Louis Groffs Mark Golden Wedding Sunday. Have Lived at Same Home Site Since Marriage in 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Louis E. Groff, West Burns valley, are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary at their home this weekend. Mr. and Mrs. Groff were married at St. Joseph’s church here by the Rev. John Meier April 26, 1892, and have lived at the same home site ever since their marriage. Mrs. Groff, formerly Miss Margaret Eggers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Eggers, was born in Germany May 14, 1865, and came to Winona from there when three years old. Mr. Groff was born at Dubuque, Iowa, September 22, 1868 (1867), the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Groff, and has lived in Winona since 1871. He was in the brick business here for 57 years, the firm being known as Voelker and Groff. The firm furnished brick for a majority of the large brick buildings in Winona. The home in which they live was built of brick from the brickyard 40 years ago.
Retired This Year. Mr. Groff retired from the active business February 15 of this year, selling the business to his former competitor, Frank Biesanz. Bowling has always been Mr. Groff’s hobby. In the season of 1905-06, he was high average bowler and received the silver trophy cup awarded by Emil Leicht. He bowled at that time on the Leicht Press team with "two youngsters," Frank Hamernik and the team captain, Edward Steffes. Mr. Groff bowled until he had to use a cane to keep from going over the foul line. All their children and grandchildren are attending the golden wedding celebration. They have five children, Sister M. Jovita, St. Joseph’s convent, Milwaukee; Louis E. Groff, Jr., Winona; Mrs. Harold W. (Gertrude) Arentsen, Oshkosh, Wis.; Mrs. Lambert (Angeline) Bambenek, Winona, and Edmund, Winona, and nine grandchildren. One son died when an infant. Mrs. Groff has three brothers, Fred, whose address is not known; Henry, Grand Junction, Colo., and Arthur, La Crosse, and one sister, Mrs. William Minisang, Grand Junction. Mr. Groff has two sisters, Mrs. Josephine Voelker and Miss Anna Groff, Winona, and one brother, Michael, Kansas City, Mo. High Mass. Mrs. Voelker and Miss Groff will be guests at the wedding dinner in addition to the children and grandchildren. Sister M. Jovita and Mr. and Mrs. Arentsen and children, James and Marcia, arrived Friday for the celebration. A high mass celebrated at St. Joseph’s church at 8 a. m. today opened the observance of the anniversary. Friends are invited to call between 2 and 5 p. m. Sunday. (The Winona Republican-Herald, Saturday, April 25, 1942, Page 6)
Louis Groff Dies; Services Tuesday. Louis Emerich Groff, 76, former member of the firm of Voelker & Groff, died Friday at St. Francis hospital, La Crosse. Death was from a stroke and followed an illness of one and a half years. Mr. Groff was born at Dubuque, Iowa, September 22, 1867, and had been in the brick business here for 57 years before retiring in February, 1942, when he sold the business to Frank Biesanz. The firm was known as the Voelker & Groff brickyard. Mr. Groff had lived here since 1871. Bowling had always been Mr. Groff’s hobby. In the season of 1905-06, he was high average bowler and received the silver trophy cup awarded by Emil Leicht. He married Miss Margaret Eggers at St. Joseph’s church here April 26, 1892, and they celebrated their golden wedding in 1942. All their children and grandchildren were present for the celebration. He was a member of St. Joseph’s society of St. Joseph’s parish. Survivors are his wife; three daughters, Sister M. Jovita, O.S.F., Campbellsport, Wis.; Mrs. H. W. Arentsen, Oshkosh, Wis., and Mrs. L. J. Bambenek, Winona, and two sons, Louis, Jr., Winona, and Edmund, West Allis, Wis. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday at 9 a. m. at St. Joseph’s church, the Rt. Rev. B. A. Kramer officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary’s cemetery. Pallbearers will be Edward Steffes, R. E. Stevenson, J. B. Bambenek, D. C. Bambenek, L. S. Milanowski and William Galewski. Friends may call at the Burke funeral home this afternoon and evening and Tuesday until 9 a. m. The Cotter Mother club will say the rosary at 7 p. m. and Monsignor Kramer will lead the rosary to be said by St. Joseph’s society at 8:15 p. m. today at the funeral home. (The Winona Republican-Herald, Monday, January 3, 1944, Page 3)
Mrs. Margaret Eggers Groff, 81, 1118 West Fifth street, died at her home at 5 a. m. today. She was born May 14, 1865. Funeral arrangements are being completed. Survivors are two sons, Edmond, Davenport, Iowa, and Louis, Winona; three daughters, Sister Goveta, Milwaukee; Mrs. Harold (Gertrude) Arnentsen, Oshkosh, Wis., and Mrs. Lambert (Angela) Bambenek, Winona; four brothers, George Eggers, Winona; Otto Eggers, La Crosse; Henry Eggers, Grand Junction, Colo., and Fred Eggers, address unknown, and one sister, Mrs. Fred Minnesang, Grand Junction. (The Winona Republican-Herald, Friday, November 15, 1946, Page 3)