Time Machine Trip to June 1968

By Lyle Hansen

June 5, 1968

The Kaukauna High School baseball team finished up the season with a six win and seven loss mark in conference action. Head coach Dave Hash announced that Captain Mike Grogan was named most valuable player by his teammates. Grogan was the team’s leading hitter for the season with a .333 batting average. Eleven players received letters for the past season.

Two holes-in-one were scored at Fox Valley Golf Club over the weekend both on No. 8, a water hole. Robert DeKoch, KHS sophomore and a member of the school team, got his ace Saturday. Val Kopitzke, Menasha, fired his ace Sunday afternoon.

The 1968 graduating class of 312 seniors at Kaukauna High School will hold its commencement exercises tonight at 8:15 p.m. in the new gymnasium where seats will be available for 1200 persons.  

June 7, 1968

Jerome Coonen began working for the Kaukauna school system as a custodian about six years ago he found he had a lot of time on his hands. Jerome decided to go back to college. Last week he was among the 1968 graduates at Wisconsin State University – Oshkosh. He did it the hard way – working around 50 hours a week and with a family that numbers eleven children.

June 12, 1968

Lance Corporal John Patrick Gray USMC, age 19, was killed by sniper fire near Quang Tri Viet Nam on May 31. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pittman, Kaukauna. He joined the Marine Corps May 12, 1967 and arrived in Viet Nam in November of that year. Gray served with the Third Battalion, Ninth Marine Regiment. 

  

June 19, 1968

Former Mayor Joseph “Doty” Bayorgeon's affection and dedication to the City of Kaukauna were recalled Saturday when dedication ceremonies were held at the Doty Bayorgeon Recreation Area for a monument erected in the late Mayor's memory. Mayor Gilbert Anderson served as master of ceremonies at the event. Lifetime friend, co-worker, and neighbor James McFadden gave the main speech at the dedication rites, praising Bayorgeon for his work and for the kind of person he was caring, loving and concerned.

1968 Kaukauna high school baseball team: Front row front left Mike Greenwood (manager), Neil Geiger, Mike Grogan, Dave LaBorde, Jim Blair, Jack Kempen, Dick Vandenberg, Jon Pendleton and Kurt Luedtke.  Second row Tom Keil, Gary Effa, Don Heindel. Leon Franzke, Scott Robach, Ken Kappell, Tom Nagan and Jim Luedtke.  Back row, Dave Hash (head coach), Rich Hilgenberg, Pat VanderVelden, Ron Martzahl, Al Borchardt, Tom Giordana, Keith Donnermeyer, Bruce Specht, Tom Heiting and Harry Wilson (asst. coach) 

Curtis Coenen, 19, Hollandtown became Kaukauna’s first traffic fatality of the year on Tuesday. Coenen was involved in an accident Monday evening on County Hwy Z just past Bayorgeon Recreation Area on Dodge St. The 1963 Ford Fairlane ran off the right side of the road then crossed to the left side before hitting a tree. Coenen was rushed to Kaukauna Community Hospital where he died.

 

The 1968 Varsity tennis team had a 10-3 mark for the year. The jayvees were undefeated with a 7-0 record. Left to right are Keith Steffens, head coach Harold Kobin, Will Grebe, Terry Kobin, Keith Coleman, Dave Egan, Mark Kobin, Pat Kehoe, Pat Brautigan, Gary Weyers, Steve Driessen, Dan Morgan and asst. coach James Zuelzke.

June 26, 1968

Kaukauna High School graduates, young and old alike, gathered Saturday evening for a salute to “times gone by” at Van Abel’s in Hollandtown, scene of the 32^nd Annual Alumni Rally. The Alumni Award was double presented to Miss Mary Landreman and Mrs. John Vande Loo. Both recipients are teachers in the Kaukauna school system at the present time.

Airman First Class Michael Weber has graduated with honors at Keesler AFB, Miss., from the U.S. Air Force electronic equipment repairmen course.

Seven area young men were among the Outagamie County inductees that entered the U.S. Army May 29. From Kaukauna are Harry Reichel, Leo Schuh, Richard Stoffel, Thomas DeCoster and Leon Blaire. Robert Sanderfoot of Little Chute and Gary Thiel of Kimberly.

Petty Officer 3^rd Class Kenneth Arps left Monday after spending 15 days leave with his parents. Kenneth is stationed aboard the USS Topeka, of the Sixth Fleet.

Airman First Class Robert Stadier, Little Chute is a member of a unit that has earned the U.S. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. Airman Stadier is a navigation equipment repairman in the 21th Composite Wing at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.

S/Sgt. Kenneth Popp, Kaukauna, is a member of a unit that has earned the U.S. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. Sgt. Popp, an automotive maintenance technician at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, will wear the distinctive service ribbon to mark his affiliation with the unit.