Carl and Verona (Pieper) Gutekunst We met in 1926 at the Pieper home,
Sunrise Farm. Carl was home for summer vacation from Concordia College
in Milwaukee.  Verona was home after teaching two years near St. Paul,
Minnesota at $110 per month.  The Henry Pieper family had joined a
little congregation in Campbellsport which was served by Carl's
father.  It was customary then for college students to sell books for
Concordia Publishing House to earn money to go back to school in the
fall.  Carl's father took him to the members and that's when he met
Verona.  Upon the urging of Pastor Gutekunst Verona filled out a
questionaire sent by Superintendent of Lutheran Schools, Ben Schumacher
and after being interviewed by Pastor Edward Schmidt of St. Paul's in
Sheboygan, Wis. was hired to teach first and second grades at $75 per
month. Thirty dollars a month went for board and room.

In September Verona went to St. Paul's to teach and Carl returned for
his last year at Concordia College, Milwaukee. They did not see each
other often but Verona traveled to Milwaukee by Interurban for
convention and a Óconcert where they met again. In spring Verona went
for Carl's graduation.

Carl worked in a pea cannery during the summer and in Sept. went to St.
Loui s to the Seminary. Verona went back to St Paul's but the year was
cut short by illness and hospitalization and surgery. After recovering
she finished the school year for another teacher was ill with ulcers at
St. John's in West Bend, Wis.

The next two years she taught at St. John's at New Fane near Kewaskum.

In June 1930 Carl and his friend Gerhard Schaefer were graduated from
Concordia Seminary. Paula had met and fallen in love with Gerhard and
they were married after graduation. The wedding was June 18. Carl and
Verona were attendants. Jerry, as he was always called, had a call to
Weyborn and Radville, Sask., Canada. Carl had to wait till August for a
call as Mission boards were not calling new men because of the
depression of the 30's. After calling several men in vain to
Necedah-New Miner, Wis., the South Wis. Dãistrict and the Indian
Mission Board sent Carl a call and he accepted.

Now the wedding date for Carl and Verona could be set and Sept. 18th
was chosen. Carl's sister Margaret and Verona's brother Victor were
attendants. The ceremony was in German as that was still the main
language at St. John's, New Fane. The organist was Carl's sister, Ruth
. The church choir sang, ÒEer Herr ist mein HirteÓ and the male
quartette sang ÒSo Nimm denn meine Haende.Ó

St. John's church was full for this happy occasion as Carl was the son
of their beloved Pastor and their ÒCarlieÓ. A week before the wedding
the congregation had a surprize bridal shower. Most of the gifts were
in cash, $250, so the couple could buy the most necessary furnishings
for their first home. Grandma Brockhaus, a dear old neighbor lady gave
a feather bed and pillows of goose feathers. Quilts, pillows, rag
carpets, dishes and other things were also given.

There was no honeymoon but Carl had been asked to be sponsor for a
cousin's baby's baptism, so the first week-end the couple spent in
Oconomowoc, Wis. at the Grunewalt home.

Carl was ordained in his home church by his father on Sept. 28th. Many
of the Gutekunst relatives from near and far attended this happy
occasion.

The following week Verona and Carl drove to Necedah in their new Model
A Ford to look for a house to rent. Mr. George Manthey, a pillar of the
little group of Lutherans showed them one house that he thought was
good enough. It was a mile from the church and in an Òout-of-the-wayÓ
location, but since it was all there was, it had to do. $15 a month
rent was not bad and the house was quite nice. Sandburs were everywhere
- no lawn, no garden and the ÒgarageÓ was an old barn. The first month
of living there was drab and lonely, but soon they drove out to meet
their people and the drabness and loneliness all changed and Necedah
began to feel like home.

Charles Narges, the man from whom they bought the Model A , lent them
his truck and a driver, %ÒDutchÓ Ollermann, to move their few
belongings to Necedah. Carl's cousin Art Prosek, helped move. They
arrived at Necedah at noon on Oct. 1, 1930 and ate dinner at the only
restaurant in town. After unloading, Art and Ollermann returned home to
Waucousta and Carl and Verona proceeded to set up the bed and get some
rest. Verona had a sick headache and Carl couldn't even smoke a
cigarette because of VeronaÕs sick headache.

Sunday, Oct. 5, Carl was installed at St. James in Necedah at 10
o'clock and at St. Paul's New Miner (rural) at 2 o'clock. *Rev. Fred
Kerstan of Nekoosa and Rev. Gustav Krueger of' Siegel were the only
pastors to attend. Mrs. Harry Bussel invited the pastors and their
wives to have dinner at her home at noon.

Mon. Carl visited with one of the Lutherans, a Mr. Froelich. Carl and
Verona made many calls, getting acquainted with the people. Tues. Carl
went to the Federal Indian School at Tomah to meet with Rev. Rose of
LaValle, who had served the Indian children thus far. Arrangement was
wade to have classes on Tue. evening each week. 94 children attended
the first class.