Gary Stokes Note:
With my recent busy schedule, I have been not gotten these blogs posted in a timely fashion. I just noticed that I have not posted the last two on our Website either. I will get those posted today along with today’s
I recently upgraded my “MS office Home and Business 2010” to ‘2019”. Not much change but Microsoft will discontinue support for “MS Office 2010” next year. I use “MS Office Outlook” to manage all of my email. I juggle 7 email accounts for posting all my email. They are all good email addresses for me too. So don’t get confused. I see replies and message sent to all of them.
Siblings: Gary LaRocque and Shirley LaRocque Wendt Passed away.
Posted by Ginger LaRocque Poitra (’65): Belcourt, ND
Gary LaRocque (DHS ‘67)
Good morning Gary,
I have very sad news. Our brother Garry LaRocque has passed away, very unexpectedly. We believe this past Saturday 9-21-19, he was alone at his home in Dunseith. He was 70 years old.
Ginger Poitra class of ’65
Shirley LaRocque Wendt (DHS ‘59)
Gary,
I am letting you know that my sister, Shirley (LaRocque) Wendt went to join our brother Garry yesterday, just 6 days after he left us to be with our Lord.
My sister Joann went on ahead in 2012.
My sister Lana and myself are left to carry on with whatever we need do before our Lord calls us away from this earth.
It is a bad time for all of us. Not only did Lana and myself lose our brother and sister but on the same day our sister Shirley left us our Aunt Letty LaRocque went to be with our Lord.
Garry left us September 21, 2019 ( would have been class of 1967 )
Shirley left us September 27, 2019 ( Class of 1959 )
Aunt Letty left us September 27, 2019
Ginger class of 1965
Gary Stokes Comment:
So sorry Ginger for your loss of Gary and Shirley and your Aunt Letty too. So close together too. I know you are a very close family and were very close to all of them too. My condolences are with you and all of your family.
Betty Faine Norman (DHS ’64) Passed away
Message posting and Obit posted by Vickie Metcalfe (’70): Bottineau, ND
Gary and Dunseith Alumni,
Heartfelt sympathy to the Faine family on the passing of Betty.
It was a privilege for me to work with Betty in the Dunseith School System.
She loved her entire family so much. And I admired how she was totally in love with her husband Duane.
Betty had an expressive face, twinkling eyes and oft times find her wearing a happy glowing smile which a person could not help but find contagious. and walk away happy.. She could also be assertive in expressing her thoughts and opinion.
She was proud of who she was. I recall her as, an avid Elvis fan distraught on his passing.
May she rest gently in peace.
Sincerely,
Vickie L. Metcalfe
October 3, 2019
Betty Ann Norman | 1945 – 2019 | Obituary
Betty Ann Norman
March 10, 1945 – September 29, 2019
Betty Ann Norman, age 74 of Dunseith, died Sunday at a Minot hospital. Her funeral will be held on Friday, October 4, 2019 at 10:00 am at the Ascend Church in Bottineau.
Betty Ann Norman, a daughter of August and Alice (LeDeaux) Faine, was born on March 10, 1945 at Belcourt. She was raised at Dunseith and graduated from Dunseith High School. She then attended college in Sacramento, CA. She married Duane Norman. Betty worked at Rolette County Social Service in Rolla. She later worked at Dunseith Public Schools as a secretary and a librarian.
Betty passed away on Sunday, September 29, 2019 at a Minot hospital.
She is survived by he sisters, Patty Lozensky and Alice Christopherson of Dunseith; brothers, Linus and John Faine of Dunseith and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Duane; her parents, August and Alice; sisters, Margaret and Delores; brothers-in-law, Jesse Christopherson and Daniel Lozensky: a niece, Wendy and nephew, Linus.
Arrangements were with Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau
Dunseith School bus hits Moose. Curt Halvorson (’59) Driver
Posted by Vickie Metcalfe (’70): Bottineau, ND
School bus carrying girls’ volleyball team hits moose in Ramsey County
By Joshua Peguero |
Posted: Fri 9:02 AM, Oct 04, 2019 |
Updated: Fri 11:45 AM, Oct 04, 2019
RAMSEY COUNTY, N.D. (Valley News Live) A school bus carrying a girls volleyball team crashed into a moose that was standing on the road in Ramsey County.
The accident happened Thursday at 9:35 p.m. along Highway 2 three miles east of Crary, according to North Dakota Highway Patrol.
Curtiss Halvorson, 78, was driving the 2019 International School Bus and he wasn’t injured.
Troopers said the bus suffered significant front-end damage yet Halvorson was able to drive it safely to a stop.
There were 25 students on the bus and two of them were checked for possible injures, but they weren’t hurt.
Dunseith Public Schools issued a statement Thursday night that the girls were returning from a volleyball game at the time of the accident.
“There are no injuries and everyone is ok, thank goodness!”
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Blog (793) posted on May 5, 2010
Tour the Rolette County Museum on Friday, May 21st
From Mel Kuhn (70): St. John, ND.
Gary,
Dick and I were talking and if anyone that is coming home for the reunion would be interested we would open the Rolette County Museum in St. John for people to go through. Friday the 21st. works best for us. We would just have to pick a time. We don’t have it open for the season yet so we may come across some dust.
Mel
Folks,
We have decided on the time to be 1:00 PM
Thank you so much Mel & Dick for doing this for us.
What a great opportunity for us that Mel and Dick are doing enabling us to see this site.
We’ll see you guys there at 1:00 PM on Friday, the 21st.
Gary
I found this on the Net. Gary
One of the most interesting sites in Rolette County is the Rolette County Historical grounds located on the south edge of St. John as you come into town from the South. It consists of 12 lots, part of which is surrounded by a chain link fence.
The Rolette County Historical Society was organized by a small group of interested people in 1974. Its goal and purpose as an active organization is to help preserve some of the relics of the early pioneers–historical monuments, landmarks, buildings, etc., that have historical value. The initial grounds were donated to the Society in 1975 by the Mill Lake Cemetery Association and consisted, at that time, of 6 lots and the Mill Lake Lutheran Church, which was built in 1911. There are now several buildings on the site; the Church, a little one-room school house which dates back to early 1900’s; a little pioneer log cabin; a display building containing many different memorabilia; another display building with larger antique machinery; an immigration building, toy shop, boxcar, caboose, and an outdoor stage.
Dunseith Sr. Citizens will be serving lunch on Sunday May 23rd.
Posted by Jackie Peterson Hansen: St. John, ND
Folks, Jackie’s parents are Jack (deceased) & Nettie Peterson.
Jackie, this is wonderful that the Sr. Citizens are doing this for the community and those of us visiting the area. In 2007 they had some of the best home baked goodies ever. Their pies were out of this world. I had several plus pieces. I was reminded of this by non other than Larry Hackman. Larry we’ll have to pay them a visit again for some more of those great home baked goodies if they’ll be serving them again. Bernadette and I plan on attending the Sr. Center for lunch on Sunday May 23rd. This is another great opportunity to see more of the Dunseith Alumni folks. Thank you so much Jackie for this posting. Gary
From: jackie hansen Phone: 701 477 5780 E-mail: jackie.hansen@sendit.nodak.edu Message: Would you please post this for my mom {Nettie) and other Sr. Citizens: A lunch is being served at the Sr. Citizens’ Center on May 23, starting at 11:00 AM. The seniors in the community welcome visiting alumni as well as those from the area.
Baptismal of Connor O’Hara, DeAnn Gottbreht’s son:
Message from DeAnn Gottbreht O’Hara: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/deanngottbreht
We are going to be getting Connor baptized on Saturday May 15th at 11am at Peace Lutheran Church in Dunseith, ND. All are welcome. We will be having a meal afterwards at the church. Thanks Cheryl for the reminder to get it posted on here. Take care everyone
The Conroy’s
Reply from Paula Fassett (71): North Branch, MN
Thanks to Don Martel for the great photo of the principals – brings back memories! I wonder if Don & Colleen have photos of Mrs. Conroy, too, that they would like to share? I remember learning to count money in her 4th grade class by playing “store” with a cash register and toy money – buying cans of soup, etc. that she had brought from home just for that purpose. We had singing in her classroom on Fridays – with Mrs. Elsie Schneider coming in to play the piano. Mrs. Conroy also had the best arts & crafts – we made candles, plaster wall-hangings, corsages for Mom at Christmas and grew petunias in paper cups for Mother’s Day. She also read aloud to the class every day after noon hour – “Little House On the Prairie” was always my favorite.
And remember the “sick room” between the 3rd and 4th grade rooms – upstairs in the old Dunseith School building. I think we hung our coats in there and I remember lots of bookshelves, but there was a bed in there so if you got sick there was a place to go until the bus came, or your mom came to get you………..
Paula Fassett-Pfuhl
Joy Bashara (Teacher)
Question from Diane Fuger (75): Minot, ND.
Gary:
I have a question for the class of ’75. Does anyone remember Ms. Bashara (sp?) or know where she is nowadays?
Diane Fugere
Ronald Oswell, son of Leona Metcalfe, passed away:
Posted by Vickie Metcalfe (70): Bottineau, ND
Ronald George Oswell August 07, 1947 – May 01, 2010
Ron Oswell passed away May 1, 2010. He was born in Seattle on August 7, 1947 to George and Leona (Metcalfe) Oswell. Ron grew up in Seattle, and graduated from Shorecrest High School, where he was the school’s first bagpiper and gave himself the rank of Pipe Major. He attended Shoreline Community College before receiving his draft notice in 1967, precipitating his enlistment in the U.S. Army, where he served four years in the Army Security Agency. [He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1967, serving four years in the Army Security Agency] He also served four years in the Army Reserve, achieving the rank of Chief Warrant Officer II. He married Christine Gaston, a former Shorecrest Pipe Band member, in Basle, Switzerland on November 10, 1970. After returning to Seattle in spring 1971, he worked in construction, first as a union carpenter, then as a foreman, and in due time as a superintendent. He was generous with these carpentry skills, helping family and friends with household projects. Ron always had many interests, and was talented in many areas. He had a beautiful tenor voice, and learned musical instruments easily. He had a lifelong love of photography, and always had a darkroom to work in, wherever he lived. In recent years, he was working to master PhotoShop. He also continued his interest in bagpiping and things Scottish. He played with the Washington Scottish Pipe Band for many years and was a very good piper. He also spent time over the years dirt biking and trap shooting. He coached a girls’ soccer team for 15 years, bringing a core group through three team name changes and from mod soccer to high school graduation. He always dreamed of owning a Harley Davidson motorcycle, and finally purchased a beautiful bike a few years ago that was his pride and joy. He always had a big smile on his face as he drove into the driveway after a ride. Ron is survived by his wife Chris, and two children, Bergman, born in 1974, and Katie born in 1978. Also by his brother Ken Oswell and sister-in-law Carol.
Funeral Information
Funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 10:00 to 8:00 PM in the family service suite in Evergreen Washelli. Graveside service at 3:00 PM in Evergreen Memorial Park.
Gary, Ron has many Metcalfe cousins in Turtle Mtn.area. Ron Oswell was a kind, compassionate, honest ,hard working man, with a wonderful sense of humor. Aunt Leona at times, when he was 17 often slipped and called him Cliff. She felt he was alot like my dad at that age. Each of my nephews and nieces met and spent good times with him. He always took time to get to know and mentor kids. Ron was also a double first cousin to the children of Emil and Ann (Oswell) Metcalfe. Our family mourns.