By Michael R. Reilly

Mom

    They moved over to the new school in 1939 to begin 7th grade. She graduated from 8th Grade in 1941 but continued her education through Lannon's 9th & 10th Grades. Marie didn't stop at 8th Grade nor did she after attaining her 10th Grade diploma; she went on to graduate from Menomonee Falls High School in 1945.

    Marie and best friend, Shirley Wandsneider, joined the School's Marching Band, under the direction of Mr. Phillips, during the Spring of '41 (band was started in 1939?) while still in 8th Grade. Marie played the clarinet.  Shirley said that Mr. Phillips formed bands in Merton, North Lake and Sussex as well, but Lannon was the center of activity. The combined school bands played at various events in other communities and in Lannon during Advancement Association/fire department  parades and picnics. They both continued playing in the band through Lannon 10th Grade graduation, then joined the Menomonee Falls High School band and Pep Club. As Shirley relates, "Playing in the Band and being in Pep Club wasn't like playing football where you only played three months out of the year; what we did was a full year's commitment."

    Marie and her good friend Shirley, visited Marie's sister Margaret in Chicago in 1942 and '43, staying there for about a week.  After Margaret graduated (10th Grade at Lannon) she got herself a "government job" through some program assisted by the high school and went off to Chicago for about three years. 

    After Marie graduated from high school, she worked for the American Appraisal company in downtown Milwaukee. later she switched jobs and went to Northwestern Mutual. She joined the Company choir late in 1945 (?) and sang with them until around 1952. When I interviewed my father in March 1994, one of the things that really impressed him was going to Christmas Eve midnight mass with her family, and Marie sang a solo. He said it was just beautiful, and he was so proud of her. Marie didn't only sing but played the clarinet as well. While still at Lannon, she played in Mr. Philipp's school marching band.

    Shirley DeLorm (nee Wandsneider, parents Otto G. and Viola) told me that she, Marie, and some others always did some nutsy things. In 1948, Wisconsin was celebrating their Centennial Anniversary (100 years of statehood). Marie, Shirley, Loretta (often times spelled Lauretta) Schneider(?), and and a friend from Northwestern Mutual decided to dress up, decorate her dad's '34 Chevy as a float and be in a Menomonee Falls parade. They all voted each other in as different characters; Shirley dressed as Miss 1848, one dressed as a fireman, another as a businessman, and Marie was "Miss Lannon 1948".  Marie's mother made the costumes for the girls. Shirley said that she and Marie dressed up like this once again (this time using sister Margaret's car?) and rode in a Lannon parade. Marie was unanimously voted "Miss Lannon 1948" by she and her friends, the first and only time the Village of Lannon had a "Miss Lannon".