Posts by jonagresta

Luther S. Olsen

Posted by on Dec 20, 2019 in Inspiration Wall Honorees | 0 comments

Luther S. Olsen was born in Berlin in 1951. He graduated from Berlin High School in 1969 and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1973. He completed the Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program Group IV in1990-1992. Senator Olsen was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2004, after serving in the Wisconsin State Assembly for 10 years. He started his public service career as member of the Berlin Area School Board from 1976 to 1997, including holding the office of President of the Board from 1986 to 1995. This position gave him his dedication to the...

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Lucy Smith Morris

Posted by on Dec 20, 2019 in Inspiration Wall Honorees | 0 comments

Lucy Smith was born in 1850 in Markesan, WI. She was educated at the Musical Academy in Beaver Dam and the Notre Dame Convent, (now Mount Mary College) in Milwaukee. After teaching school for several years, Lucy married Charles Secor Morris, a young entrepreneur of Berlin. Lucy Smith Morris achieved many great accomplishments. She was a genius in leadership and successfully brought women together to enrich the quality of their lives, while transforming the worlds of culture and reform. Lucy recognized the potential power of women’s political influence if they organized statewide. Through her...

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M. Jean Walker Bruce, M.D.

Posted by on Oct 24, 2018 in Inspiration Wall Honorees | 0 comments

Nominated 2018. Jeanie Walker graduated from Berlin High School in 1960 as valedictorian. She received her BS degree in education from UW-Oshkosh and married Robert Bruce in 1963. She taught in elementary schools in Oshkosh, then in Bozeman, Montana while Robert was in college. After Robert graduated, they moved to Minnesota and then to the Green Bay area where Jean was a stay-at-home mom and an active volunteer for 13 years. When their youngest child was nearing school age, she began taking courses to become re-certified to teach in Wisconsin. A shortage of teaching jobs, combined with her...

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Eugene (Gene) Trochinski

Posted by on Oct 24, 2018 in Inspiration Wall Honorees | 0 comments

Nominated 2018. A 1970 graduate of Berlin High School, Gene Trochinski went on to a 40-year career as teacher, coach and administrator, 36 of them in Orange County, Florida. During his tenure at Dr. Phillips High School he built an athletic program that earned 86 conference titles, 96 district, 22 regional, 10 state and four national championships. He was twice named the Civitan (FL) Wrestling Coach of the Year and was inducted into both the Dr. Phillips High School Athletic Hall of Fame and DPHS Theater Hall of Fame. He taught for 15 years and served in administration positions the next 25...

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Benedict (Dick) Brooks

Posted by on Oct 24, 2018 in Inspiration Wall Honorees | 0 comments

Nominated 2018. The Brooks family moved to Berlin in 1948 when Dick was 19 years old. Dick, his dad, Gary, and brothers, Raymond and Glenn were hard-working entrepreneurs who owned and operated various businesses in Berlin: Wisconsin Tanktainer, Carri Craft Catamarans, Artcraft, Prefinished Wood Products and Brooks Yachts. The catamarans and yachts were considered some of the finest available and captured the interest of movie stars and celebrities of the time. Always an active participant in civic groups and events, Dick’s true love for people created his passion for contributing to...

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