tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post6181260571675041945..comments2023-11-02T04:18:20.969-05:00Comments on PAGANS AND LUTHERANS: The Death of the Paper RouteBruce Geehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140478955080857310noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-17456668904633073122009-04-22T13:52:00.000-05:002009-04-22T13:52:00.000-05:00Well Bruce, you certainly did describe well the tr...Well Bruce, you certainly did describe well the travails and simple joys of being a newspaper delivery boy. I had forgotten the square folds but now it becomes so clear from the story. We played catch with newspaper like that. It floated to the roof a few times.<br /><br />I too had a route but with The Milwaukee Journal on Baraboo's south side. It was so hilly. Customers didn't pay up. I remember girls like Peggy Knight telling me for her parent in the kitchen, to try next week. She charmed me but I was so too young and easy going at that age to get demanding. I thought I heard someone chuckling as I left. <br /><br />I started dropping in on customers when they didn't expect me. That worked sometimes. The Knights did pay up but I always hoped Peggy would answer the doorbell.<br /><br />Sunday mornings were such a reality check to get up so early. If it weren't for my Dad during the wintry months I may have given up sooner. This was a good lesson early in life. <br /><br />Did you know the billionaire Warren Buffet started out his investments career being a newspaper boy. He took on several routes to earn more money to speculate with. <br /><br />At the BNR I remember Pearl Kilmer. Very heavy set woman. She became a family friend having dated my single grandfather. Curt Page, the photographer, was our buddy. Several times he published photos of us and the fish we caught by the dam down the street. Such a nice man. <br /><br />The O'Keefe family is synonymous with Baraboo throughout the years. I never knew a shy O'Keefe and I knew a lot of them. Donna wasn't afraid to give parental advice to me or any of the rascals who got within earshot. She had her hands full and did a great job with the family. My condolences to all the O'Keefes on the loss of older brother Mike also. <br /><br />And, now today, I read about Baraboo photographer Ron Brayer being struck and killed by a car near the square. A sad news day.<br /><br />It was a noble beginning, delivering newspapers. I really enjoyed reading your story along with all the others chiming in. Keeping in touch is good therapy for the heart, mind, and soul. Thanks Bruce.Gorde Ranumnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-26670664537802416882009-04-17T22:56:00.000-05:002009-04-17T22:56:00.000-05:00You must have lived next to to the Doros?
I remem...You must have lived next to to the Doros?<br /><br />I remember Hazel Dahl, and did some writing for her. No, Tim Okeefe reminded me that it was a Mrs. McIntyre who was "The Counter Lady". <br /><br />I hadn't known about Mike's passing. I'm sorry to hear about that. Bob and I are supposed to get together for lunch one of these weeks and catch up. I'll find out more about the Okeefe family then. <br /><br />Glad you liked the article.Bruce Geehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18140478955080857310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-19244682902194879372009-04-17T22:23:00.000-05:002009-04-17T22:23:00.000-05:00I loved reading this article! I think you may be ...I loved reading this article! I think you may be referring to Hazel Dahl, who was in charge of the Baraboo High School newspaper. My mother was the linotype operator at the Sauk County Publishing Company where the school paper was printed.<br /><br />I was very sorry to hear of Mike O'Keefe's passing! I adored him!<br /><br />We lived across the street from the O'Keefe family for a few years, on Ninth Avenue, in Baraboo. What a great family!Sandra Leidholdtnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-2336252687475605252009-04-04T20:20:00.000-05:002009-04-04T20:20:00.000-05:00Bob, try hrtfurn@hughes.net.Believe me, there is a...Bob, try hrtfurn@hughes.net.<BR/><BR/>Believe me, there is alot about HS I've blocked out! But I'd enjoy sitting down and seeing you again. I'm pretty flexible; Friday night I do a prison Bible study. Otherwise, pretty open if I know ahead of time.Bruce Geehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18140478955080857310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-23174064872633795032009-04-04T19:54:00.000-05:002009-04-04T19:54:00.000-05:00Bruce,I'd like to have lunch and catch up. I trie...Bruce,<BR/><BR/>I'd like to have lunch and catch up. I tried the email connection on your profile and can't make it work. I think my niece has your address - I'll get it from her. <BR/><BR/>I suspect you have a better recollection of our HS years than I have - I don't remember the specific incidents. <BR/><BR/>I'll be in touch.<BR/><BR/>"Bobby O"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-26431993823530682762009-04-03T22:14:00.000-05:002009-04-03T22:14:00.000-05:00I KNEW sooner or later I'd hear from Bob! Yes, ma...I KNEW sooner or later I'd hear from Bob! Yes, many good memories indeed. Jauch at first base, Gary Brown at short; Don Doro, Jerry Mayer, Dave Krunnfusz (later on anyway), Schneider, one of the Bildsten boys, and of course Coach Saloutas.<BR/><BR/>Do you remember baseball road trips to Richland Center, after which coach would feed us hotdogs at his dad Louie's greasy spoon? <BR/><BR/>I remember a road trip somewhere where you and I sat in the front seat with coach Saloutas: you had to keep telling him his signal indicator was on. <BR/><BR/>Good to hear from you, Bro. Larry Schultz and I have taken to having lunch every couple months at a jamaican place on Monona Drive. It ends up being one of those take-you-back conversations. We ought to have one of those sometime.Bruce Geehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18140478955080857310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-68813938760550129722009-04-03T22:01:00.000-05:002009-04-03T22:01:00.000-05:00Hello Bruce Gee,I have only vague memories of work...Hello Bruce Gee,<BR/><BR/>I have only vague memories of working as a Baraboo News Republic paperboy - a sacred position for sure - but I think I only made it up to being a substitute.<BR/><BR/>But I have vivid memories of playing baseball together, including you and I teaming up to as the battery in Sauk City to get the Babe Ruth team into the State tournament. I always appreciated your enthusiasm - and you were a good catcher !<BR/><BR/>I also have fond memories of both of us attending the Methodist Church in Baraboo. I recall both of us singing enthusiastically, maybe even almost competitively, "This is My Father's World". Funny how some things stick.<BR/><BR/>My wife and I live in Pewaukee, Wisconsin and both work in the Milwaukee area. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing some fun memories. <BR/><BR/>Bob (f/k/a Bobby) O'KeefeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-89527947871196677532009-04-03T18:12:00.000-05:002009-04-03T18:12:00.000-05:00Geesh, even Stan the Man weighs in! I'm inclined...Geesh, even Stan the Man weighs in! I'm inclined to agree with you about your memory of my ballplaying skills, but I do have three nice sisters. The last memory I have of you is this: church softball, Bennie Pederson is coaching; sometime in the early to mid seventies. I'm on first base, and you nail the most perfect opposite field liner. Had it not hit me as I jumped straight up in utter surprise, it might have made the Baraboo River. "You're supposed to run, not jump!" was your exasperated cry. <BR/><BR/>Sorry about that.Bruce Geehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18140478955080857310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-45824456301193110452009-04-03T17:12:00.000-05:002009-04-03T17:12:00.000-05:00Bruce, I don't have the memory of Tim and you, but...Bruce, I don't have the memory of Tim and you, but I do remember what a nice family the Gee's were; Bruce Gee, a good ballpalyer with lots of nice sisters.<BR/><BR/>Jim "Stanley" O'KeefeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-49457954261522135862009-04-03T14:41:00.000-05:002009-04-03T14:41:00.000-05:00I'd always heard rumors about a pretty O'keefe gir...I'd always heard rumors about a pretty O'keefe girl, but never did have the pleasure, if I recall properly, of meeting you. I know you are pretty because I knew your mother, who was a pretty gal herself. I grew up the only boy with three sisters, so I may have some idea of what you went through. Whew. That was a lot of boys in your family. I remember playing catch for hours and hours with Bobby in your front yard in Baraboo. <BR/><BR/>So, are you senior to Mike, or in there between Mike and Jack? How many were there of you, anyway??? Mike would umpire our high school games when I was a catcher--and Bob the pitcher--for the Tbirds back in 70 and 71. He'd growl and snarl back there, make surly comments about my catching technique, and generally amaze me. And occasionally miss a call. Once or twice.<BR/><BR/>My wife grew up in SoCal, and has family in the San Diego area still. Glad to see Tim gets out of Baraboo once in awhile.Bruce Geehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18140478955080857310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-87713282889294072452009-04-03T14:11:00.000-05:002009-04-03T14:11:00.000-05:00Bruce,I , too, really enjoyed your paper route sto...Bruce,<BR/>I , too, really enjoyed your paper route story and reminiscences about Baraboo in the "olden days." I am Tim's oldest sister, now living in So. Cal., where Tim is such a frequent guest that he has started making inroads into the closet and bedroom drawer spaces. He doesn't have me folding his papers or anything, but is an inspiration in getting me to walk and exercise regularly. There are no chocolate donuts in the deal either, believe me. Thanks again for the very enjoyable article.<BR/>Another Thunderbird,<BR/>Joaline (O'Keefe) StedmanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-63553584853686714482009-04-03T12:29:00.000-05:002009-04-03T12:29:00.000-05:00I received this email this morning, found it inter...I received this email this morning, found it interesting, and post it with permission:<BR/><BR/>Bruce,<BR/> <BR/>I really enjoyed your paper route blog. It was forwarded to me because my wife is Tim "Timmy" O'Keefe's niece. <BR/> <BR/>I enjoyed it because it was well written and talked about Tim. I also enjoyed it because I, too, had a paper route when I was in 7th & 8th grade. It was the mid 80's and things were a bit different for me, but so much of your blog resonated. Like you, the paper route was a highly-sought gig and you had quite a bit of competition. <BR/> <BR/>My papers were too big to fold square, but I could fold them 3 times into a tight rectangle. The problem for me, though, was I grew up in western Pennsylvania. Too hilly for riding bikes and no sidewalks. I had to walk them up to each door. It was the first thing I did after school. Unless, of course, I snuck in a viewing of Inspector Gadget on TV before hitting the road. <BR/> <BR/>I also had to "collect" one a week. If I didn't get paid by my customers, I'd eat the cost of the paper. What a drag that was, except for Christmas (big tips!) and for the wonderful grandmother who always had a bag of cookies waiting for me.<BR/> <BR/>The blessing and curse of my paper route, however, was Sunday. It was a curse because those were the big, fat papers that I had to assemble and deliver early in the morning. Seventh grade boys don't do early very well. The blessing, though, was the fact that my dad helped me. We loaded up the station wagon with 40 or so Pittsburgh Press' and did it together. And when we were done we'd either go buy donuts or go golfing (weather permitting). <BR/> <BR/>I look back upon those mornings with my dad as some of the best times of my childhood. Thanks for writing your blog and jogging those memories.<BR/> <BR/>Take care,<BR/>ScottBruce Geehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18140478955080857310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-29974546542018211432009-04-03T11:19:00.000-05:002009-04-03T11:19:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Bruce Geehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18140478955080857310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7206866042338169907.post-33928473571557128372009-04-01T17:41:00.000-05:002009-04-01T17:41:00.000-05:00I loved it, Bro. RebeccaI loved it, Bro. RebeccaRebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04412644718361697113noreply@blogger.com