Outagamie County WI Archives Obituaries.....Mayer, Edward A. May 21, 1951
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John Irish jcirish99@hotmail.com June 5, 2006, 2:31 am

The Kaukauna Times
DR. E.A. MAYER DIES; PIONEER PHARMACIST - Kaukauna Times, May 23, 1951.

Dr. Edward A. Mayer, former city physician, pioneer pharmacist and oculist 
here, died at his home, 113 E. Eighth street at 8:50 p.m. Monday after an 
illness of two years.  He was 78 years old.  the funeral will be at 9:30 a.m. 
Friday from St. Mary's church.

Born on a farm near Oshkosh in 1873.  Dr. Mayer came to Kaukauna as a boy of 12 
with his family in 1885.  In 1897 he and his brother Freddie (Alfred), who 
survives him, started the Mayer Reliable Drug Store on the south side 
with "forty dollars and a reputation for good credit" as he often recalled.  
They celebrated their fiftieth anniversary in business four years ago and sold 
the store in 1949 when they retired.

Known as a bookworm as a boy, Dr. Mayer received a certificate crediting him 
with two years of high school when he finished Nicolet school.  For three years 
he worked in drug stores, at the Maxwell store on the north side and the 
Kellogg store there.  In 1892 he entered the University of Wisconsin and 
graduated in pharmacy in 1894.  He worked for various drug stores here - 
Passino, Kamps, Sachsteder and Hilfert, and then took a position in Waterloo.  
He also passed state board examinations in pharmacy in Illinois and Missouri.

In 1897 he returned to Kaukauna to open Mayer's Reliable Drug store in a 12x45 
foot space which his old employer Passino called a hole in the wall.  Freddie 
Mayer finished his pharmacy course at Dr. Sommers school, Milwaukee, that same 
year and joined him in the business.  To equip his new store he purchased the 
soda fountain and showcases from Kamps, Sachsteder and Hilfert, who had gone 
out of business.  He started with a full line of drugs, candy, gum, cigars, 
stationery and school supplies.

After the business was established for several years, Dr. Mayer left to study 
medicine.  He attended Milwaukee Medical college, now Marquette University,  
two years and continued study in the Chicago Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat 
college.  He then completed two more years at the University of Illinois, where 
he graduated in medicine in 1904.  He praticed medicine in Marion, Wisconsin, 
then returned to Kaukauna, where he specialized in optometry.  He served as 
city physician for two years.  He fitted glasses for thousands of persons.

He often recalled that when he started in business ice cream sodas were five 
cents, and a package of cigarettes was five cents.  It was a common practice 
for a young man to order an ice cream sundae with two spoons so that he could 
shareit with his girl friend.  At one time he started a branch drug store on 
the north side but discontinued it after about two years. At the fiftieth 
anniversary celebration of the store in 1947, Doc and Freddie gave away cigars, 
favors and candy to the many visitors who came to wish them well.

Dr. Mayer was a charter member of the Kaukauna council of the Knights of 
Columbus and of the Catholic Order of Foresters.  He was a member of the 
Wisconsin Pharmaceutical Association, the National Association of Retail 
Druggists and the American Medical Association.  In 1944 he became a member of 
the half century club of the University of Wisconsin Alumni Association.
  
Survivors are the widow, one son, A. Edward Mayer, Kaukauna, and six 
daughters.  They are Mrs. George Proper, Mrs. Donald Mayo and Mrs. Timm 
McCarty, Kaukauna; Mrs. Arthur G. Hyde, Beardstown, IL,  Mrs. George Grogan, 
Santa Rosa, CA, and Mrs. Harry Watson, Madison.  There are two brothers, J. 
George Mayer and Alfred T. Mayer, Kaukauna, and fifteen grand-children.   A son 
Dr. Robert Mayer, died four years ago.
  
The body is at the Greenwood Funeral Home.  Friends may call after 7 o'clock 
Wednesday.  Rosary will be said at 8 o'clock tonite and tomorrow.  The funeral 
mass will be at 9:30 Friday morning at St. Mary's church.

Additional Comments:
Obituary for Edward Anton Mayer, 1873-1951.

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