DICKEYVILLE—With 60 years in Dickeyville, Bill and Doris Wiederholt take pride in their hometown and all of its changes throughout the years.

“Older people in town took us under their wings and made us feel welcome when we came to town,” Bill Wiederholt said.

“We were just a farm kid and a city kid from Louisburg. The older folks showed us around. Now we’ve become the ones showing the new people around.”

Bill and Doris were tidying up at the village’s new veterans memorial at the village park when they first met Dave Reuter, Dickeyville’s new police chief.

“I stopped and introduced myself and since that day, William and I have talked many times and I have learned a lot about his history and his dedication to numerous community clubs, church and fire department,” Reuter said.

Reuter said the Wielderholts were probably the first people he really got to know in Dickeyville. They helped acclimate him to the village he would be serving.

“Some of the older things in town have changed,” Bill Wiederholt said. “I don’t know if it is for good or not.”

The number of houses has grown substantially since he moved in. His home, near Kuepers Park, was the only one in the area when he moved in. New houses continue to be added to the village.

Bill Wiederholt noted the addition of several businesses, including: Kruser Septic, Countryside Studio, Lange’s Dentistry, motels, insurance companies, Royal Bank, Swiss Colony, Gary Liebfried Excavating, Timmerman Car Wash and a daycare being constructed by Gail Pitzen.

Many of the businesses have seen change over the years. Bill Wiederholt noted a few, including: Kunkel’s Gamble Store which is now J.R. Crawford Construction; the paint store is now used as storage; Kueper’s Bar is now Kueper’s III; Katina’s Kitchen used to be a bar operated by the Liebfried family; Erchen’s Florist used to be a shoe repair business; People’s State Bank has changed several times and was Potosi State Bank at one point; Carl Burbach’s grocery story is now the post office and chiropractor’s office; Izzy Miller’s supper club is now Schultzie’s; Arnie Lange’s teen hangout is now a veterinary clinic; Haverland’s Implement is now Donnie’s Tire and Auto; Nick’s Power Sports used to be a gas station and hardware store; the public school building was sold to the village of Dickeyville and now houses its library, police and village offices; the firehouse has been relocated and the old structure is now Gary’s Pest Control; Thumser’s Badger Marble is now a tractor repair shop and a creamery is now a hair salon.

No longer in the village are: George Kowalski’s Lumberyard, Leo’s Used Cars, a dance hall and a general store. Some businesses have been passed down to the next generation, including: Kieler’s Store and Sunset Lanes and Hall.
“I’m constantly learning about the new businesses in town,” Bill Wiederholt said.

He said he saw the population grow from 800 in 1957 to approximately 1,200 just 60 years later.

“We do welcome new people coming in,” Bill Wiederholt said. “A lot of activity comes from the church and the school.”

Bill Wiederholt served on the parish council for Holy Ghost Catholic Church, including serving as president during the parish’s centennial event in 1973. He was on the Cuba City School Board for 24 years, serving six years as boardpresident. He also served on the Dickeyville Fire Department for 55 years.

Doris and Bill Wiederholt walk to the veterans memorial almost every day as a part of their loop to collect their mail from the post office.

When he moved to Dickeyville, Bill Wiederholt helped the Boy Scouts collect names for a veterans memorial to honor the local Civil War, World War I, World War II and Korean War veterans. The names were assembled on wood. Over the years, the elements deteriorated the wood. Bill Wiederholt helped establish the new memorial, a five-sided display that lights up, housed in a five-sided structure at the village park.

Bill Wiederholt said the community invested approximately $12,000 in the memorial and it was completed with the helpand donations from many local businesses.
“We created it so there would be little to no upkeep,” Wiederholt said.

Bill Wiederholt went on an Honor Flight to see the war memorials in Washington D.C.

“It was quite spectacular,” Wiederholt said. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Bill Wiederholt worked as a technician at the Louisburg Garage for 40 years. He started there as a kid, left when he was drafted into the army from 1952-54, came home and worked for Kowalski-Kieler for three years before deciding to return to the Louisburg Garage.

Doris worked in the credit department of Roschek’s before she wrapped up her career at Swiss Colony.
Together they have three children—Cindy, Billy Joe and Jim—and one grandchild.

“I would like to see Dickeyville grow,” Bill Wiederholt said. “Dickeyville has had slow, steady growth over the years.”

He noted there used to be lots of dance halls in the area that he and Doris would visit.

“Kids now have to create their own entertainment,” Bill Weiderholt said.