My aunt, Mary Ann Mautz, kept everything!!! All those exclamation points are not an exaggeration. She really kept everything!
Sadly, she passed away on May 28, 2019.
The contents of her home and settling her estate has been left to her nieces and nephews. That's where I come in. I am one of those nieces.
Mary Ann lived her entire life in her home. She was born there and she died there. In fact, this dwelling, located in East Bristol, WI has been in the family since approximately 1893 when her grandfather, Engelbert Mautz settled his family there and started a business running a tavern and dance hall. Mary Ann's father, my grandfather, took over the tavern and raised his family there after Engelbert's death.
So, back to the part where my aunt keeps everything. Sounds horrible to those of us that despise clutter (I'm raising my hand here - I'm one of those people). Instead, I ask you to focus on the fact that she did this in a home that has been in her family for over 100 years, and half of that home was a tavern open for business from 1893-1979......there is some really cool stuff in there!!! More overuse of exclamation points but if you love old stuff, antiques, and the whole retro scene like I do, then again I'm not exaggerating. There is some really cool stuff!
As we start to piece together the stories and the history represented by all this stuff, I found this overwhelming desire to capture it all so it wouldn't be lost. I want to use this blog as a way to document things, to perhaps catalog them so it's all down on paper, digital paper that is, instead of just in my head It's almost like I'm just trying to make sense of it all.
I don't know how we can keep all of these things like Mary Ann did, so this is my attempt to not 'lose' anything. It is also my attempt to honor my aunt. She wanted the story of this family to live on and her way of doing that was to not change anything and to not get rid of anything. Keeping all this stuff is not a likely option (see above about my dislike of clutter), so even if no one else ever reads this, at least I know that when that day comes when we have to part with many of these treasures, well then I hope this blog will make the story of my family live on, just as Mary Ann would've wanted it.
Sadly, she passed away on May 28, 2019.
The contents of her home and settling her estate has been left to her nieces and nephews. That's where I come in. I am one of those nieces.
Mary Ann lived her entire life in her home. She was born there and she died there. In fact, this dwelling, located in East Bristol, WI has been in the family since approximately 1893 when her grandfather, Engelbert Mautz settled his family there and started a business running a tavern and dance hall. Mary Ann's father, my grandfather, took over the tavern and raised his family there after Engelbert's death.
So, back to the part where my aunt keeps everything. Sounds horrible to those of us that despise clutter (I'm raising my hand here - I'm one of those people). Instead, I ask you to focus on the fact that she did this in a home that has been in her family for over 100 years, and half of that home was a tavern open for business from 1893-1979......there is some really cool stuff in there!!! More overuse of exclamation points but if you love old stuff, antiques, and the whole retro scene like I do, then again I'm not exaggerating. There is some really cool stuff!
As we start to piece together the stories and the history represented by all this stuff, I found this overwhelming desire to capture it all so it wouldn't be lost. I want to use this blog as a way to document things, to perhaps catalog them so it's all down on paper, digital paper that is, instead of just in my head It's almost like I'm just trying to make sense of it all.
I don't know how we can keep all of these things like Mary Ann did, so this is my attempt to not 'lose' anything. It is also my attempt to honor my aunt. She wanted the story of this family to live on and her way of doing that was to not change anything and to not get rid of anything. Keeping all this stuff is not a likely option (see above about my dislike of clutter), so even if no one else ever reads this, at least I know that when that day comes when we have to part with many of these treasures, well then I hope this blog will make the story of my family live on, just as Mary Ann would've wanted it.
Great job Staci! Aunt Mary Ann was such a wonderful soul, genuine and funny. She always loved to teach others and keep her family burning deep within. The amazing antiques that were in her home and the Mautz Tarvern still amaze me. She will forever live on in our hearts and now your blog dedicated to her.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann was an amazing lady! She was one of my Dad's first cousins. As a child, I always admired her and thought I might want to be a teacher like her. However, I became a nurse instead. After I graduated from nursing school at St. Mary's hospital in Madison, I went to Denver, CO for my first job and met my husband, Max there. Often when we would come back to WI to visit my family, we'd see Mary Ann at St. Joseph's Church or sometimes even stopped at the Tavern to say hi to her. The last time we tried to visit her in the summer of 2018, She did not answer the door so we didn't get to see her. Perhaps her health was already failing by then...I don't know. She was certainly an icon in East Bristol and I was sad to hear of her death.
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled upon your blog and have subscribed. I have many memories of going to confession on Saturday evenings at St. Joseph's with my Dad in the 1960s. We would always stop at Mautz's Tavern afterwards. Dad would have a beer and we kids got to have a pop and sometimes even a candy bar or beer nuts - a real treat! I will enjoy reading through all of your stories!
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