La Crosse Tribune,
September 20, 2005 . . .
Meet the Oktoberfest
parade marshals
By Autumn Grooms
Arland Peterson required
lederhosen assistance.
Since being asked to
lead the Oktoberfest
Torchlight Parade,
several Grenadiers have
been helping him with
his dress, including
underwear selection.
Unlike Peterson, the
choice to lead the
Oktoberfest Maple Leaf
Parade had his
lederhosen ready to go:
Tom Pahs has been in the
Oktoberfest Grenadier
Corps for 28 years.
The 2005 parade marshals
were announced Monday at
the South Side
Oktoberfest Grounds.
Tom Pahs
Maple Leaf
Parade marshal
Residence: La
Crosse
Age: 69
Education: 1953
Aquinas High
School graduate
Occupation:
Retired from
Trane Co. after
30 years.
Family: Two
children and two
granddaughters.
Married high
school
sweetheart Pat
in 1959, but she
died in 2000 of
breast cancer.
On being
marshal: "This
is just
awesome."
Tom Pahs
Arland and Katy
Peterson
Arland
Peterson
Torchlight
Parade marshal
Residence:
Holmen, Wis.
Age: 71
Education: 1952
Central High
School graduate;
bachelor's
degree,
University of
Wisconsin-La
Crosse;
master's, Winona
State University
Occupation: At
Logan High
School for more
than 30 years as
teacher,
counselor and
coach; now at
UW-L supervising
student
teachers.
Family: Wife,
Katy; five
daughters,
including two
that died of
heart
conditions;
seven
grandchildren.
On being
marshal: "Katy
and I will walk
tall, and are
happy to
represent
Oktoberfest
2005. I am very
humbled to
accept this."
