4/12/2013 (1762)

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      Happy birthday Glen Williams  (’52):  Missoula,  MT
 
                           
 
 
Reply to Bernadette’s Manicure/Pedicure & Hair styling
From Diane Larson Sjol (’70): Lake Metigoshe, ND

I think I am due to go to the Phillippines for a makeover!

Diane,
 
You are most welcome to come and visit us anytime. The same invitation is extended to each and everyone of you too.
 
These Filipino folks are good pampers. It is in their blood. Being from America is an added plus too.
 
Gary 
 
 
Pritchard, Thompson, Stokes Photo
Reply from Mary Eurich Knutson (’62): Dunseith, ND
 
 Hi  Gary

      My thoughts on the picture of the  two men with your dad

.   The far left I bellieve is Corbin Pritchard and the one in the middle looks like could be Willie Thompson.   Ella Pladsons brother.    Maybe Keith or Dale can verify.     Later.   Mary 

 
 
 
Reply from Lillian Thompson Bergstrom (DHS ’36): Superior, WS
Posted by her son Ron Cain:  
 
Greetings cuz:  As per my mother-the photo you sent and wanted confirmation is as follows: left to rt.-Corbin Pritchard-your mothers bro. William C.(could stand for Clarence and, if memory serves me right-was the twin borther of your grandfather Ulysses Thompson and Robert Stokes.
Thank you so much Lillian and Ron too for passing this info along.
 
Lillian, I am not sure of your year of birth, but I do know that you are very close to my dad’s age and he was born in 1915. I believe that at this very moment, you are the oldest living to have graduated from Dunseith High School.  With the difficulties of going to school back in your day, it took a little longer for some to get through school. I am guessing that you were 20 plus when you graduated from DHS in 1936. Willie in the picture below is your brother.  Corbin Pritchard and Robert Stokes were both your first cousins.
 
Mary Eurich Knutson, We want to thank you too for your keen eye in identifying Willie in the picture below. Your input got the ball rolling for positive identification from Willie’s family.  Per Keith Pladson’s reply below, Willie died in the late 50’s.
 
Gary
 
 
Pritchard, Thompson, Stokes Photo
Reply from Keith Pritchard (BHS ’74):  Bottineau, ND
 
Dad was born in 1917. I really never heard much of the Thompson side of the family when I was growing up. However, Willard Lasher was very knowledgeable and told me many stories when I had the chance to talk to him. Sadly, I did not record the stories and he is now gone. I think Mary should sit down with a recorder and just start rambling whenever she gets the urge. I suspect that you and she are more knowledgeable, about the local histories and genealogies, than the vast majority of those of us who care about such matters. Dale and Keith Pladson seem pretty sharp as well.    Thank you for keeping some of this history alive.
 
 
 
Pritchard, Thompson, Stokes Photo
Reply from Dale Pritchard (’63):  Leesville, LA

Hi All,

I held off on this because I couldn’t make a decision on Corbin.  Sorry, Bill and Keith.  You guys are welcome to jump in here and help out whenever you want.  The man in the middle reminded me of someone I knew, or thought I knew.  To my knowledge, I never met Willie Thompson so whatever I said would have been wrong.  Gary, there’s no mistaking your Dad!

Dale

 
 
 
Pritchard, Thompson, Stokes Photo
Reply from John Tangen (BHS ’69):   Calistoga, CA.

Keith and Gary,

My thoughts exactly.  Though I never met Uncle Bill (Willie), sure looks like the pictures I’ve seen of him.

John

Note: John’s mother, Esther Thompson Tangen, was a brother to Willie Thompson.
 
 
Willie Thompson Info and ID
From Keith Pladson (’66): Roanoke Rapids, NC
 
Gary,

My sisters Tina and Florence and cousin John Tangen all agree that it is William (Willy) Thompson our Uncle.  Like me, none of them remember ever seeing or knowing him in real life, but all have seen photographs of him.  I just wish I could put my fingers on the one photo I have of him in his Navy uniform as it would pretty much seal the deal.  For your information, he married a lady named Rose (I’m not sure where she was from – perhaps Wisconsin or Minnesota) and they lived in southern Wisconsin and didn’t come back on visits to ND often, if at all.  He died in the late 1950s if my memory serves me right.  So that is why none of us siblings or cousins are real clear on identifying him.  We were all surprised and delighted that his son (our cousin) Matthew (Matt) Thompson came to mom’s funeral in 2001.  After the funeral we all went to Dan and Marges’ to have a get together.  It was really a good time (though the reason we were all there was not!) as we ate and sang and visited for several hours.  What was really fantastic was that we all got to not only meet our estranged cousin but, even better, we got to know a little about him and his life/family.  Matt also has a sister (another cousin), but right now I can’t recall her name.  Both he and his sister lived in Southwestern Wisconsin at that time.

Mom had only one brother (Willie) and he and mom were closest in age so they were pretty close in many ways.  I think Mom really missed having him live so far away (at least it was far in those days) and I know how hurt she was when he died as she was pregnant (again!) and couldn’t travel to Wisconsin to his funeral – dad, of course, did go.  I don’t remember much of the details of that time and can’t remember which sibling she was pregnant with, but it was really hard on her.

We can always wonder what might have been, but I really would have liked to have known him.

Thanks Gary
Keith

So, I guess this is Corbin Pritchard, William (Willie) Thompson and Robert (Bob) Stokes