Willey - St. Mary

WILLEY - St. Mary's Parish started to form about December 1881, when Michael Wurzer, Joseph Petersmeier, George Balk, Casper Werner and Herman Venteicher formed a building committee. Casper Werner and Michael Wurzer donated five acres of land each. A frame church, measuring 32' by 50 feet was built in 1882, under the direction of Father Theodore Wegmann on Casper Werner's land.

Father Wegmann was pastor of the Roselle parish, but attended the spiritual needs of Willey until December 1886.

The Pleasant Valley Catholic parish, through Bishop Hennessy of the Dubuque Archdiocese, was given a Christmas gift in 1886 in the person of Father J.P. Hoffmann, who became their first pastor. He stayed at Willey less than a year.

In the summer of 1886 a parish rectory was built. Two carloads of building material for the parish rectory were hauled with teams and wagons from the railroad in Dedham.

In September 1887, Father John H. Gehling became the second pastor, and he continued to serve until April 1901.

In 1896 due to growth an addition to the church was made, later two more were required. At Easter time, in 1901 Father Matthew Ruemmele was appointed pastor.

Bishop P.J. Garrigan, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City, appointed Father John Heinzlmeier pastor in August 1903. In 1904 Father Heinzlmeier built an addition to the rectory. Father E.J. Jungblut assisted in ministering the parishioners for a brief time in 1904. Father Edward Neppel and Father A.G. Schaefer were assistants to the pastor during the years 1904-1908.

A new brick church dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built in the spring of 1910 for $26,440 and measures 50-by 121- feet. The spire is covered with copper, which alone weighed 2,600 pounds, and the slate roof weighed more than 60,000 pounds. It was estimated that there were 3,150 wagonloads of material hauled from the railroad in Dedham. The total of the finishing, decorated, and statuary amounted to $12,000. The Sacred Heart altar cost $1,000, St. Joseph altar and Blessed Virgin altar cost $350 each. These altars and stained-glass windows were imported from Munich, Germany.

Some of the early priests to serve the parish were Father A.E. Zimmermann, Father Joseph Cordes, Father John Baeumler, Msgr. M.A. Schemel, Father H.J. Dries, Msgr. Richard E. Zenk, and Father John Nockels.

Father Frances J. Nemmers, who started on June 7, 1966, Father Kenneth Seifried (1968-1970), Father John McQuirk (1970-1975), Father Thomas Topf (1975-1977) and Father Timothy Schott (1977-1978), resided in Willey parish while teaching full time at Kuemper.

Father James E. Fangman was appointed pastor on Oct. 24, 1972 and served until 1982 the year of our Centennial Celebration. Father Peter Fransco(1982-1984), Father Edmund Tiedeman (1984-1987), and Father Tim Friedrichsen (1987-1988).

Father Paul D. Borman (1988-1990), Father Terry A. Roder (1990-1991), and Father Mark Harrington (1992-1994) served as pastors during the early 90s. Father Craig A. Collison then became pastor at St. Mary's in Willey in 1994 and is still the pastor.

Willey's first parochial school was built in the autumn of 1887. The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of LaCrosse, Wis. undertook the staffing of the school. Because of the interest of the immigrants in Catholic education, an addition to the first school became necessary in 1894 and a second in 1897. A new brick school was built in 1907 for the sum of $10,242.

A new era for Catholic education in Carroll began in 1954 with 10 parishes joining to establish Kuemper Catholic High School. In the fall of 1968 St. Mary's was consolidated with St. Joseph's School in Dedham, forming Dedham-Willey Grade School with an educational center in each parish.

In 1985 demolition of the old school and construction of the present building was started. The new one-story brick school was built and completed Sept. 2, 1986. The 6,800-square-foot school cost approximately $290,000 to build. This building held classes until the fall of 1990, when Dedham-Willey school was consolidated with Holy Spirit School in Carroll.

In 1996 Holy Spirit School and St. Lawrence consolidated to form the present Kuemper Catholic Grade School. Approximately 81 students are enrolled in the Kuemper Catholic School System in 2000-2001 year.

Over the years St. Mary's in Willey has had a very strong Catholic Faith and calling to serve the Lord. Approximately 17 clergymen answered their calling, including the Most Reverend Bishop Frank Greteman. Ladies also answered their calling; approximately 40 came from Willey families. The Matthias Schumacher Family had 6 daughters become sisters and twin boys become priests.