Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Saturday, September 27, 2008
Former sheriff, wife ‘honored’ to serve as festmaster, frau
There are few people in the community more pleased Oktoberfest is here than the 2008 Festmaster Mike Weissenberger.
For the past six months, the former La Crosse County sheriff and his wife, Joan, have held onto the secret that they will reign over this year’s Oktoberfest festivities and represent La Crosse throughout the region for the next year.
“I’m glad we’re at this stage. It’s been a long six months waiting to do this,” Weissenberger said when the announcement was made Thursday afternoon in front of past festmasters and fraus, grenadiers and other Oktoberfest officials. “We’ve looked forward to doing this ever since we were asked to be festmaster and frau. Now that we’re here, we’re looking forward to the fun of Oktoberfest and representing La Crosse in the region.”
A La Crosse native, Weissenberger, served with the sheriff’s department from 1971 until he retired at the end of 2006. In that time he was a deputy and an investigator, and then sheriff for eight years.
Weissenberger was chosen festmaster from a pool of other people nominated by community members. He said he was told of the honor during a meeting with Terry Collins and Bill Leonard, two former festmasters.
Collins called Weissenberger to arrange the meeting and asked Weissenberger to bring his pickup.
Thinking he was once again going to help someone move something, Weissenberger didn’t give the meeting a second thought — until he came into the office and the two asked him to sit down.
“I thought there were people who were more deserving, but still honored,” Weissenberger said. “But I told them I had to go home and ask Joan before I could give them an answer.”
Joan Weissenberger said it didn’t take her long to accept the invitation.
“It was excitement and awe,” Joan Weissenberger said. “Of all the past festmasters and fraus, to be part of that organization is very exciting.”
Mike was awarded the Bishop John Paul Distinguished Alumnus Award by Aquinas High School in 2006.
The Weissenbergers have two children. Their son Adam, a former police officer in Anchorage, Alaska, works for Kwik Trip, and their daughter, Trisha Stratman, and her husband, Jordan, are La Crosse County sheriff’s deputies. The couple also has three grandsons.
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