July 3, 2018 at 5:18 p.m.
Woman whose family helped light up the Northwoods celebrates 100th birthday
Woman whose family helped light up the Northwoods celebrates 100th birthday
By Kayla Thomason-
Doris Neumann was born in Fall Creek, Wis., and married Royal "Roy" in 1939. The couple spent most of their married life in Waukesha, except for the very beginning when the newlyweds helped light up the state.
An electrician, Roy was part of the Rural Electrification in Wisconsin.
"They traveled around in little mobile homes - those Airstreams of the 1940s," said Karen May, one of the couple's three children.
After traveling around the state they set up house in Waukesha where Roy created Neumann Electric and Doris was the bookkeeper for roughly 45 years before retiring. When their children were still young, Doris was a Brownie Scout leader.
The couple's other children are Dean Neumann and Carol Petrie.
Through the years, Doris enjoyed sewing, embroidery and was active with the various Methodist churches where they lived. She also drove until she was 94 years old.
Roy died in 2010 at the age of 94. The couple had been married for almost 71 years.
While she misses her friends and all those who have gone ahead of her, May said Neumann enjoys visiting the Mays' lakefront property, watching the wildlife and her grandchildren play.
She has eight grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
May and Neumann reflected on all the events Neumann has seen in her years, including the wars. Roy Neumann served in the U.S. Navy in World War II, May said.
"She lived through that raising two kids, having people live at our house renting rooms just to get by during the war," she said.
When a cousin once asked what she thought was the best invention of her time, Neumann replied "the automobile," according to her daughter.
Neumann was also enthralled by the space program, May noted.
"She had saved everything from the first one (space launch) that was shot off from Cape Canaveral and landed in the ocean," she said. "She was pretty fascinated by that."
Neumann continues to enjoy technology. She has a cellphone and used her computer to email friends up until about four years ago.
She has been a resident of Grace Lodge for three years.
"They are wonderful to her," May said.
Kayla Thomason may be reached at [email protected].
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