Monthly Archives: December 2007

12/31/2007

Posted on by
Message from Warren Anderson (65):
Hi, Gary.
 
How are you and your wife doing? Cora and I are fine these winter days. We took the snowmobiles up to the farm today and rode about 12 miles around the hills. It was nice to see all the animal tracks and even to see some moose tracks. I see Margaret Metcalfe Leonard just about ever week and she is doing fine. They just moved into their new high school building, in Belcourt, over the holidays so she is excited about the 2nd half of the school year. Dunseith just beat the number one rated basketball team in the state last week so Dunseith has some excitement with basketball. Dunseith has a DaCoteau kid that is 6′ 10″.
 
The jets that screamed over Dunseith even scared me on the farm that day. And I was 7 miles straight north of the city but it seemed they were over us before they got turned around. I was only 13 years old. In Viet Nam we had the F-4s that came in awful close to us but I never feared them like some of the other boys did. Maybe it was the experience of the Dunseith fly over that gave me the feeling you had nothing to fear. Enough about history. I am still trying to sell my office building and apartments and quit counseling but no takers and I don’t feel there will be anything now until spring or summer.
 
Cora and I wish’s you and your wife a happy new year—–Warren 65
 
 
Bev Morinville’s (72) Reply to Bobbie Slyter (70):
To Bobby : thanks for calling us kids , Bev Morinville (Azure)
 
 
 
Message from LeaRae Parrill Espe (67):
Thanks for finding Maurice Gouin. I just knew I had his name spelled incorrectly. That never helps.
I am really enjoying all the messages from everyone. I hope Tim Martinson and Larry Hackman keep up the great memory attacks!
 
I got my mother, Mildred Parrill, on the computer over Christmas. She stayed in Bottineau four nights so she could visit Marie and her other two sisters. I entertained the bunch for Christmas dinner-my guests were ages 90,89,87,84, and 82. They had a few games of whist and alot of stories. It was great.
 
Anyway Mom really enjoyed reading some of the messages. Whenever she read about someone she had a story. She remembered Tim Martinson being the coach of the American Legion team on which my brother Clark played. That team did very well. Dunseith had many great athletes. It would be great to hear Tim’s recollection of the season(s). I went to college for three summers and I missed all of that.
 
Happy New Year!
LeaRae
 
PS Kay Flynn is really just K. Flynn. She told me once that it represented Knox, but Minnie didn’t want to name her Knox so it was just K. – K. Jacqueline Flynn Richard
(K. I’ve updated all my Data bases with K. Gary)
 
 
Message from Cecile Gouin Craig (61):
Have really been enjoying all notes and letters, they have brought back A lot of memories of people and places. Thanks, Cec’
Yes, I remember the Deerheart Lodge well. I’ve got two pics of it. One is the same one you posted and one of the castle. I think my Mother has some, will look in her albums. In 75 or 76 when I went to Dunseith, went looking for the Lodge but couldn’t find it. I sure hope some museum has it all. I loved that place. Will send the pics I find.
On that trip also went to the Butte of St. Paul. There wasn’t even a trail to go in or up the Butte. What’s with that??
Tim I remember the bakery well. During school and lunch time 5 or 6 of us girls would run to the bakery and get 3 raised doughnuts or Bismarck’s for a dime, then race to Shelver’s Drug to grab the only booth. Order cherry cokes. Eat our healthy lunches, then race back to classes. Those were the best doughnuts!
Sorry I missed all the excitement over the Thunderbirds. Collette didn’t Janet go the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs to Bill’s graduation and all the festivities??
Cecile Gouin Craig ’61
 
 
Randy Flynn’s (70) reply to Gary Stokes: (Note, Bremerton WA, the city Randy mentions, is where I moved to from Dunseith, until moving to the Philippines in 2003. I worked my entire career at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, retiring in 2003. Gary)
Gary,
Thank you for all the Emails. However, I have not had time to
read them. I still work for Customs but since we are now
Department of Homeland Security and have become Customs and
Border Protection (Immigration, Customs, and Agriculture) there
is always something new to learn. Or something to teach all
the new employees who have no institutional memory. I recently
moved to Portland, Oregon, so I do not plan to retire in the
near future. I would just go back to work anyway.

Bremerton is a beautiful place. I have enjoyed taking the
Seattle-Bremerton Ferry to Seattle. The trip provides a
relaxing and interesting view of Seattle when compared with a
trip on I-5 at 75 miles per hour. I have spent an afternoon in
“The Pour House Pub”. A friend’s from Wilton, ND cousin, Carol
and Dave, own the Pub.

If you can provide names of interesting places to see other
than the usual tourist stops I would appreciate it. I have
seen the original Starbucks and purchased some coffee there.
Watched the fish fly from the Ice to the counters, K.C. Sine,
could have used this method to sell more candy to school kids.

I am happy to see you taking such an interest in our roots and
our routes. With the death the fall of 06 of a good friend and
CBP colleague, Clark Parrill (DHS 70), I often wonder where all
of our lives have taken people from Dunseith.

A couple of notes in my travels for work, if you are from North
Dakota, the 6 degrees of separation is really on 4 degrees.
People from North Dakota are everywhere and know everyone
around the world. Since we are from a small rural town and
have Scandinavian heritage we down play our connections. But I
am sure if my life depended on it I could get an autograph of
anyone in the USA and probably the world.

And . . . North Dakota is a Great place to be FROM . . . so
many of us have left the state in search of employment.

Randy

 
 
 
Message from Trish Larson Clayburgh (73)
Hi Gary,
 
Interesting stories. I’m not sure if I remember a place called Deer Heart, but it reminds me of the lodge in the Peace Garden where many a wedding dance was held. There were some folks there that really knew how to dance to that wild polka music. I remember a married couple who were in their 40-50’s, which would put them in their 80’s maybe now, who danced all night like crazy. They were short and stout and fabulously in love – at least with dancing. I’ll bet somebody knows who they were – they were at every barn dance I ever attended. (Remember those fabulous round barn dances?)
 
And speaking of dances – remember the Lake Metigoshe dances in the early 70’s? How about those black lights???? Everybody looked tanned!
 
We North Dakotans sure learn how to throw a good party don’t we?
 
I remember also a party at my house at the port of entry one winter. My parents had left my brother Greg and I to attend a funeral in Montana, and the word got out that we were having a party. There must have been almost a hundred people squeezed in that little house. When the party was at it’s Zenith, our reveling was cut short however. Somebody spied my parents when they came home early and pulled in the driveway.
 
They yelled “TRISH – YOUR PARENTS ARE HOME!” For a moment, there was utter silence as we all made eye contact and then….
 
Oh My! There was a mass exodus out the front door as Hazel and Harvey pulled their big ole Cadillac into the garage. Some nice person offered to grab empties and run out the back door. I believe it was a quiet fellow named Larry….or was it a Lagerquist?
 
Anyhow my hero came back in the front door a few minutes later to join a few brave partiers had stayed to “face the music” with me. He whispered, “you didn’t tell me there was a hole in the backyard – I almost broke a leg!”. I gasped to remember that there was a pipe project going on out back and as he had dashed out with the best of intentions, he had fallen into the snowy pipe ditch about 2 feet deep – spewing 2 grocery bags full of empty beer cans all over the back yard!
 
Next morning, bless her soul, my dear mom got up early and picked up all the cans. I couldn’t believe she wasn’t furious with me, but in one of her most endearing moments she laughed and said “I couldn’t let the neighbors see them could I?” She wasn’t angry about the broken chair brace either. I remember clearly the moment George Malaterre put his big ‘ole foot on that spindly chair and snapped it right in two! He was horrified, and very apologetic. I brushed it off, but secretly I WAS a little worried my parents might kill me.
 
Instead my mom taught me a lesson about forgiveness. And the value in a really great party…
 
Anyhow, thanks again for stirring the great memories….
 
Trish (Larson) Clayburgh
 
 
Request from Ron Link (58)
Gary: Can you add James Robillard (class of 58) to your E-mail list as He would also like to get copies of your E-mails. His Address is: jwrobillard@dia.net THANK YOU—RON
 
 
New Years in the Philippines:
Folks, It’s now New Years Eve here in the Philippines. It’ currently 7:30 PM and the parties have started. Bernadette’s Nephew has his big sound system set up in our area with the strobe lights and all. Folks are dancing and will continue to dance and party until the wee hours of the morning. There are continuous fireworks going off through out the are, but at midnight it will be like a huge bomb hitting the Philippines with all the fireworks. After midnight, Bernadette will be serving a big dinner for everyone in our area of about 60 folks. This is a tropical country so all the partying is done outside. Folks will go in our house to get their food and go back out side where we have tables and chairs set up to eat.
 
Happy New year to each and every one of you.
 
Gary & Bernadette Stokes

12/30/2007

Posted on by
Larry Hackman’s message to Bill Hosmer:
 
Bill
Just to let you know and to pump up your pumper more, I want to let you
know that I have related the story of the Thunderbirds buzzing small town,
USA, Dunseith, ND many times over the years. That one short moment in
time has meant a lot and apparently not only to me. We did not have much
growing up in Dunseith but we did have a pilot that flew with the
Thunderbirds, Not many towns can make that claim. New Rockford, ND. is
real proud to have a astronaut, but I’ll bet he never buzzed main street
and created the memories that you have for all of us. Thank you. Now if I
can figure out a way to get Gary to stop confusing me with Carmen Myer and
Santa Claus I’ll be doing great. By the way, I think I did meet you and
visit with you for a short time at the Althea Theatre (Senior Citizen
Center) at the Dunseith Reunion. Did you say you were living or staying in
a cabin up at Long Lake or am I confused. Bill, you have a great day and
thank you again, for the memory.
larry
 
 
Colette Hosmer’s message to Tim Martinson:
 
I wanted to thank Tim Martinson for his e-mail regarding the “back room” of the bakery. I managed to find myself at one or two of those gatherings (only as a privileged bystander). Your account was wonderful.

 
Also, I remember Deer Heart Lodge as a young girl — in fact I was spellbound by the place. I have to think that the art I make today was influenced by those little taxidermy scenes. Does anyone have photos or stories or history to share about Deer Heart Lodge?
 
Thanks,
Colette
 
 
Bobbie Slyter’s comments: Vance Bailey’s movie:
 
Whoever put Vance’s movie together did a fantastic job, I don’t remember Vance but seem like I did after watching it, I truly enjoyed it.
The picture of the Morinville kids was great I remember them all well
bobbie slyter
 
 
Colette Hosmer’s WEB site
 
To view a very nice picture of Colette, just click on her WEB site that I’ve pasted below. We’ve been seeing all of her nice messages, so now you can see the nice lady behind all these nice messages and browse her very interesting WEB sight if you so wish. Colette has become a very well known international Artist. Gary

12/28/2007-3

Posted on by
Folks, I’ve played with this for awhile getting the file size’s down and in the process keeping the dimension size’s of the pictures large enough to be easily viewed. I never like to send out group messages with large file sizes. This should be manageable for most everyone.
 
 
 
Message Neola Kofoid Garbe (Gary’s Cousin):
Gary,
 
I just watched the movie of Vance Bailey’s life. WOW!! Someone is talented. I didn’t know Vance, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. The more I read about Vance, though, the more I feel like I “know/knew” him.
 
Here’s a “shortcut” to the movie: http://www.mem.com/movie/MovingMemories.asp?ID=2200968
 
Neola
 
 
 
Message from Geri Metcalfe with picture (Metcalfe’s & Lagerquist’s):
Gary,
I enjoyed Karen Woodford’s reply re: Bobby Lagerquist and her Lagerquist relatives. Hope this picture comes thru OK–I treasure this picture as this group of kids spent alot of time at my parents, Jim and Ella Metcalfe’s farm.
My sis, Patti is only about two on this picture, so I’m thinking it was taken in about 1950, the year my sis, Lola, was born.The Strong’s lived with us for a time when their home burned about the time we were moving to the farm from Seattle, where Helen and I were born. My parents lived in Seattle for seven years. They moved back before Margaret was born in 1946. Yes, Hilda and Leroy had Bobby L. living with them and I remember Inga and George visiting at our farm as well.

We’re getting ready to leave for AZ, so if I don’t get time to send this to Karen, she will get it from you.

Thanks much, Gary, for all you do–I’ll keep in touch in Mesa.

Hope the New Year is kind to all of us,

 
Geri
 
Left to right: Bobby Lagerquist, Ronnie Strong, Jerry Strong, cousin Larry Metcalfe, my brother, Gary Metcalfe, Gordy Strong, me in front of Gordy and my sis, Helen in front of me; the three kids in the front are my sis, Margaret (in front of Jerry Strong), her little friend, Timmy Strong and my sis, Patti .
 
 
Jerry and Toni (Morinville) Gredesky
 
  
Morinville siblings:
Front: Duane & Toni
Back: Debbie & Bev
 
 
 Message & picture from Neola Kofoid Garbe. Neola’s father, John Kofoid, owned the Corner Garage in the 50’s & 60’s (John Kofoid & Bob Stokes (my dad) were 1st cousins)
Gary,
 
I think Joe Boguslawski also worked in the “office” for a short time after Ernest. I’m not sure about this. You/your classmates were still quite young in 1953.
 
Ernest was a neat fellow. I really enjoyed him.
 
Neola
 

Picture: Ernest Tennancour

 
 
Question and picture from Tim Martinson (69)
Hi Gary, I want to know if anybody remembers
Ray Wilson (PIcture & article previously sent) or Deerheart Lodge? Take Care, Tim
 
Wedding At DeerHeart Lodge near Dunseith
 

 

12/28/2007-2

Posted on by
Folks,
 
I have forwarded, below, Bill Hosmer’s very interesting letter with his side of the air shows as one as a Thunderbird pilot. Thank you Bill for sharing this with us. Folks have been waiting 45 plus years to hear your side of these shows.
 
I have also included with this message several other comments/messages/requests from Colette Hosmer, Ron Link, Dayna Bailey & a beautiful picture of Larry Hackman with his new granddaughter.
 
Thank you folks for all the feed back that you have sent regarding a WEB site. I have forwarded all your correspondence to Bob Leonard, Cheryl Haagenson & Bill Hosmer for them to evaluate in choosing a WEB site. They will evaluate and take into consideration all of our comments and requests in choosing this WEB site. Colette Hosmer’s comments for a WEB site are included with her message pasted below. I will continue to forward all your requests and comments concerning this WEB site to Bob, Cheryl & Bill. Bill, you mentioned that you know nothing about setting up and maintaining these WEB sites, but I know that you are working with Cheryl & Bob to get this up and running. We have a vast pool of folks within our group that you can turn to with any questions you may have getting this all set up. We trust you guys judgment and will go along with what ever you think is best. Please let us know the costs involved too.
 
Gary
 
 
Bill Hosmer’s comments & Reply: Thunderbirds
Gary Stokes, Ron Longie, Cousin Colette Hosmer, Larry Hackman, Allen
Richard, Bill Grimme and to Deb Morinville (whose address I did not
have).

Thank you for taking the time to comment on that brief period of
time in a long life. The flattery I’m experiencing is a gift from
you all, and that is important to me. By the way I answered a
direct mailing from Susan Fassett, so she was not included in this
series of observations and impressions response.

Just to clarify a couple of impressions, we did not do any
supersonic maneuvers. The explosive sound that was heard was in all
likelihood, the afterburner which is a loud and sudden explosive
acceleration which that engine incorporated. The solo pilots used
it more than us working guys in the formation, although it’s
possible anytime. On one of the South American shows we did in 1961
the President of Paraguay asked our lead to do a supersonic pass.
He explained that the shock wave might possibly break many windows
in the air terminal. The president said, “This is my country, and
those are my windows”. So the leader had the solo to open the show
with a boom. No windows were broken, but they had alot of tape
helping to withstand the shock.

What caused KC Sine to fall was not in the plan, but it happened
like this: As lead headed us toward Minot, I asked him permission
to do a slow pass down main street. I wanted to see if my folks
were at our store on main street. I was low and very slow with my
landing gear down. Unknown to me the other wing man pulled out of
the formation, got behind me a good distance then lit the
afterburner, accelerated to nearly 500knots, flew UNDER me as we
passed the bank on the corner. KC explained to me when Dad and I
went to apologize, he had that masterful fast paced dialogue with a
little swearing going on, telling me, that fast one was going to
kill him right in front of his store,etc, etc, then he ended his
tirade, he said, “hey kid, wanna banana?” I’d heard that many
years before that Sept day in 1961. What a piece of work that man
was.

There are Thunderbird reunions every other year in Las Vegas where
we get together with us oldtimers, and all the teams before and
after us, and are treated to a private air show by the current
team in their beautiful F-16 aircraft at Nellis AFB. This year it
was last month. The number of attendees from our earlier teams are
less and less, but it is like being in Dunseith at our famous
100th and125th Celebrations to see all the generations in
attendance, to give the heart a tug, and the mind a blast of
afterburner.

I did eject from the airplane I flew to ND about two weeks after
we had been there. It was not at a show, but during our arrival
maneuvers at a Navy Base in Rhode Island, I had the engine quit
running, tried some emergency airstarts, tried to position the
bird to make a dead stick (engine out) pattern, but was too low,
so ejected without injury, and flew the spare airplane in the show
the next day. The other one exploded in an empty field with no
damage to anything on the ground, except the dirt. I landed in a
tree and I was not as good a tree climber as I was down at Willow
Creek, but shoot.

I’m hoping someone can figure out the best way to get us in
computer contact on a regular basis. I can contribute $$, but my
brain power is limited.

Cheers and Happy New Year to you all, and thank you from my
heart. Bill Hosmer

 
 
 
Colette Hosmer’s comments and reply:
Bill, I began this e-mail (below) this morning but had to leave for an appointment so saved it to send later. I just got back and read the Thunderbird account from your point of view. Guess we’re working on mental telepathy now….
 

Hi Gary and Cousin Bill,

 
Loved reading your Christmas Day letter, Bill. So many people exchanged their memories of your Dunseith Thunderbird Show….maybe someday you’ll tell us your side of the story (?)
 
Although I don’t know anything about building or maintaining a website (I traded art and paid a professional for mine) I will add my 2 cents to the equation. I agree with Gary that we should stick with e-mail for our initial communication — especially since he’s so generous in acting as the clearing house for these thousands of messages. However, I would imagine that information could be organized very effectively on a website. And, photographs would be an important addition to the history.
 
I also agree that if this effort is made, it should be top rate, easy to maneuver and with plenty of room to add info indefinitely.
 
Colette
 
 
Request from Ron Link:

Gary: Please include Don & Colleen(Conroy) Martel’s E-mail address to your list of address’s on your E-mail’s There address is: dcmartel@frontiernet.net THANK YOU—RON
 
 
 
Message from Dayna Bailey, Vance’s Daughter: Slide show for Vance
Gary

The slide show for Dad’s is posted.
Go to www.mem.com

Search for
Bailey, Vance

It will take you to his obituary.
On the right side of the screen you see buttons. There is one for ‘movie’

Doreen states that she would like to stay on the Dunseith alumni email list.
Also she mentioned old photos of Dunseith. She has a bunch just let her know
if and when you would like to post them.

Thanks

Dayna

 
 
 
Larry Hackman with his Granddaughter Izzabell (7 Wks):
You can tell this gal is going places and doing things. Grandpa says so! She had a list so long for Santa, that he just decided to take her to the North Pole and turned the whole place over to her. I might have to help deliver gifts next year. Oh well, a Grandma’s and Grandpa’s work is never done.
larry

12/28/2007-1

Posted on by

Bill Hosmer,

I thought I’d share with you and the Dunseith Alumni some of the memories that folks have of you and the famous Thunderbirds. I’ve attached a few messages that our class of 65 generated this last April when our subject of discussion for the day was you and those planes performing over Dunseith. Last winter our class members would have, almost live discussions, on various topics and this was one of them.

The first message I just received yesterday from Ron Longie also from our class of 65. All the other messages down to Deb Morinville’s were generated last April.

 

Ron Longie’s reply to Bill Hosmer:
Gary,

I truly enjoyed reading Bill Hosmers email, the memories came flooding back about the old skating rink sitting in the warm up shed retying skates, warming hands and feet what a memory. I thank you Bill for the trip down memory lane, and I also like Bill Grimme remember the pass over of the jets what a day. Thanks again for all the names of people that I had forgotten.

Ron Longie

Colette Hosmer’s reply:
Gary and Larry, Great memories. Actually, Bill was my cousin — my Uncle Jack

Hosmer’s oldest son. Bill and his wife, Pat, have a cabin at Lake
Metigoshe and have spent the summers there for years now. Bill still
tells great stories about those days. One was that Uncle Jack had to
walk down to Casey Sine’s store the next morning to offer an apology.
Casey got skinned up when he “hit the asphalt” as the jets thundered
down main street at the end of their performance. Larry – I also like the idea of the arched street lights. Colette

On 4/23/07, Gary Stokes wrote:
Larry, Again you are a wonderful writer and story teller.
Colette, I think your Uncle Bill Hosmer was part of these Thunderbird shows
that Larry is talking about.

Wonderful story from Larry Hackman
Gary & Bill & Paul

Did you read about the Blue Angle pilot crashing yesterday and getting
killed at a flight demonstration. That brought back a memory when the
Thunderbirds would come and fly over Dunseith. They would fly over and do a
few maneuvers usually about once a summer or when ever they were in the
area. I remember they would come right down main street what seemed as low
as tree top high. The street lights would start rattling and the next thing
that happened was there was five jets following each other right down main
street. It really made you stop what ever you were doing and pay
attention. If I remember correctly is that they would even break the
sound
berrier a few times just to make sure that everyone would come out of their
houses to watch the show. That was still legal in them days,(You know, way
back when). Mostly I think it was to get the Hosmer families
attention. Colette’s uncle was one of the pilots if I remember correctly.
Then for the closing of their demonstration they would come flying down main
from the north end of town. They would come so low and so fast that the top
of street light poles would be sucked in and touch, creating arches from one
end of main to the other end. They would have to have the fire dept. go out
the next day with the ladder truck to streighten the poles back out. I
always thought the town would have looked better with the arches, and
really would have looked good at Christmas. You know with the arches
decorated with Christmas lights and such. It really would have created a
amazing sight in the dark of night. If you can emagine. You know, that is a
helluva idea for the street dance during the reunion. You can just emagine
everyone doing the snake dance (or is that crack the whip) down main under
the arches. Maybe someone ought to pass that idea onto someone. But I
think Colette’s uncle retired. Its really to bad about that Blue Angel
Pilot. We must all say a prayer for the well being of his family.
You all take care and smile,

larry

Allen Richard’s Reply:
Bill Hosmer, one of Jack Hosmer’s older sons was a pilot with the Air Force Thunderbirds in the 60’s. They were performing at the Minot Air Base and did an impromptu short show above Dunseith Min street. I was mowing hay in a road ditch along Highway 3– Getting buzzed by an F-100 (yeah that is what they flew back then) at 500 mph is a true religious experience.

By the way, after Bill Hosmer left the he did some test pilot work and demonstrations for Cessna–Great guy and fun to talk with. Last I saw him he was living @Lake Metigoshe God — been gone so long I forgot how to spell it! Anyway Collette or Jess might know his whereabouts.

Bill Grimme’s reply:
Great stuff! The Thunderbirds were a big part of our younger days. I
remember hearing rumors that there might be a flyover (I’m sure an official
announcement would not have been allowed). Seems like it always corresponded
with some event at Minot AFB. We would wait in anticipation on the day and
still be surprised when the Thunderbirds made the first pass. Cakes fell,
kids and adults ran outside, Brownie cameras were pointed to the sky (doubt
that the pictures turned out) and, as Colette has shared, Dunseith citizens
skinning their knees when they hit the deck. What a day! Here is a good link to the Thunderbird history. Colette’s cousin is
prominent in the article, Bill http://www.usafthunderbirds.com/history.html

Colette’s Hosmer’s reply:
Hey Bill,I replied to the Thunderbird story before I read your e-mail.

So….one real live account of a “man” actually hitting the deck.

Another one was Jimmy McKoy. He was up on the roof of the Crystal
Cafe to get a better view of the show. He swore, that when the planes
came down main street, if he wouldn’t have flattened out he would have been hit!Colette

Susan Fassett’s reply:
The story I remember is that a lot of the older folks in town thought we were being attacked by the Russians when the planes came flying so low over the town. I remember standing in the alley behind our house and you could see the pilots in the planes very clearly, as low as they were. It was a real treat for us small town kids. Susan


Message I recieved yesterday from Deb Morinville Marmon:
Dear Gary,

Merry Christmas!! Are you overwhelmed yet? My goodness, this list is taking on a life of it’s own!

My mom, Frances Morinville used to tell this story of the day the “Thunderbirds” came to town (pretty much unannounced)

Back in those days the big threat to the USA was the USSR. Everyone talked about the “communists”. Mom and Dad talked about them so much I came to think I could identify one if they walked down the street kind of like a Martian or other alien. Anyway, Mom said that one of the jets came really low right over main street. The door opened at the store and an elderly woman came in, white as a sheet. Mom got her sat down in the chair by the window and after she could catch her breath she said “I think the communists are attacking!” Mom told that story for years, she got such a kick out of it. I also remember forming a caravan to the Minot Air Base to watch the air show. It was one of the thrills of my childhood years. Thanks Bill, for the joy of those days and also for your service to our country.

Merry Christmas to all my old “homies”

Deb Morinville Marmon


Following day’s comments from Bill Hosmer to the Above postings

Bill Hosmer’s comments & Reply: ThunderbirdsGary Stokes, Ron Longie, Cousin Colette Hosmer, Larry Hackman, Allen Richard, Bill Grimme and to Deb Morinville (whose address I did not have).Thank you for taking the time to comment on that brief period of time in a long life. The flattery I’m experiencing is a gift from you all, and that is important to me. By the way I answered a direct mailing from Susan Fassett, so she was not included in this series of observations and impressions response.

Just to clarify a couple of impressions, we did not do any
supersonic maneuvers. The explosive sound that was heard was in all
likelihood, the afterburner which is a loud and sudden explosive
acceleration which that engine incorporated. The solo pilots used
it more than us working guys in the formation, although it’s
possible anytime. On one of the South American shows we did in 1961
the President of Paraguay asked our lead to do a supersonic pass.
He explained that the shock wave might possibly break many windows
in the air terminal. The president said, “This is my country, and
those are my windows”. So the leader had the solo to open the show
with a boom. No windows were broken, but they had alot of tape
helping to withstand the shock.

What caused KC Sine to fall was not in the plan, but it happened
like this: As lead headed us toward Minot, I asked him permission
to do a slow pass down main street. I wanted to see if my folks
were at our store on main street. I was low and very slow with my
landing gear down. Unknown to me the other wing man pulled out of
the formation, got behind me a good distance then lit the
afterburner, accelerated to nearly 500knots, flew UNDER me as we
passed the bank on the corner. KC explained to me when Dad and I
went to apologize, he had that masterful fast paced dialogue with a
little swearing going on, telling me, that fast one was going to
kill him right in front of his store,etc, etc, then he ended his
tirade, he said, “hey kid, wanna banana?” I’d heard that many
years before that Sept day in 1961. What a piece of work that man
was.

There are Thunderbird reunions every other year in Las Vegas where
we get together with us oldtimers, and all the teams before and
after us, and are treated to a private air show by the current
team in their beautiful F-16 aircraft at Nellis AFB. This year it
was last month. The number of attendees from our earlier teams are
less and less, but it is like being in Dunseith at our famous
100th and125th Celebrations to see all the generations in
attendance, to give the heart a tug, and the mind a blast of
afterburner.

I did eject from the airplane I flew to ND about two weeks after
we had been there. It was not at a show, but during our arrival
maneuvers at a Navy Base in Rhode Island, I had the engine quit
running, tried some emergency airstarts, tried to position the
bird to make a dead stick (engine out) pattern, but was too low,
so ejected without injury, and flew the spare airplane in the show
the next day. The other one exploded in an empty field with no
damage to anything on the ground, except the dirt. I landed in a
tree and I was not as good a tree climber as I was down at Willow
Creek, but shoot.

I’m hoping someone can figure out the best way to get us in
computer contact on a regular basis. I can contribute $$, but my
brain power is limited.

Cheers and Happy New Year to you all, and thank you from my
heart. Bill Hosmer

12/26/2007

Posted on by
Message from Vance Bailey’s daughter Dayna:
Gary
Merry Christmas
I am Vance’s daughter Dayna.
I would like to Thank You for sending Doreen the email addresses of the
newspapers in North Dakota. I just sent his Obituary to them with a photo.
Thanks soo much.
Dayna
 
Message from Bill Grimme (65):
First of all, Merry Christmas to all my Dunseith friends. It has been a great year getting re-acquainted with everyone!

 
And second, thank you Cecile Berube for my Secret Santa gift from you. It is just what I needed in retirement-I was starting to get lazy! That’s a real easy thing to do, I have found. We’ll let everyone guess what the gift is.
 
I am looking forward to another year of email fellowship and look forward to seeing everyone again.
 
Bill
 
 
Message from Cheryl Haagenson: (71)
It is so great what you do to keep us all connected, Thank you! I am planning on the Alaska cruise I need to put my name on the list. Thanks again for all you do for us. Hope you had a great Christmas. And happy new YearCheryl Haagenson

 
 
Message from Ron Link (58):
Gary: Please add Ellen Myrick (Graff)(Class of 1958) to your E-mail recipients as she would certainly appreciate it. The E-mail’s are very informative. Her E-mail address is emyrick@gra.midco.net Thank you and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.—RON LINK
 
 
Message from Allen Richard (65):

Don Lamouroux–Remember our riding our Honda 350’s together back in the day? Damn I wish I had never sold that little bike. The kid that bought it didn’t have enough brains to replace the clutch cable and used the electric starter to start it in gear. I think he had it for maybe 3 weeks before it was trash. Sad end to a sweet little machine. It had less than 8,000 miles when I sold it. What happened to yours?
 
Allen
 
 
Message from Bill Hosmer: Bill, we all remember you and the famous Thunderbirds doing a show over Dunseith in the 60’s. When I get a chance, I’ll dig out some neat comments from some of the class of 65 folks about those performances and forward them to the Dunseith Alumni. Gary
 
Gary. The flurry of memories enfolding the sadness of our loss of
Vance Bailey is an extremely soothing and stimulating read. With
comments from my brother Bob Hosmer, and my beautiful cousin Colette
Hosmer adding to the lore, I am tempted to add my two bits worth.
I spoke to Wayne Bailey, Vances brother. He is one of the dozen of
us who meet at the Dunseith golf course every Tuesday when it isn’t
covered with snow. Wayne indicated that there will be a private
family celebration of Vance’s life on the 29th of December. Wayne
is going to manage another memorial service at the Dunseith cemetery
around the time of Memorial Day next year. There is a family plot
where their Mother, Dad, and baby sister are buried. I will
certainly be in attendance there.
The memories of Dunseith are still vivid at my advanced age of 77.
I didn’t graduate from Dunseith HS, but my days spent there won a few
diplomas of “Life in a Great Place”. Vance’s description of the swimming
places, the stock yard hooliganism and falling off the cliff at the gravel
pit when “shot while playing cowboys and Indians” in my case were
acurate. Mac Macue (spelling) used to have a bag of candy mints in his
pocket and Gene Fassett and I used to check out the Dakota Hotel for a
handout on our way south on main street where Emil Hack would be sitting
on the sidewalk curb, where we could stop at the Wilson barber shop right
next to the drug store where we would read comic books until Mrs Shelver
couldn”t stand it any more and tell us to leave NOW. So we could
continue south to the barbershop and watch hair cuts that Jess was giving
while Ludie, his oldest son shined shoes. Clarence Hagen used to work at
the stone garage owned by the Lake brothers, used to stand leaning against
the east side waiting for cars to get gas. Later he was at Anzio in the
Sicily/Italian campaign of WWII. We’d head by the Lamoureux garage and
see what was going on in the maintenance area where Charlie, Leo, Ovilla,
and Albert might be fixing a truck or car. Across the street, Uncle Ray
Wilson was the judge. He and Ovilla played chess by the hour, and Uncle
Ray would let us puff on his pipe probably in hopes we’d throw up. Think
about that nowadays. KC Sine would usually be good for a coke or a banana
or maybe both. Mom never understood why I usually did not have an
appetite.Willow Creek always had fascination for me. In the spring we would
catch tadpoles and minnows to save in a jar. Once we caught a
couple of garter snakes and brought them to my house just south of
the Commercial Hotel while the Grassmans still managed it. We were
feeding them some small frogs we caught at the creek, and the woman
who was taking care of me. Don, and Bob while the folks were gone,
came out to see this beautiful sight and said to get those critters
out of the yard. Later, she was taking a nap in the house and I
took a mounted rattle snake which one of my uncles gave dad. It was
in a coiled posture. I put it beside her on the bed and then went
to the kitchen and made a little noise so she would wake up. Sure
as heck she woke, screamed like a siren, and came after me with a
vengance. Sure didn’t do much more with snakes after that

The old skating rink and warming house was a favorite meeting place
whether you were skating or not. There was a pot bellied stove that
heated it up grand. As a matter of fact, my brother Don and I stopped in
there after a Sunday afternoon movie at the Althea Theater, right next to
Floyd Nelson’s barber shop. He didn’t allow kids to watch hair cuts.
Anyway Don and I stopped and Vance and Wayne were there in the warming
hut and we discussed lifes strifes.

Sunday School at the Stone Church was a must and at Christmas time
(Which is as I write this) we all were at some time in a play or
pageant. One time Dee Nelson (son of Floyd), Spencer Teal (son of
Bill and Irene who lived at the depot) and I (son of Jack and Inez
Hosmer) were THE THREE WISEMEN. I was the bearer of Myrh and still
remember the words I had to maneuver through the cotton beard we all
wore which would slip quite a bit while singing in the bathrobes which
were supposed to look like Arab garments.

The Johnson family, Mr and Mrs JJ, Bud, Bob, Warren, Roger, Chuck,
Walter, and Shirley were a family I knew well. Chuck and I were same
age, and the other guys were around and vocal so we learned alot of
good man-talk words. There Mother Carie was a beautiful and talented
citizen who lived a long life. Bob, Walter and Roger were at the
125th Celebration.

Another family I grew to know was the Ole Evans family at the mill.
Grandpa Gottbreht was still alive and Joe Evans and I ran over a
stack of newly sacked flour which was milled there. It was a mistake
because we had muddy boots on and left black tracks on those beautiful
white mounds. He shook his fist told me to get home, and he knew who
I was. Wow, I thought I’d be put in solitary, but no one ever
mentioned it again except me and Joe. We used to get in a buggy
powered by a horse called Mike and go out west across the creek to the
pastures west and north of the homestead to bring the cattle in for
milking. Then all the men including Uncle Frank, Ole, Myron, Joe, and
Rod would milk the herd. Celia Evans would operate the separator in
the milk house, by hand crank, and then it would be bottled and
delivered by Myron. The cream at the top of the bottle was divine on
breakfastfood, and the milk was delicious.

I’ll leave it here for now, and will do so with my warmest and most
serious hope for all your years to come, including the next one, to be
fulfilling, at peace, and in a grip of happiness and satisfaction. My
email in Arizona is hozndaz@theriver.com. Thank you all for being
who you are and for being from where we all were at one time or
another, DUNSEITH FOREVER. Bill Hosmer

 
Bill Hosmer’s follow up message:
Gary. The bundle of great mail you initiated is most interesting
and poignant with our loss of a terrific historically oriented
Dunseith citizen named Vance Bailey. A distant cousin of mine, and
a long time friend.Your latest which I read today was terrific. I tried to add a few
memories and hoped that it would go to all the folks you had
addressed yours to, but it bounced at the “undisclosed recipient”.
Hopefully it did get through to you. (Bill, with such a big list I have to send out 4 mailings with each of these messages. The max is 100 names with each message) If it did and you don’t
object, perhaps it could be forwarded to your original addressing.
If you did or did not receive my input, could you give me a short
reply letting me know? I noticed in something you sent out that
there was a way to get to all the people with one shot, but now I
cannot locate it. My computer knowledge is in the dark ages zone.
If you did not get it, I can try again because I have the complete
(and valuable)listing of all known computer addresses, thanks to
forwarding by Bob Leonard.

You have opened a beehive of good reading, and I appreciate what you
have gifted us with.

Merry Christmas Today, here in AZ. Happy New Year as well. Bill
Hosmer hozndaz@theriver.com

 
 
 
Message from Allen Richard:

Merry Christmas everyone–Gary–maybe you should look at a way to make all the e-mail available to everyone on an annual basis some how. Like in a massive e mail or in print in a way we could all subscribe to.
 
Allen
 
 
Allen, The easy way of doing this would be to set up a WEB site for all of these messages that folks could access for review. We could also post the many pictures that everyone has provided too, into this WEB site. I still want to send this stuff out to the Dunseith list though. It’s more meaningful when folks get these messages together at the same time and can make their comments. Then they could be placed into the WEB site. Folks often times don’t review WEB sites on a regular bases. It would be nice for folks to be able to access things like the class lists too. If I keep at this long enough, I’ll have them all. I have never looked into a WEB site and I’ll have to admit, I don’t have any idea what is involved in setting one up and maintaining it. Over this last year we have sure generated a wealth of information that could be placed into a WEB site.
 
Are there any suggestions from any of you out there? Is anyone interested in setting up a WEB site and maintaining it?
 
Our list is growing to a point that I have to send out multiple sendings with each message. Most email providers limit their number to 100 for each message so as not to overload their server. That is not a real problem yet, but it would be nice to be able to throttle these messages to the recipients with so many being sent every few seconds enabling one sending to the whole list. Do any of you know of any email providers that provide this service or know of any way this could be done. I know this is how major corporations send their email. Most email providers set daily limits too. So far I’ve been able to get around that by using several providers. It would be nice to have a provider that did not set limits though.
 
Any suggestions that any of you have would be greatly appreciated.
 
Gary
 
PS – As I was putting this message together, I received Cheryl Haagenson’s message that is included with this sending. She mentioned going on the Alaskan Cruise in July of 2009. Folks, this will be a great time for all of us Dunseith folks to get together and enjoy each others company for a whole week. We’ve got Sandra Trevers from the class of 60 that will be making all of the arrangements. She’s been in this business a long time and knows well how to arrange our travel and group activities. The 2009 cruise line schedules will not be posted until the April/May time frame, but we can be making plans. This is being planned for late July 2009 departing from Seattle. We chose late July to maybe accommodate some the farmers that may be interested in going. A summer cruise also accommodates the many Dunseith Alumni folks that are teachers or work for the schools. We will be sending out detailed info when the schedules are out and we have a cruise in place.

12/21/2007

Posted on by
Kenny Nerpel’s reply to Colette Hosmer feeding her dog in her underware:
Gary
Wow some guys had all the luck! Us country boys never saw anything like
that. Just udders right Gary?
Kenny(65)
 
 
Gary Stokes’ Reply to Kenny:
Kenny,
Yes, we saw lots of Udders both before an after school. I do not miss those cow milking days one bit. Dad would roll us out of bed every morning to milk the cows and do the chores before catching the bus to Dunseith. Even to this day I still have added strength with a hand squeeze that I developed from milking all those cows.
Gary(65)
 
 
Glenda Anderson Bergan’s message:
HI Gary
Just wanted to thank you, for all the Dunseith memories, keep them coming. and also wanted to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas, and a joyous New Year.
Glenda Anderson Bergan (60)
 
 
Colette Hosmers’s reply to Vance Bailey:
Vance,
That’s an amazing bit of information about the Hosmers and Baileys
intermingling in England. You’re right……the odds against both
winding up in Dunseith 200+ years later must be astronomical.Cousin Don must have been a first-rate rock thrower. Good thing kids
didn’t carry guns back then.
Colette (64)

 
 
Paulette La Croix’s added comment:
I forgot to add that I ashamedly joined the legions of kids who called poor Sy at his pool hall and asked him to let “Prince Albert” out of the can. Paulette La Croix (68)
 
 
 
Deb Morinville’s comments:
Paulette
I, too remember Sy Kadry! We weren’t allowed to go into the pool hall
especially the “back room”!! Dad’s store was next door and we sure got to
see some drama. I remember one time Sy was chasing some boys out and he
stood there in his black hat and white apron shaking his fist and, I think
cursing in Arabic! Do you also remember Charlie Anderson? How about Billy
Lawrence the blacksmith? I used to go there with Dad and I remember the
smell of grease and smoke. Dad’s old store was across the street from KC
Sine’s store and they had such a wonderful rivalry. He would tell us kids
that Joe Morinville was no good. He had no hair. We’d tell Dad and he would
laugh that big wonderful laugh! Do you also remember the “Snake Pit” ? I
remember having to go through it sometimes to get to the old bowling alley
and the Hackman boys were the pin boys. I also remember Sister Rose’s store.
My Mom called it ” Little Minot” To this day I when I smell mothballs I
think of Sister Rose! What a memory
Isn’t this fun? Thank you,Gary for all that you are doing !!
Deb Morinville Marmon ’70.