John had a rabbit hutch and I thought that was fantastic. He told me that the bunnies loved dandelions and taught me how to dig them up out of the yard. I can still imagine him chortling as I dug up weeds to feed the rabbits, that and alfalfa. He loved to tease me and I would giggle and stand for more. One Thanksgiving when I was a teenager I fell asleep after dinner and he put this huge turkey carcass on a platter and set it on my lap to take a picture. I didn't know it until I saw the photo and was mortified.
 
And he loved gadgets. I remember him walking into our house in Marinette and there was the sound of music emanating from his coat - he had the first transistor radio I ever saw and it was playing in his pocket. That plus the aroma of cigar smoke which permeated his clothes. You could tell when he was at the front door because of that cigar smell. When he would leave we would scramble to empty all the ashtrays out of the house

Uncle John worked for Oscar Mayer when I knew him and one year they gave him a bonus for Christmas or for the 50th anniversary of the company, I don't know which, and the bonus was fifty silver dollars laid out in a pattern in a box that was "50'. I thought it was a fortune. ^{[W. John Schuck] 8 9 10}

  Noted events in his life were:

• Census: 1905 WI, 01 Jun 1905, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹¹
| 78 | 238 | Sherer, John | H | W | M | 49 | M | Wisconsin | Germany ... | Foreman Mill | 12 | O | F | F |
| 79 | 238 | - ...., Alta | W | W | F | 34 | M | Michigan .| Ohio - Mich | Hkpr ....... | 12 | . | . | . |
| 80 | 238 | - , Margaret | D | W | F | 11 | S | Michigan .| Ohio - Mich | Student .....| .. | . | . | . |
| 81 | 238 | - ., Pauline | D | W | F | 09 | S | Michigan .| Ohio - Mich | Student .....| .. | . | . | . |
| 82 | 238 | - ., John Jr | S | W | F | 03 | S | Michigan .| Ohio - Mich | .............| .. | . | . | . |
| 83 | 238 | - , Gertrude | D | W | F | 08 | S | Michigan .| Ohio - Mich | .............| .. | . | . | . |

• Graduation: Our Lady of Lourdes High School, 1919, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹²

• Census: 1920 US, 09 Jan 1920, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹³
| 61 | 174 | 138 | Scherer, Alta | Head | O | F | F | W | 49 | M | | | | | Yes | Yes | Michigan | | Ohio | | Michigan | | Yes | None |
| .. | ... | ... | Scherer, John Jr | Son | . | . | M | W | 18 | S | | | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Wisconsin | | Wisconsin | | Michigan | | Yes | None |
| .. | ... | ... | Scherer, Gertrude | Daughter | . | . | F | W | 15 | S | | | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Wisconsin | | Wisconsin | | Michigan | | Yes | None |
| .. | ... | ... | Scherer, Elizabeth | Daughter | . | . | F | W | 09 | S | | | | Yes | | | Wisconsin | | Wisconsin | | Michigan | | Yes | None |
| .. | ... | ... | Scherer, Catherine | Daughter | . | . | F | W | 07 | S | | | | Yes | | | Wisconsin | | Wisconsin | | Michigan | | | None |

• Residence: 61 Water St, 09 Jan 1920, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹³

• Social Security Number: 392-03-1720, Bef 1951. ¹⁴

• Occupation: Salesman for the Oscar Mayer Co.: Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA.

• Obituary: Marinette Eagle Star, 24 Jan 1964, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁵  
DEATH CLAIMS JOHN SCHERER

John Scherer, 63, of Combined Locks and formerly of Marinette, died at 12:30 a.m. today in St. Elizabeth Hospital at Appleton. He had been ill three years.

Mr. Scherer was born here Oct. 1, 1901, and had lived at Combined Locks a number of years. He retired from the Oscar Mayer Meat Company three years ago because of failing health. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and United Commercial Travelers.

Surviving are his widow, the former Laura Pfiester; a son, John Jr., of Kaukauna; and three daughters, Mrs. James Van Camp of Lisle, Ill., Mrs. James Harp of Little Chute and Sister Mary Noreen of Janesville.

Also surviving are four sisters, Mrs. Fred Jaeger of Marinette, Mrs. William Ingram of Chicago, Mrs. Ray Watson of Washington, D. C., and Mrs. Ray Schuck of Stevens Point, and 20 grandchildren.

The Rev. Robert Hogan will officiate at the 9 a. m. requiem mass Tuesday in Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Burial will be in Forest Home Cemetery. Friends may call at the McLain-Thielen-Langer funeral home from 4 p.m. Monday until the hour of a prayer service at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. The rosary will be recited Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the funeral home.

• Cemetery: Forest Home Cemetery and Mausoleum, 27 Oct 1964, Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA. ¹⁶  
        SCHERER
              †
         FATHER
         JOHN H.
      Oct 1, 1901
     Oct 24, 1964
 
Jesus Have Mercy

John married Laura Marie Pfiester, daughter of Henry David Pfiester and Anna Marie Antonie Lauerman, on 31 Dec 1926 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, USA.^{1 2} (Laura Marie Pfiester was born on 19 Jan 1900 in Muscoda, Grant, Wisconsin, USA,^{5 17} died on 22 Sep 1986 in Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA ^{5 18} and was buried on 24 Sep 1986 in Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin, USA ^{5 19}.)

  Marriage Notes:

 
Mom and Dad were very typical of German mid-westerners with a strong work ethic and discipline. They were God fearing and church going people. Good food, good clothing and a loving family. We got all of that from our parents. Jim’s parents were the same and we have passed that on to our kids too.
 
Mom was a volunteer person. She never worked outside of the home but she was always doing something for someone. She volunteered for the Red Cross and PTA and those type of organizations. Dad was involved with local politics and was the Village President from 1945 to 1947. They both were heavily involved with United Commercial Travelers which was a fraternal insurance organization. Mom painted and was an extremely good artist. She did water color cards and I would love to get my hands on some of those which must be lying in someone’s drawer. She would sit down and paint greeting cards when people needed them and I know she never charged anyone for them. I have a "Girl At The Well" oil painting that she did when she was 18 and I treasure it. ^{[Barbara Scherer Harp]}
 
 
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They "eloped".  It was always sort of a little unanswered question, when we asked.  I know Mom was embarrassed when I tried to find out "why".  She said that she had no one who would "give her a wedding" since her Mom died when she was 5 or 6 and Grandpa Pfiester didn't have much after raising the 4 of them with the help of housekeepers.  So they got the help of Father Tully to clear things thru the church.  They were married on New Years Eve.  I think Dad was working there [St Paul] at the time. ^{[Barbara Scherer Harp] 20 21}