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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
St.
Joseph's Home
705
Clyman
The old St. Joe's
Home
The new St. Joe's Home
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1942
Nov OPENING OF
St. Joseph's was opened in November of
1942 in a home formerly owned by Dr. Adolf Wallner,
once was the home of William D. Sproesser.
1953
04 30 DEDICATION OF LATEST
UNIT
The latest unit to be
added to St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged, Clyman Street, will be dedicated on
Sunday afternoon at 3 o clock, with Bishop William P. O’Connor of the Madison
Diocese officiating. The public is
invited to the dedication service and also is invited
to inspect the new building from 10 a m up to 2:45 p.m. The new unit, which is 33 feet wide and 11
feet long, is constructed between the original unit and the second. The original unit, acquired by the Sisters of
Charity from Dr. A. A. Wallner in February of 1952,
once was the home of the late William D. Sproesser and the second unit, which for many years was
owned by Jacob Jossi, was acquired from George
Fischer in July of 1945. The Resnick
home, located to the south of the former Fischer home, was acquired several
years ago, and is used as the residence of novitiates. Construction of the latest unit started a
year ago. The cost, originally figured
at $100,000, has run about 50 per cent more, the Sisters report.
05 06 MORE ON DEDICATION OF LATEST UNIT
Yesterday was a big day
for the Sisters of Charity who operate St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged in Clyman
Street. It was another milestone in the
brief 10-year history of this Watertown institution. A new addition, a structure costing well over
$100,000 was dedicated. The dedication
program was held in the afternoon with the Rt. Rev. William P. O’Connor,
Madison, bishop of the Madison diocese, officiating at the dedication
service. Bishop O’Connor praised the
Sisters for the outstanding work of charity they are performing in
Watertown. “The erection of this
building really is a great accomplishment,” the Bishop said. “Great sacrifices have been made to make this
new building possible, and the Home possible.”
12 08 GIFTS
FROM WATERTOWN VOCATIONAL SCHOOL HOMEMAKER’S CLUB
c.1955
703 CLYMAN & 1007 S SEVENTH (approx)
1956
09 27 JOE DAVIES DONATION
Joseph E. Davies, Watertown-born former U.S.
ambassador to Russia, has sent a check to the sisters who operate St. Joseph's
Home for the Aged in Watertown. Mrs.
Bertha Voss, a resident at the home, said she read an article in the Times some
months ago about Mr. Davies' plans to turn over his Washington estate to the
Federal government as an official residence for vice presidents and that this
inspired her to write to Mr. Davies. She
suggested that if he wished he could do some good by helping the “good sisters
who operate this home in Watertown.” He
wrote back asking to whom he has to make out the check
and Mrs. Voss replied to his inquiry and today the check was received. WDT
1958
01 09 DEATH OF FOUNDER AND FORMER SISTER SUPERIOR
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday
morning at 9:30 o’clock in St. Henry’s Catholic Church for Sister Valesia, C.S.V.P., founder and former sister superior of
St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged in Clyman Street. She died yesterday in St. Mary’s Hospital
following a protracted illness. The
funeral services will be conducted by fathers of the Redemptorist Order of Lac
LaBelle, Oconomowoc. WDT
1963
03 30 LARGE NEW ADDITION
Later
became The Landmark Building, Independent Senior Apartments
Construction
of a large new unit at St. Joseph’s Home in Clyman Street, to run from South
Seventh to South Eighth Streets, announced some time ago will run to an
estimate of $225,000. The project is the
first major construction listed for the city so far this year. It helped send the total of new building
permits issued in March to $283,024. The
Maas Bros. Construction Co. of Watertown holds the general contract. Also included in the March permits are four
new residences, bringing the total of new homes here so far this year to
eight. Last year in the comparable
period only three new homes had been approved. WDT
Cross reference note:
House was moved from S. Eighth/Clyman streets to make room for St.
Joseph’s new building. Was moved down
Clyman to Tenth, then out to 10th to the street along the railroad, then to its
present location.
1964
03 29 OPEN HOUSE FOR NEW ADDITION
Mother
Gamelberta of St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged, 705 Clyman Street, announced that there will be open house at
the home on Sunday afternoon, April 12, from 1 to 4 o’clock so that interested
persons may see the newly completed addition to the institution. St. Joseph’s Home is owned and operated by
the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul.
The new building provides facilities for 30 additional residents and
sisters. Four new dining rooms, a
sisters’ novitiate chapel and 15 resident rooms are included in the addition.
1970
06 19 SISTER BRUNO
1992
11 28 RETROSPECTIVE
When St. Joseph's Home for the Aged was opened 50 years ago by the
Sisters of Charity, it was struggling for food and money to take care of its
six bedridden residents.
"I can remember an ice cream social on the front lawn to raise
money to help the sisters get started" said Madge Kwapil, 94, now a resident of the
home where she established St. Joseph's Auxiliary many years ago and served as
its first president. "The first sisters had no money at all. They depended
on food donations from the community to feed residents. Notre Dame donated the
beds and individual people donated the mattresses. Back in those days, most
mattresses were double and there was a sister who remade the double mattresses
into single ones for the residents."
Thanks to the faith of the sisters and support from the community, the
home grew through several expansions to its present sprawling two-story
facility at 705 Clyman St. It is tucked away in a residential section of the
city filled with large homes.
St. Joseph's has kept a low-key profile over the years in keeping with
the quiet neighborhood and the soft-spoken nature of the sisters. It serves 26
residents and has rooms available for two more. "We aren't full because
people don't know about us," said Mother M. Christine O'Connor, S.C.M.C.,
who has been administrator since March.
The two grand old homes where St. Joseph's began are long gone, but
money is still in short supply due to expenses and needed repairs. The home
classified by the state as a community-based care facility or CBRF, does not
fall under Medicare payment criteria. Its only income is from residents, some
of whom are unable to pay the $40 a day rate.
"We must charge that much to keep up with expenses," said
Mother Christine, successor to Mother Elodie who had been administrator of the
home for five years. "We have 18 staff members on the payroll which is a
big expense. Some of our residents can't pay the full amount and we won't put
them out. We accept what they can pay," said the nun, who has taken a vow
of poverty along with other sisters in her convent. She is considering adding
an adult day-care center to serve the community and for increased revenue.
St. Joseph's is owned and operated by
Sisters of Charity of Our Lady the Mother of the Church, headquartered in
Baltic, Conn. In addition to Mother Christine, the staff includes Sister Marie
Antoinette, who has been secretary and bookkeeper for the past six years, and
Sister Marie Elizabeth, who performs housekeeping duties. All have taken a vow
to do charitable works.
Mother Christine has been involved in health care for over 30 years. A
native of Willimantic, Conn., she served it St. Elizabeth's in Janesville and
at homes in Willimantic and Pomfret Center, Conn., before coming to Watertown.
While in Willimantic, she was involved in construction of a 37-bed home and
establishment of an adult day-care center and shelter for homeless families.
She is a certified food services manager.
The facility, popularly known as St. Joe's, is home to elderly residents
from Watertown and surrounding communities who are unable to live by
themselves, but do not need nursing home care. All residents have single rooms
with many of them filled with their own furniture, afghans, family photos and
other personal touches. Meals, laundry and hair care as well as other services
are provided. Residents are free to come and go according to their own
schedules. A nurse is on duty to dispense medications. Special meals are
prepared according to individual diets. The cook visits Fair Day each month to
take advantage of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Although the sisters are Catholic, persons of any denomination are
welcome to fill the two vacant resident rooms. The religious statues in the
halls are remnants of a bygone era in the Catholic church and do not reflect
the ecumenical nature of residents.
"We only have six or seven Catholic residents now. We're not trying
to win residents over. We never push anyone - that wouldn't be proper,"
said Mother Christine. She added that any of the residents are welcome to come
to the chapel for church services which are well attended by visitors from
outside the home on Saturdays and Sundays. The
services are conducted every day at 7 a.m. by the Rev. Ray Ashenbrenner,
resident chaplain and Dominican priest who came to the home in July from
Chicago.
St. Joseph's was opened in November of 1942 in a
home formerly owned by Dr. Adolf Wallner. One
of the three sisters who opened the facility was Sister Valesia who died in 1958 and is
buried in St. Henry's Cemetery. Another large home was purchased
and the two homes were connected by an enclosed corridor. One of the homes
purchased by the order was moved intact to South Twelfth St. Units were added
in 1945, 1952 and 1963. The sisters from Baltic, Conn., took over operation of
the home in 1974.
1998
03 20 Plans to deal with the expected shortage of priests in the Madison
Diocese are continuing with a report expected in the near
future, according to Bishop William H. Bullock of Madison. Bullock was in Watertown to say Mass and
visit with residents of St. Joseph's Home Thursday in honor of the feast day of
St. Joseph, patron saint of the retirement home. Co-celebrating the Mass with Bullock was
Father Kevin Akagha, of the Diocese of Owerii, Nigeria, who is on a two-year sabbatical. He is currently serving as secretary and
master of ceremonies for the diocese.
09 19 St. Joseph's Retirement Home, a longtime Watertown
institution, is closing its doors after 57 years of service to the
community. The Sisters of Charity of Our
Lady Mother of the Church, based in Baltic, Conn., made the announcement
today. The sisters own and operate St.
Joseph's home, located at 705 Clyman St.
“It's a sad day at the home today,” said Mother Theresita,
superior general of the Sisters of Charity.
She said St. Joseph's officials were meeting today with residents and
their families to inform them of the decision and to discuss placement options.
2004
07 14 ST.
JOSEPH’S HOME NOW THE LANDMARK BUILDING
with its independent senior living
apartments.
A former old folk’s home on the south
side of town is opening as a rejuvenated haven for senior citizens following an
extensive renovation. The former St.
Joseph’s Home for the Aged at 705 Clyman St. has been renamed The Landmark
Building, catering to independent seniors age 55 and older. Owners Steve and Amy Bothe of Cedarburg hope
to carry on the tradition of hominess of St. Joe’s Home, which closed in 1998
after over 56 years of service to the community.
09 23 The grand opening for the Landmark Building Luxury Senior
Apartments for active adults 55 and older will be held Saturday and
Sunday. The grand opening celebration
will be held to allow the community to view and celebrate the newly renovated
Landmark Building, formerly St. Joseph’s Home, at 705 Clyman St. The celebration marks the completion of a 2 1/2 year extreme renovation of a building that has been
historically significant within the Watertown community. The project included complete demolition of
the interior structure, addition of a pitched roof, all new electrical, heating
and plumbing as well as the construction of 18 completely new, unique and
spacious luxury apartments.
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin