06/13/2009

Posted on by
Aggie casavant (69) reply to Joan Wurgler: Fort Mill, SC
 
To,Joan Wurgler Salmonson, I found your trip down memory lane of your familys TEXACO station very interesting. It reminded me of when our family first started going to school in Dunseith after our country school,(Russell School) had closed.I was in the 5th grade.With our school only1/8th of a mile down the road from where we lived and working on the farm sun up to sun down,us kids never got the opportunity to go into town much as kids. So our world pretty much consisted of our neighbors that we farmed with and our cousins, all French,all very dark skinned.So the first days of school in Dunseith it was quite an expierence for us kids. I remember the first time when Johnny Hill pulled up to the Texaco Station,and you,Peggy,and Dave got on, I couldn’t quit staring at you all. I thought for sure I had fallen asleep on the bus and had woke up in Hollywood.I remember thinking,I’ve never seen such Hollywood looking people living around this area.The bouncy blond hair that you and Peggy had…not a hair out of place…And blue,blue eyes.Then following not far behind comes Dave…Omigosh!!!! I thought I didn’t know the people from Happy Days lived right here in Dunseith…Omigosh!!!! I couldn’t quit staring, all of a sudden a nudge from my Mom,(who rode the bus with us) would bring me back to reality.My Mom would say ,”Quit staring! and I would say,”their so pretty Mama,and that boy is so cute,he looks like a movie star! Where did they come from? My Mom would get tickled and start laughing quietly,kinda embarrassed hoping no one heard me. I remember when I got my first autograph book,and I brought it to school for my friends to sign. I remember meeting you in the hallway,and you would always smile and say hi. So one day, I asked you to sign my autograph book…and you DID!!!! I can’t remember exactly where I was when I asked you to sign it.But long after losing the autograph book over the years, I still remember exactly what you wrote…”In your golden chain of friendship,always regaurd me as a link”, Wow! I wasn’t real sure what the word “regaurd ” meant at the time, but I knew what friendship and golden meant,and I knew it had to have meant something good! I couldn’t wait to see my Mom and show her.It just happened that day my Dad had picked up our Mom from school, so she didn’t ride the bus with us on the way home.When the bus pulled into the yard I was the first of the 10 kids off the bus.I remember I came running into the house all excited hollering,Mama! Mama, guess who signed my autograph book today? ………Joan Wurgler!!! I said”Look Mama, Look what she wrote,followed with,”What does regaurd mean?? Mama said,”It means you can think of her as a friend”. I said “Really,Joan Wurgler wants to be my friend….I knew at that point all was well with my life,that that Doris Day looking Joan Wurgler,with that cute “Happy Days”looking brother, considered me a friend. I thought for sure with those connections that I was destined for Hollywood…. Well Joan, I never made it to Hollywood……..yet….LOL…But just the same…Thanks for the Memories….. Sincerely, Miss Aggie
Aggie, you are a beautiful writer. With what you said, reminds me of what Vickie Metcalfe said not long ago, “We were a multicultural school with all the different ethnic backgrounds of folks that attended Dunseith.” Gary
 
 

Reply from Joan Wurgler Salmonson (61):

 

Hi Gary,

 

My brother set me straight on the number of years the family operated the Texaco station in Dunseith. It was from l955-1966. During that time our little sister Lynn was born and was 2 when they moved back to Rugby. Lynn is married to Mitch Haugeberg and they live in Watford City. Lynn is a speech pathologist and Mitch is a supervisor in the oil fields around Grassy Butte and the north unit of the Badlands. They have 5 children of which theie oldest daughter just graduated high school from Watford City. She was a graduating classmate of that Jacob Quale who was accidently killed last week on an oil pumper near Watford City. Peggy and Marty Axtman and their family have lived in Kent, Wa. for several years. They have 3 children all graduated from high school. Their 2 sons are out of college and their daughter is in her 3rd year at Portland U in the medical field. Marty works for Boeing and Peggy for an advertising company.

 

Thanks Gary, Joan

Joan, I had no idea you had a 2nd sister Lynn. It goes to show how I lost touch with the times. I thought you, Dave and Peggy were the only 3 siblings. Peggy and Dave are also on our distribution list. We’d like to hear a little bit about Dave and your families too. Gary
 
 
Reply from Shirley LaRocque Wendt (59): Tukwila, WA
 
 
 
Hi GUESS I BETTER LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM HOME AND DOING WELL. REALLY,REALLY SORE. CAN’T DRIVE FOR TWO WEEKS. GLAD TO HAVE IT OVER WITH. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS. GOD BLESS SHIRLEY
Shirley’s previous message
HI! THANK YOU. WELL I WENT TO THE DOCTOR YESTERDAY AND I WILL BE GOING INTO THE HOSPITAL ON MONDAY TO HAVE A DELIBERATOR/PACEMAKER PUT INTO CHEST AND HEART THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS. GOD BLESS
 
 
 
Repy from Don Aird (Carroll Carlson’s nephew): St Louis, MO

Gary the state of North Dakota has a historical society that will keep family historical documents. Each family gets a box to store their documents. When my uncle, Carroll Carlson, died I took the family homestead document and several other family documents and pictures to Bismarck. Now anyone can access the box to look at or copy the documents but these documents will always be there for the next generation.

Uncle Carroll had his 8th grade and high school graduation diplomas and a scholarship to Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. The historical society made a display out of the three documents.

 
 
 
Reply/Picture from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND
 
Gary and Friends,

With the reposting of the triple anniversary picture, I thought I might
also post the last picture I have of Agnes Berg. It was taken in her
house near the city park, just before I left to take her daughter-in-law
back to Minot, to fly home to New York. Agnes was my great aunt, a
sister to my grandfather, Henry Olson. Not too long later she had a
stroke and then spent the rest of her life at the Dunseith Community
Nursing Home. This has to be at least 10 years ago or more. Agnes’s
mother, Ella Olson, lived upstairs at Agnes and Ike’s and had the first
TV I had ever seen. That was in 1953 and the show was The Wonderful
World of Disney. The fuzzy picture on the black and white oval screen
was a cartoon of Mickey Mouse. I still remember sitting right in front
of it and watching every move, while my folks and great grandmother
laughed at my excitement. When she passed away in 1959, she left her
little TV to me and we had it for a couple years until the folks got a
newer ‘Admiral’ from the hardware. Man, that new one had a big 17 inch
screen and was not quite as fuzzy—wow! One of my favorite shows was
‘The Big Picture’, a weekly Sunday afternoon documentary about World War
II and then Korea. I guess I didn’t know until much later that both wars
weren’t fought in black and white! With the technology available today,
most films have been ‘colorized’ and now are much more vivid and
realistic to watch. The video of the battle for Iwo Jima is spectacular.
The sea is blue, the sand is tan, the flame throwers are bright orange,
the smoke is black—-and sadly, the blood is red. Thanks Gary!

Gary–on yesterdays picture, I think the girl in the middle of the float
is Charlene.

Dick

Dick, I think I just put all this together with Agnes Berg. She is the same Agnes Berg that was a teacher at Ackworth when I was in 3rd grade. I remember her as being a wonderful teacher. Would that be Charlene Pearson that you think may be the girl in the middle on yesterday’s float picture? Gary
Agnes Berg & Dick Johnson
 
 
 
Reply from Claudette McLeod (80):Belcourt, ND

Hi Gary,
 
The waitress in the picture is Khayla Poitra, she is the grand-daughter of Snowflakes and Dorothy Poitra.
 
Khayla Poitra displaying Bill Grimme’s Dale’s Jumbo burger – July 2007

 

 

 

Margo Hiatt, Delores Hiatt, Helen Watkins Neslon, & Marlys Evans

 

 

Marlys Evans, Rita Anderson, Irene Fassett & Bernice Johnson

 

 

Posted 3-3-08

Message & Pictures from Myra Henning Halvorson (72):

 

Hello Gary,

We are really enjoying all the Dunseith memories that you are sending out.
Thanks so much!

I recently came across an old band boosters calendar with the 69-70
Governor’s Choir picture which I had to pass along. I am also sending one
that was taken this summer at the reunion church service where some
members of that choir joined together in song one more time. Gary
Fulsebakke was our director. The wonderful memories of band and choir
under the direction of Don Johnson will always be with me. He made a very
positive impact on my life. Does anyone else remember the time he and
Bernice invited his students to their home for a skating party and supper?
What a good time!!

Les and I just returned from Dunseith where we attended the benefit for
Bev Mornville. She was there and doing very well. She starts radiation
tomorrow.

Keep up the good work on this memory hotline!
Myra (Henning) Halvorson ’72

 

 

 

Posted 3/3/08

Picture identification from Dick Johnson (68): djcars@srt.com

Gary and friends

Thanks to Myra Henning Halvorson for the pictures of the
choirs. The one from last summer was taken at the practice,
which I couldn’t make because of other commitments with the
reunion. It was great to sing with you folks on Sunday in the
service dedicated to my dad. Gary did a nice job! I can name
the singers for you as someone had asked.

 

Greg Hill,Don Berg,
Bob Hosmer, Curt Hagel, Linda Johnson Juntunen, Myra Henning
Halvorson, Cheryl Haagenson, Shelly Fulsebakke Albertson,
Loraine Neameyer Haas, Loretta Neameyer Wall, Ann Marie Boppre Perry,

 

Brenda Hill Mueller, Deb Morinville Marmon. There may
have been some others on Sunday but these are the ones in the
practice picture. Thank you each and everyone.

Dick

 

 

 

 

 

Back row left to right:#1. Bob Molgard #2. Gerald Molgard #3.Russell Tooke
#4. Dean Molgard #5. Roy Fox #6. Arlene Medlang
Front Row: #1.Vance Bailey #2. Delphine Wentland #3. Lois Fox #4.
Carol Watkins Carbonneau #5 Gladys Sharratt #6. Florence Schwabe

 

 

 

 

 

 

DHS Class of 65 Reunion 7-12-08:

 

Susan Fassett Martin & Angela Berube Malget