Growing up, Danny Goetsch and Sharon Wohlt had the typical brother and sister relationship.
“We fought very much as kids. If anyone had told me I’d be working with him, I’d have said, ‘Go fly a kite – not happening,'” she said.
Yet, that is just what happened.
Ten years ago, Goetsch began working for the village of Fremont, and a few months later, Wolht started working there, too.
Several people had approached him about helping out with the village’s maintenance and custodial duties.
Goetsch was 55 and had just retired after being a plastering contractor for 30 years.
The village’s position was a full-time one. He was willing to work part time.
Someone else ended up being hired. After that person left, the village called Goetsch and said he could work part time.
“A couple months after he started, he decided he needed help,” Wohlt said with a smile. “He couldn’t work alone.”
And, thus began their working relationship.
Both worked part time for the village, and both decided to retire this year.
Wohlt, who is three years younger than Goetsch, retired last month. Her brother will retire at the end of the year.
Their jobs included working both inside and outside.
Village hall had to be cleaned each week day, and there was always work to be done outside.
Wohlt was known for the little touches she added to the restrooms, such as flowers, but also liked driving the tractor.
“He got me on the big tractor,” she said of her brother.
They did a lot of work in the village’s parks. Wohlt took extra hostas from her own yard and planted them in the village.
Spring involved such tasks as cleaning the buoys and beginning to collect the money at the boat landing. There was much to do to get the beach ready for the summer, while also doing all the general maintenance in the village.
On busy summer weekends, Wohlt drove from her rural Weyauwega home to Fremont to check the restrooms and garbage at the beach and in the parks.
During the winter, Wohlt cleaned village hall one or two days a week. Goetsch, who lives in Weyauwega, worked each week day.
Both said they appreciated the help they received from “Neighbor Rick.”
Village Clerk Karen Looker often wrote them little notes about what needed to be done.
They enjoyed working with Looker and with the library staff, and Wohlt said her brother wasn’t bad to work with either.
“We didn’t get along when we were kids,” Wohlt said. “We always have this thing. He’s the boss.”
Goetsch replied, “But she tells me everything to do.”
They once heard that someone had remarked about them, “That couple does good work, but he sure hollers at his wife a lot.”
Wohlt said, “Please note – we are brother and sister.”
All kidding aside, they agreed that when one retired, so would the other.
Wohlt always said she would retire at 62, which she turned on Oct. 24. So, Goetsch knew he would be retiring this year, too.
“We work well together. It’s been a good run,” Wohlt said.
They were known for seeing what needed to be done and taking care of it.
Their years of service to both the village and the Fremont Area Historical Society resulted in Goetsch and Wohlt being chosen to light the community’s Christmas tree.
That will take place on Saturday, Nov. 12, at Wolf River Crossing Park.
A Dutch treat dinner will be held at 5 p.m. at Hotel Fremont. Those who want to go to the dinner but are not members of the historical society must call Hotel Fremont to make their reservations.
The public is invited to join the historical society outside the hotel at 5:45 p.m. for the candlelight vigil to the park for the lighting of the tree.
Wohlt said working with her brother was fun. “It’s kind of a team that was meant to be,” she said.
“It was fantastic,” Goetsch said.