Wallace H. Kusler

          Wallace Kusler and Irene Grenz began their lives together after their marriage Nov 27, 1947.

           In October 1949 with borrowed money they purchased a 20 acre tract of land with 4 buildings northwest of the town of Artas.  This was the beginning of their diversified farming operation.  They did this until Wallace had heart surgery in 1994.  After that they leased their land and retired.  They still reside where they first started, enjoying country living.

Irene Grenz

            "My earliest recollection of Artas:  As a child I remember the Grenz family attending the Evangelical Church in Artas every Sunday Morning and when there were special meetings.  Later when I was a teenager we began a Youth Fellowship at church with meetings on Wednesday evening.  After church momo would buy her groceries at the Levi Store.  At the time the two grocery stores in Artas were open on Wednesday and Saturday evenings until the last customer went home.  The other store was known as the Jahraus store.

           It was at the Youth Fellowship meetings that I met my future husband, Wallace Kusler, who attended the meetings with their neighbors.  Thus began a courtship of a number of years until our marriage in 1947.  In 1945 Willie Grenz purchased the Jahraus store.  I began working there on a part time basis on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays.  I was teaching a rural school at the time.  After the school term ended, I was employed at the store full time.  I worked there until 1949 when we began our family.  All our married lives we have been residents on the northwest edge of the town.  Although it was is sad to see the town dwindling. it makes us feel good when we reminisce the happy time we spent here."  The Jahraus Grenz store collapsed on April 17, 1994 at 8 PM