Gary,How wonderful to see a picture of your mother as a young woman. I often
think of those young couples all together in that little area of the
Turtle Mountains. I remember my mother, Irene Hiatt, talking about moving
to the hills when she and dad got married. She said Bob and Elaine Stokes
had been married for 5 years at that time and she couldn’t imagine being
married for that long. We would laugh because both my folks and yours had
been married for well past 25 years and heading for 50. I know both
couples eventually made it past 50. Did your folks make it to 60 years?

As I think of your mom I just want to let you, Allen, and Darrel know I
always thought the world of her and admired her in so many ways. I always
could tell people who knew me from before I could remember. I believe
there was a time when I was very young I was called Marlie. I do not ever
remember being called Marlie by anyone except two ladies – Elaine Stokes
and my mother’s sister Dorothy Berg. I always felt this was a special
connection to them from a time before I could remember.

Marlys

Hey Gary, FYI. The Cowboy Stadium is awesome. I’m so happy to be there. I really can’t share with any of our friends but as I last told you about our bomb threat, I have been aware of so many safeguards. We have snipers inside and out. Tonight I had a fight with 2 sup. adult men. I had to keep them in line for some time with out police and it wasen’t untill much later when I realized that the weapons were most likey on us! Thanks to growing up with 5 brothers they are now calling me Ref. WOW! I’m still with the Red Cross. Thank God for no storms but we have had so many fires. I’m still in shock since my husband died. I don’t know if I told you but I was holding him as he died. I almost went “crazy” and I lived in our house for 9 months before I realized that I did not have to stay there. I sill own it and I have trucks parked on the property. It is rented out as we have a family trust. Unfortunatly, I am the trustee. I’m back to being sane, or so I say. I would still consider Dunseith home but, my husband is buried down here so wherever he isit’s home. I look forward to our daily updates and thank you so much for doing what you are even though I’m sure it is a chore but done with love. Susan Johnson

Reply to the Johnson Puzzle

I will write a bit about Maurice Johnson as I feel very few people ever knew him. Maurice was in the Merchant Marines during WWII, which was very hazardous duty. They would dock in Seattle and we lived not too far from the docks, so my dad and a couple of his brothers would manage to bump into Maurice once in awhile. They enjoyed talking over old times and I think tried to get him back to the ship on time. Maurice was Glen Johnson’s brother.

There were not too many people around who had more fun than Maurice’s parents, Johnny and Stella Johnson. Stella was a Smith and they had a restaurant in Dunseith at one time.

Gary, didn’t Old Dry Hole Norman Johnson, the well driller, have a brother Maurice? I always wondered how that Maurice fit in.

Thanks to all. Gary Metcalfe