2/4/2008 | Dunseith Alumni

Memories of Don & Bernice Johnson from Bill Hosmer (48):

Gary, and Dunseith Friends. One rather unlikely story, but one that
had some predictive qualities took place during my freshman year at
DHS. Don and Bernice were both Juniors. There was an operetta
directed by Miss Nesting. The characters in the play were Native
Americans. The title of the play was “Star Flower”. That character
was Bernice. Then there was a young brave I think named “Lone Buck”,
played by Don Johnson who was courting Star Flower. Her father was a
grizzled Chief named ‘Lost Eagle” or something like that, played by
yours truly. One line I remember well from Bernice was, “Father, you
bid me come to you”. I was supposed to be a grouch, so I had my arms
crossed across my bare chest which had been slathered with leg make up
to make me look more tribal-like. I had on a full headdress loaned by
the Chippewa tribe, and there were several of them in the audience of
this production. Bernice was so beautiful I wanted to hug her, but
that would have ended my stage career, and I’d probably have left that
leg make up on her Indian Princess dress. By the way for you young
folks, leg make up was a substitute for silk stockings which were not
available. It was a fluid in a bottle. World War II was still ongoing,
and then nylon etc became available later. There was alot of music
and the two of them sang love songs in duet, and they lived happily
everafter. Fortunately, the chief in the play did not have any singing
requirement.

This was just a brief interval in a long friendship with those two
great Americans, but when there is such a wealth of personal
admiration, and deep sense of loss, every little whisp of memory comes
back to reinforce the importance of having known and indeed loved Don
and Bernice Johnson. Cheers, Bill Hosmer

Message (Don Johnson) from Glen Williams (52):

Gary…Great that you put that collection of “memories” of Don Johnson together…I was quite a bit younger than Don…so did not know him personally, but did know he was….and was to old to be in his classes…but would appear that he made a difference in a lot of students lives….I did know that he had been killed and was saddened by that event… His life just should not have ended that way…!!!

Glen Williams…

Susan Fassett’s (65) memories of the the Don Johnson family:

I have thoroughly enjoyed all the nice memories of Dick’s parents. We had many good times at the Johnson farm, as Cynthia (Dick’s Grandma) is a sister to my Aunt Dorothy Fassett. We had picnics at the farm and chased the fireflies at the edge of the lake where the farm sat, Johnson’s were included in many a family picnic and Dick was always a favorite “cousin”. My sisters, along with the “other” Fassett girls spent some nights at the farm and relate stories of the bats that inhabited the old buildings. Isn’t it great to be from a community that shares so many great memories.!!! Hugs and prayers to all—-Susan

Message from Marge Landsverk Fish (57):

Hi Gary and All,

I’ve been enjoying reading everything. Duane Woodford was in my class. I could never get as good a score on a assignment as he did but it was fun trying.

I remember playing the French horn with Janice(La Croix) Kester. We went to Rolla for the county music festival and played a selection. We almost went to a movie that night and got to the school late;:everyone was looking for us as we were called back. I enjoyed the mass band as you got to meet so many kids from other towns and we sounded so good!!

I also remember Dr. Loeb as I went to work in the lab at theT.B Sanitarium after highschool. He was very respected to say the least.

I went to work at the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat clinic in Minot after that.

I married Lyle Fish who was from Rolette in 58 and I lost him in 2005. We have 3 children, Brian,Brad and Kim.

Hugs,

Marge(landsverk) Fish

Marge, Dr. Loeb’s Daughter, Karen Loeb Mhyre was in our class of 1965. Karen and her mother, Hanna Higgins Loeb, attended our class reunion and the All school reunion this past summer in Dunseith. Dr. Loeb is deceased. Karen and Hanna live in Bellevue WA. They too are such nice warm friendly wonderful folks. Karen has stressed many times, that she and her mother dearly love to hear from the Dunseith folks. Her email address is karen.mhyre@gmail.com Hanna and Art Rude were both in the class of 1939 and they were both in the Dunseith Parade this last summer. Karen is also on this distribution list. Gary Stokes

Shirley Brennan’s (60) reply to Mel Kuhn (70):

Mel:

Thanks for the Turrtle Mt Memories, I have no idea who the artist is.

Shirley Brennan

Message from Dich Johnson (68):

Gary

I got the message {second song] that was missing. It had been
blocked as potential dangerous material. This is rather funny
when you hear the song, Springtime in old Dunseith! I am in
possession of a copy of the CD with all these songs. Wayne
Smith [61] got one from Jack Metcalfe’s daughter
Jackie. Rosemary Smith, Waynes wife made me a copy and I listen
to it often. With Jackies permission we probably could make
more if anyone was interested. The CD is titled Family and
Friends=====Turtle Mt. Memories. The guy singing Springtime In
Old Dunseith is actually Larry Metcalfe. The song on this CD is
called The Snakepit Saloon. The tune is from Springtime in
Alaska by I believe Johnny Horton. Good OLD TIME MUSIC !

Dick

Dick, I talked to your Aunt Shirely Olson Warcup (your mothers sister) and her husband Ronald today. I got their email address and they too are now on our distribution list. Nice folks. Gary

Picture and message from Tim Martinson (69):

It has been almost a month since I first started looking for this picture which by the way is the only one I have of the American Legion team I coached that summer. I do not recall who took it or who gave it to me but I”m hoping that maybe someone out there has another photo and will pass it along. In the photo Back Row that is Don Olson’s shoulder, Greg Evans, Jeff Evans, Lyle Olson, Clark Parrill, Curt Berg, Greg Larson, Don Berg, Front Row, Larrett Peterson, Larry Tooke, David Campbell, Donald Malatere, Curt Hagel. This was probably taken at Rolla? As teams go this one turned out to be what I would call a Dream Team. A bunch of multi talented guys that loved to play baseball. From the start of the season we had a ad in the Minot Daily Newspaper looking for games to fill our open dates. We got a few games that route and I will tell you about one later.

Now back to the team and a little about each of the members.

Don Olson, Pitcher, First Base, and could hit the ball, a big target to throw to at first base.

Greg Evans, Center Field, Pitcher, Covered a lot of ground in the outfield,strong arm, leader in getting on base, and use to be right handed.

Jeff Evans, Outfield, First Base, He could move out with those long legs.

Lyle Olson, Outfield, First Base, Gaining experience and very supportive.

Clark Parill, Outfield, Fast, Good Arm, and could hit the ball, team prankster, peace keeper, always keep the team smiling.

Curt Berg, Catcher, Strong Arm to Second, and could hit the ball, still growing!

Greg Larson, Pitcher, Third Base, could hit the ball, and was known for his Knuckleball.

Don Berg, Pitcher, Infield and Outfield, The Utility Man and could hit the ball.

Larrett Peterson, Mr. Shortstop could scoop em up and great arm to first, and could hit the ball.

Larry Tooke, Catcher, Second Base, Great arm to second. good blocker, great field captain, and could hit the ball.

David Campbell, Outfield, fast, quick release, strong arm and could hit the ball.

Donald Malatere, Second Base, fast. quick release and good hands.

Curt Hagel, Outfield, fast, A heavy hitter with a big bat.

The team had a lot of fun that summer. We won a lot more than we�
lost and became better men through teamwork. We all had our ups and
downs but learned how to work through the conflicts. Although we�
shared cramped quarters in our travels there were no major brawls. I do
believe we put our best effort forward in representing the Dunseith�
area that summer.

One of the games we picked up through the newspaper ad was a game at�
Drake. I was told that they had a very good team and a top notch
pitcher. We traveled down there going through Towner and finally�
reached the baseball field and the field reminded me of one that had�
been
around since the start of the town itself, old and a tad run down�
with no home run fence. It was not a field of dreams. Anyway we had�
the
introductions and the exchange of lineups and meeting with the umps. �
The field ump was middle aged and the ump behind the plate was
older than the other. So now the game begins and yes their pitcher�
is good with a little help from the ump but we play on. As I mentioned
earlier that there was no home run fence and it was our bad luck that�
a ball got by in the outfield and rolled and rolled and we were now down
a run going into the seventh and final at bat. With two outs and a�
man at third we tried a suicide squeeze play. The player coming into�
home
plate was called out. My players saw what had happened and went�
after the ump and I practically had to restrain them. I told them to�
pick
up and get ready to leave and I would straighten it out with the�
ump. There the ump and I stood at home plate and discussed the error in
his decision. As time went by everyone had left but the ump, myself�
and my team. I could see that I was getting nowhere in the discussion
so I told the ump I would take the game as a loss as long as he�
admitted that he made an error on the call to me and he did. As I�
could tell
the ump just wanted to go home and forget about this game. The ump�
agreed that he should have called interference on the catcher for
shoving the batter out of the way and not allowing the batter an�
attempt to hit the ball. I walked off the field told the team and we�
went home.

Take Care, Tim