Grand Marshals | Rustic Lore Days

GRAND MARSHALS.

One of the first things that the Rustic Lore Days Committee does at their first meeting of the year is to choose Grand Marshals. It is an honorary title given to people who the committee feels has been, or still is, a big part of the Glenwood City community. We have honored a variety of local residents over the years including: business owners, doctors, school teachers, school administration and local farmers. The Grand Marshals are distinguished guests for the entire weekend of Rustic Lore Days festivities with their biggest honor is leading the Grand Parade on Sunday. This year, we are honored to have Nancy Graese, Norm Hagen and Alice Tuttle as our 2022 Rustic Lore Days Grand Marshals. Please read more about our honorary Grand Marshals below. To view our previous Grand Marshals, please click here.

2022 GRAND MARSHALS

The Glenwood City Rustic Lore Days

Committee is pleased to announce the

2022 Grand Marshals consisting of

Nancy Graese, Norm Hagen and

Alice Tuttle, who will lead our

home-town festivities this year!

Nancy Graese – Nancy was born to

parents Bob and Doris Draxler and

raised in Glenwood City along with

her six (6) siblings. Nancy graduated

from high school in 1969 and continued

her education at UW-Stout, where she

received two degrees. In 1971, Nancy

married (the late) Dave Graese, who

was also a resident and graduate of

Glenwood City. Dave was the son of

Orv and Roberta Graese along with

three (3) siblings. These two were

fortunate enough to be high school sweethearts – growing up together, dating in high school and then marrying and starting a family. Nancy says, “we liked each other so much, we got married halfway through college”. After they were wed, they began to grow their family. They have three (3) children – Jenny, Tommy and Laura – with three (3) in-laws and six (6) grandchildren.

Nancy has always been in education, where she has taught home economics at Stillwater High School, Boyceville High School and WITC. She was even a microwave cooking instructor which began at Steffen Hardware which turned into a full-time job with home appliance centers with a weekly radio show. While Nancy was busy in education, Dave bought into the business with his father and brother at Glenwood City Machine Inc., where choppers boxes were manufactured and later the building was changed into a building supplies and materials distributor. For the past 28 years, Nancy has been working at CESA11 as a grant writer and education workshop speaker. While she is now retired, Nancy enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren, being an active church lady, having a green thumb in her garden, flowers and yard, learning how to quilt and running to keep up with her active grandchildren in Colfax and Hammond.

Nancy and Dave have shown their dedication to the community throughout the years. As Nancy’s grandparents, Louie and Jennie Draxler, were Grand Marshals in 1986; this is just one of the places that they watched first-hand what community service and involvement looked like – and have been dedicated to it ever since. Nancy was a huge attribute to the early days of Rustic Lore Days and was a member of the very first organizational committee in 1976. Before this, she was involved on the Queen’s Committee for the Snowmobile Derby Days starting in 1975. Dave was an active member of the Glenwood City Fire Department since its conception, where he would volunteer to wash Main Street for Rustic Lore Days as well as work the demolition derby, also put on by the Fire Department. Dave and his brother-in-law, Joe, even participated in the RLD Talent Show with a ventriloquism act! Nancy’s largest community and volunteerism contributions have been to Rustic Lore Days/Queen’s Committee, St. John’s Church and Sunnyside Shamrocks 4-H Group while Dave’s largest were city involvement (Fire Department, Ambulance Service and City Council), JC’s (haunted house) and also an active church member.

Nancy was “absolutely thrilled” when being asked to be a Grand Marshal this year. She loves Glenwood City and Rustic Lore Days as it is always “a high to see what happens throughout the weekend” and she is even more excited this year with her additional role.

Norm Hagen – Norm was born in 1931 to Herbert and Ellen Hagen and raised in Glenwood City along with his two (2) siblings – Richard and Dorothy. He graduated from GCHS in 1949. After high school, Norm moved to La Crosse where he worked in a department store, then moving to St. Paul/Twin Cities where he worked for construction companies. It was at the age of 21 when Norm decided to attend Lee’s Barber School in St. Paul, but finished his education in Eau Claire. In 1954, Norm met (the late) Mary Hendrickson – originally from Boyceville – while dancing at the 400 Club in Menomonie and they were wed in 1956. They began a family together having four (4) children – Reverend Chris (Ann), (the late) Craig, Todd (Barb) and Tracy (Randy). This has blessed them with nine (9) grandchildren and one (1) great-grandchild.

After Norm finished barber school, he worked in Baldwin, Woodville and Spring Valley as a barber, before coming back to Glenwood City. Norm and Mary also bought a farm in 1980 south of Glenwood City, where Norm was able to be a farmer as well. Mary was a long-time secretary at Glenwood City Schools for both Mr. Bender and Mr. Celt. When Norm came back to Glenwood City to open his barber shop, there were four (4) other barbers in town. He started his business in the current dentist office then moved his shop to a building across from the current hardware store before finally ending up in what the community now calls Norm’s Barber Shop on Main Street. Overall, Norm has made a lifelong career of cutting hair for over 70 years!

Norm’s community involvement has been plentiful including being an active member of the following organizations: Glenwood City Lions Club, Glenwood City Historical Society, Glenwood City Community Club, Glen Hills Area Chamber of Commerce. He has also been involved with helping in the early days of Rustic Lore Days and the Snowmobile Derby and has been an active church member at Holy Cross Lutheran Church as well. Today, Norm is semi-retired and only working half days at the barber shop. When not at his barber shop, he enjoys gardening and helping on the farm. If you ask Norm, he will proudly say – “I’ve attended every single Rustic Lore Days since it’s conception in the 1970s. It’s the best time to catch up with old friends and make new ones…I’m proud for the opportunity to represent the great city in the valley – Glenwood City!”

Alice Tuttle – Alice was born to Edward and Virginia Engebretson and raised in Boyceville, along with her two (2) siblings -- a brother and a sister. She was a graduate of Boyceville High School in 1965 and then continued to Eau Claire’s Beauty School. After beauty school, Alice began to work in Glenwood City at the first beauty shop owned by Marian Harnisch. She worked here for five (5) years and this is where she met (the late) Wes Tuttle. Wes Tuttle was born to Leonard and Alma Tuttle of Glenwood City and had five (5) siblings. Wes would come into the beauty shop when he was home on furlough from California, as he was in the Air Force. Alice went out to California to visit him and while on this trip, they became engaged in October of 1968 and married back in Wisconsin in March 1969. Three weeks later, Wes was deployed to PhuCat, Vietnam and was stationed there for a year’s time. After Wes returned, he completed a Business Administration and Management degree from District One Technical College and went to work as an assistant manager at Schultz Brothers in River Falls. But because Wes grew up on a family farm, the phrase “once a farmer, only a farmer” helped the couple to move back to Glenwood City where they bought their own farm in 1975.

During this time, the Tuttle family was being grown. Wes and Alice were blessed with three (3) children – Jodi, Warren and Darren. Alice was able to stay home and raise her family, while Wes was able to farm. The Tuttle family has continued to grow, as this couple now has five (5) grandchildren and ten (10) great-grandchildren. While their family has grown, both Alice and Wes were able to stay active. Alice worked at Ormson’s SuperValu for 19+ years as a cashier and all-around employee. Wes had a calling for deaconate school that occurred one weekend per month for 5 years from 1987 to 1992. He was ordained in August 1992 where he received his well-known title as Deacon Wes. Wes was the first deacon at St. John’s the Baptist in Glenwood City and served as the Director of Religious Education. Wes was the deacon in Glenwood City from 1992 until his passing from COVID-19 in January 2021.

Alice has been retired from Ormson’s SuperValu for some time now and has found new hobbies in retirement. These activities include solving puzzles, cross-stitching and camping up north. When asked about the honor of Grand Marshal, Alice states that being asked was “very much an honor and surprise” that she “did not expect”.

The Rustic Lore Days Committee is very fortunate to have this Grand Marshal Crew to represent our community this year. Please “Bring Your Crew For ‘22” by joining these Grand Marshals to celebrate Glenwood City’s Rustic Lore Days on September 9-11, 2022!