Reply from Marsha Getzlaff Bakken (’74):  Anchorage, AK

Hi all

On the photos Jimmy is right it is LeRae.

I want to say thanks for all the hard work in putting together blog. I read it always.

Thank you. Marsha (Getzlaff) Bakken

Thank You Marsha for the nice compliment.  Gary

Reply to the class of 73 pictures posted by Trish Larson Clayburgh
From LeaRae Parrill Espe (’67):  Bottineau, ND

Trish,

Just to let you know on the class of ’73.  #5 is definitely not my brother Clark Parrill.  He was in the Class of ’70

with your brother Greg. He never wore glasses until well into his 40s and he had curly  hair at that time .  e

My brother Joel was in the Class of ’75, but #5 is not him either..

Our folks used to play some tense games of whist.  Mom and Dad were just starting to learn bridge when your mom got sick.  Your parents were master bridge players and my folks really enjoyed those games.  Mom still enjoys an occasional game of whist, but the other partners are gone.

LeaRae Parrill  Espe Class of ’67

Three Forks, Montana

Reply/Picture from Neola Kofoid Garbe: Bottinea & Minot, ND

Gary,

Being Three Forks, Montana was mentioned in one of your recent blogs, I thought I’d send this picture of Mom that was taken in Three Forks MANY years ago—I think! LOL.  I see I’ve written it was taken between 1936-1939;  now think it was taken 1937-1938.

Neola

====================================
Blog (308) posted on December 14, 2008

We were talking about errors with yesterday’s message and lone behold when reading my returned copy I made another big one. What I meant to say was:

“In fact giving public address’ is not my thing.  I will leave all that up to the professionals, Bill Grimme and company.”

Folks, in regards to the Seattle Dunseith reunion, if you are thinking of going, to be assured of getting a reservation, please make your reservations ASAP with Bill Grimme. If for some reason you are unable to attend, Bill will refund your money up to 4 days before the reunion.  We have 150 slots reserved, but down the road, if the Best Western has another request for that same evening they may take some of those slots, down to the number we have signed up at that time, away from us. Right now we have the whole ball room with a capacity of 275. If you have misplaced your reservation form, Bill or I will gladly forward it to you.  Following this reunion, this event, with a group picture and a detailed write up, will be published in the Rolla, Bottineau and Belcourt papers.  If some of you folks, not going on the cruise, living outside of the Washington/Oregon area can make this reunion too, it would be wonderful.  Gary

With the death of Lois, I should have posted Orelle’s address and phone earlier. Gary

Clark, It is my pleasure to add you to our distribution list.  Gary

Reply from Joyce Boardman Smith (53): 

Hi Gary:

Please forward reply to

Tom Hagen.

Yes Tom I certainly do remember playing the Black Hawk waltz on the Piano.  Those were good times.  Many good memories from those days.

I now play piano for our Baptist church here in Chicago.

Mom was a wonderful woman.  After dad passed away we took her on vacations.  Most years we went fishing and she Loved it.  Also took her to the Grand Canyon, Smokey Mts., Blue Ridge Mts., etc.  Jim and I have many great memories of time spent with her.

Hope you and Dot have a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season.

Thanks Gary and Merry Christmas to you and your lovely wife.

Joyce Boardman-Smith

Reply from Lois Lilleby Fielding (51): 

To Larry Hackman:  Phil Larson is my cousin who lived in Phoenix, but moved to Houston TX, where of couse, it is very hot and also very humid.  His mother was my mom’s sister.  Phil’s sister Lynn and brother Lee live in AZ.

My Mom’s family was from south of Barton, Swedes among mostly Norwegians, but all friends.  I remember as a very young child going by horses and sleigh to the farms of my grandfather’s brothers –all half a mile apart. I can remember being wrapped in a huge quilt and that is was very exciting.  Great Uncle Ola would give me a coin and we probably ate lutefisk.  My daughters and I still make lefse and kaldomars for Christmas.  Thanks for interesting stories.  Lois Lilleby Fielding

Reply from Bill Hosmer (48): 

Gary and Larry, and Good Friends,    That was a classic take of the Thanksgiving trek.  The description of the new snow, and how it changed the attitude should be published, along with that equine check valve you talked about.  Again, it was 1961 for my time over Dunseith. Can’t take the blame for any other similar event.
Gary, I hope the sauce and book made it all the way.  Cheers, Bill Hosmer

Bill, I have not yet received your package. Priority mail normally comes through within a week or so, but things are slower this time of the year with all of the Christmas packages.  Bill Grimme sent me a CD well over a year ago that I have not yet received.  I’m assuming he sent it regular mail though.  I have never experienced any problems with priority mail coming to the PI.  FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc are guaranteed deliveries, but very expensive.  Gary

From Dick Johnson (68): 

Gary and Friends,

The cold north wind is howling and the snow is blowing here in the
Turtle Mts. It would seem like a good time to reminisce about days gone
by. Larry’s memory of taking the horses and bunk sleigh down to Walters
for Thanksgiving got me thinking about the trail they would have taken.
I will bet they went west from Gus’s and then south past Stowell lake
past Carlsons and Seims. That trail is the same one Floyd Lamb told me
about hauling hay on back in the ’30s. I hunted deer with Floyd and his
son Dean back in the late ’60s. I would drive up from town and be at
Lamb’s by about 5AM. Dorothy and Martha served breakfast, like none you
have ever experienced! We would eat and then go down in the basement to
put on our outdoor gear for the hunt. One day as I was putting on my
stuff, I looked up in the ceiling and spotted an old Winchester carbine
between the floor joists. I made some comment about the little rifle and
Floyd took it down and handed it to me. It had a saddle ring on the side
and showed a lot of honest wear, being worn to a shine on the outside. I
asked what the saddle ring was really for? That was when Floyd told me
the story. He said he didn’t know what others used the ring for, but
back in the ’30s his dad and he would have to go down the afore mentioned
trail to the Seim meadow to get hay. The snow was so deep that many wild
animals were having a hard time to survive. Coyotes were starving and
when the horses got into the deep snow, the coyotes would actually
ignore the humans and attempt to take the horses. He said the little
rifle hung by a leather strap on the rein post and the strap went
through the saddle ring. They had to shoot the coyotes to stop them from
trying to kill the horses. Coyotes normally run at the sound or scent of
humans, so these must have been on a’ last ditch’ effort to survive. The
depression years of the 30s were also well known for vicious cold and
nearly unmatched snow depths. This sounds similar to other stories of
those years of hard times. I have often wondered what became of the
little Winchester 25-20 with the desperate past. I sure hope the family
has been able to pass this gun down to some of the younger generation.
It certainly earned it’s keep! Thanks Gary!

Dick

Hiatt picture reply from Dave Slyter (70): 

Here is who’s who in the Walter Hiatt family

Back row:  Freddie Hiatt, Delores Hiatt (Birkland) Eldon Hiatt
Front row: Bernard Hiatt, Julia Hiatt, Lois Hiatt,(Fugure),Walter Hiatt, Wallace Hiatt

What a great picture.  Thanks for sharing Stan, Joan and Dick.

Also thank you everyone for thinking of the Hiatt/Slyter family during our loss of Lois.  It is much appreciated.

Dave Slyter (70)

Hiatt picture reply from Rhonda Hiatt (75): 

Gary,

Thanks Dick and Stan for the great picture of the Hiatt family. The back row from the left is Freddie (Dad), Delores, Eldon. The front row from the left is Bernard, Julia, Lois, Walter and Wallace. I have seen this picture before, but I don’t think I have a copy so will print it out. Thanks so much!!

Rhonda

Hiatt picture reply from Bobby Slyter (70):

Hiatt picture reply from Evon Lagerquist (77): lagerquist@srt.com

From left to right in the back: Freddie, Delores, Eldon

In front from left to right: Bernard, Aunt Julia, Lois, Uncle Walter, and Wallice.

Thanks Gary!

Evon

Evon, with your mother, Leola, being a Hiatt, Walter and Julia were indeed her first degree uncle and aunt.  Gary

Hiatt picture reply from Stan Solmonson (61): 

Hi Gary,

Photo family order:  Back Row- Freddie, Delores, Eldon; Frist Row: Bernard, Julia, Lois, Walter, Wallice.

Juila and my Grandmother Arla Millang were sisters.

Sounds like you had a great time on celebrating your 30 th Anniversary.  We’re happy for you.  Steve had

an enjoyable time in Hong Kong too and got home safely.  He appreciated your phone call and regretted that

you were unable to get together.

We’re having a really cold, snowy and windy storm here with -14 degrees.

Thanks for all you do.

Stan (61)

Stan, I thought I knew most all the relationships of the folks up in our neck of the woods, but I never new that your mother, Agnes, was related to the Borre Johnson family. With the Hiatt’s and Johnson’s many of our readers are related the Walter & Julia Hiatt family.

Speaking of weather, last night when we were sitting outside chatting with the folks in our compound, they were chilled and started covering their arms with towels to keep warm.  The temperature was 81F.  I talked to Warren Anderson, in Rolette, yesterday and he said there was a big storm headed for the area with predicted -65 degree temps, with the wind chill factor, to follow the storm. I think it would be neat to experience the cold and snow again.  The last time I was in ND, in the winter, was 1970.  Gary

From Cecile Gouin Craig (61): 

How many of us remember the aprons? All our grandma’s or Mother’s had aprons. Cecile

Message from Janelle Fugere Montgomery:  Denton, TX.

Hi Gary,

I would like to be added to the Dunseith Blog.  I am the daughter of Lois Hiatt Fugere.  My brother, Delmer Fugere forwards me information and though I don’t know many people personally I recognize names my parents talked about growing up.  I think it would fun to read and keep up with folks from North Dakota where my parents grew up.

Thank you,

Janelle Fugere Montgomery

Janelle, With pleasure I have added you to our distribution list. Coming from the Fugere and Hiatt families, you have many fine relatives, many of whom are on our distribution. Gary

Class of 73 photo ID’S
From Jeff Campbell (’76):  Bismarck, ND

1 Jim Casavant, 2 Vicki Johnson, 3-4 Becky Coleman and Cathy Campbell, 5 Clark Malaterre, 6 Cathy Campbell, 7 Edith Struck, 8 Laura Fettig, 9 Becky Coleman, 10 Dean Striker, 11-12 Lynn Gillis & LeRae Hagel

Class of 73 photo ID’S
From Aggie Casavant (’79):  Fort Mill, SC

Hi  Gary,

In  ref  to the  Class  of  73  I  think  it’s  like  this:  #1. Jimmy  Casavant   #2. Laurie  Evans  #5. George  Maleterre #6. Kathy  Campbell  #10.   Dean Striker  #8.  Laura   Fettig  #9.  —— Petersen….or  a  Getzlaff  girl.  I  think  I  have  those  ones  right. Aggie

Class of 73 photo ID
From Rob Olson (’79):  Walla Walla, WA

Number 5 is Clark Malaterre a great friend who left us way to early.

Class of 73 photo Comment
From Flavia Moraes (’73): 

So good to see my classmates.

Class of 73 pictures
Posted by Trish Larson Clayburgh (’73): Montana

====================================
Blog (307) posted on December 13, 2008

Peter Richard (51):

Folks, Peter Richard called me today.   Peter was with the class of 51. He transferred to the academy in Willow City his senior year.  Peter has been in the real-estate business for many years. He and his wife just returned from a South America Cruise.  I called and left a message with his voice mail when he was gone and he returned my call.  I located Peter when Tom Hagen told me that he was in their class. I have pasted Peter’s address and phone number below, however he does not have email. Peter is a really friendly sort of a guy, so I’m sure he’d enjoy hearing from you guys.  Gary

Reply from Rhonda Hiatt (75): 

Gary,

No need to apologize. I don’t know how you keep any of this straight,with everyone sending things in and you putting it all together everyday, and then sending it back out. You really do such a remarkable job. It seems like everyday someone wants to be added to the list and that just shows you how much this really means to everyone. When you are at the dinner in Seattle, I hope you stand up and take a bow, you certainly deserve it.

Rhonda Hiatt (75)

Rhonda, I am so glad that you and several others pointed those errors out to me.  I encourage folks to let me know of these mistakes.  I am not bothered in the least by them doing so.  I will admit, that was a gross error that I should have caught before hitting the send button.

About taking a bow, I kind of don’t think that will happen.  I’d rather be in the shadows. In fact giving public address’ is not my thing.  I will leave all that up to the professions, Bill Grimme and company.  With the reports that I’ve gotten, I think the majority of you Vancouver folks plan to attend the Dunseith Reunion dinner at the Best Western, in Seattle on July 24th.  That’s wonderful!  We are looking forward to seeing everyone.  Gary

From Shirley Olson Warcup (49): 

Condolences to Lois Hiatt’s family,

I was sorry to hear of Lois’s death.  I am 7 or 8 years older than Lois so didn’t know her as an adult.  I remember her only as a child–a very pretty little girl.  I also did not know about the death of Wallace.  (For those who may not know this–Lois and Wallace are my cousins.  Our mothers were sisters.)  I’m grateful to Gary for this service he’s providing.  It really does keep us informed and connected.  Thanks Gary!

Shirley Warcup

From Bobby Slyter (70): 

JUST LITTLE OLE  ME FROM KANSAS

Another great story from Larry Hackman (66): 

Larry, You mention being a little bit over 50.  If memory serves me right, I think you were a year behind me and I’m 61, so I’d say you are indeed, over 50 by a few years. Gary

Gary

How areyou?  Glad to have you back with us.  Here is a  little story about a day gone by.  Things are all white around here in Dakota land, and we are getting ready for temperatures that will be well below the ones we keep in our freezers.

Put a smile on your face and we will turn up the thermostats.

Take care,

Larry

Thanksgiving Day Trip in the early 1950’s

It snowed the night before.  There must of been at least a foot of nice fresh snow laying on the ground in a giant undisturbed quilt.  Isn’t it funny how it changes your whole perspective on the world.  With the sun shining It looks like a new beginning, everything looks so nice and clean and bright.  We were invited to my uncle and aunts, Ed and Celia Walter farm for Thanksgiving dinner.  Dad knew there was no way he was going to get there with the car, and nobody would be opening up the roads on Thanksgiving Day.

Dad went and harnessed up the team of horses and pulled the sleigh with hay rack up along side the grain wagon.  Then he slide the the hay rack off the sleigh onto the ground and then slide the grain box from the wagon onto the sleigh.  People were strong in them days.  I suppose because most things were done by hand.  I don’t remember anyone ever going to the gym to work out.  What was a gym?  The grain box which measured 4 to 5 feet wide and 10 to 12 feet long, and with 4 ft. sides all the way around,  was then filled with a couple feet of straw.  Mom had all us kids, I think there was 5 or 6 of us at the time all bundled up.  We were all put into the wagon  box, and then they got in with us.  We were off to grandma’s house all nice and snug in the straw.  Us boys standing hanging onto the side watching the scenery go by. Grandma Hackman along with my two uncles lived on a farm located about a mile southwest of us.   The three of them got into the grain box with us and we proceeded across country through the trees to the Walter Farm.  The Walter farm is located about 4 miles south of my Grandma’s Farm as a crow would fly, if it would fly straight.

Dad,s team of horses, two black mares, worked good together as they trotted  through the snow pulling us along behind on the sleigh.  Babe the leader of the two horses guided us along the trail with directions signaled to her through the reins that were handled by my dad.  The other horse who was named Topsey because of her large body balanced on top of legs that looked to small to support her body, trotted along side Babe.  Many years ago a older gentleman from the Turtle Mountians told me the story of Dad buying the two horses at a sale being held at the County Fair in Rolla, ND.  He said there were more people outside the fence watching my dad break them horses to ride then there were inside the fence going to the fair.  He said my dad was blessed with long legs and once he wrapped them around a horse he was on to stay.  Dad rode one horse and lead the other from the fair grounds to the farm located about 10 miles northwest of Rolla.

Did you ever notice while working with horses or on hay rides, that horses seem to take more air in through their nostrils then they are able to expel  through them? There must be a check valve located somewhere between their lungs and their nose to keep their lungs full so that they can exert more force for pulling.  If this is the case,  there must be a pressure relief valve to keep them from exploding.  Apparently this valve is located to the rear of the animal?  This is probably why more people ride them?

Back to Thanksgiving.

It was a beautiful day the sun was shining and there was no wind.  Any day the winds not blowing, is a beautiful day in North Dakota.  We arrived at the Walter farm and had a delicious Turkey dinner.  After the meal the men sat down to visit and the women were busy visiting and cleaning up.  The boys were chased out of the house.  Which, always seemed to happen to the boys after eating a meal.  I wonder why?  I don’t know where the girls would go.  I know there was plenty of snow for washing faces outside.  The Walter boys who were in there teens at the time kept us busy.  I remember them showing us there home made 22 pistols that they had built using a small pipe and a carved wood handle with a nail for a firing pin.  I remember they took us to this pond that had a nice undisturbed layer of fresh snow on it, where they tramped out paths in the shape of a huge wagon wheel.  We played fox and goose.  I remember I didn’t like the game much, as when I became it , I ended up staying it, as my legs were short and the snow was deep.  Hell, I wouldn’t of been able to catch them guys if I had on tennis shoes and been on a paved track.  I was more like that little guy on that movie, A Christmas Story, where that little guy had on so many clothes that when he fell over he couldn’t get back up.  However we all must have worked up quite an appetite by mid afternoon, as the Walter boys snuck, sneaked, into the chicken coupe and got some eggs.  We then went off into trees, brush and found a secluded spot.  There they built a campfire, took a coffee can, filled it with snow, put it on the fire and when the water was boiling,  they put in the eggs.  We had boiled eggs for lunch.

The next thing I knew the folks were holloring.  It was time to load up and head for home as they wanted to be home before dark.  At home there would be cows to milk, eggs to gather, and animals to feed.

We proceeding along at pretty good clip with the horse drawn sleigh through the woods when all of a sudden one of the back runners of the sleigh caught a rock or a stump,  Grandma Hackman who was about 75 years old was standing in the back of the box was catapaulted into the air and out of the box.  She landed head first in a snow bank.  Dad got the team stopped and his two brothers got out and picked up their mother.  She was alright.  I emagine with all the clothes she had on and the fresh snow provided her with a soft landing.  They got grandma back into the box and we proceeded on our way.  I don’t know what was said,  but I do know that Grandma said something and my dad and his two brothers, pretty much laughed the rest of the way home.  Their loud laughter echoing through the trees on a quiet evening, was a nice finishing touch, to a great day.

 A couple of thoughts

I know this was at a different time but I just don,t remember throwing rocks at that old car body.  I don’t remember you even hiding in there. Were we playing hide-and-seek.  It must have been somebody else that threw them rocks or maybe there was just a small hail storm over that old car body?

I don’t recall who mentioned this, but I do recall that there were two fly-overs, over Dunseith. I don’t know the years for sure.  I remember being on the south end of Main when the street lights started rattling and before you knew it, these jets went flying by.  I’m thinking this was in 1962.  The other incident was prior to 1962, and I remember watching the jets fly over town from our yard located two blocks west of the Drug Store.  I don’t know if it was, The Thunderbrids, Blue Angels, or a joy-stick jockey from the Minot Air Base. but, I do know that everyone blamed that crazy Hosmer kid, for both fly overs.  By the way, I am a little bit over 50.  Where have the years gone?

There was a Phillip Larson that use to come up from Arizonia and spend summers, across the street from us, at Arnold Lilleby’s.  He would stretch a hammock between two trees on the north side of Arnold’s house.  My job being the good neighbor kid, was to sneak over and tip him out, and try to take his place in the hammock.  We also shared and traded a lot of comic books.  He was the first one to tell me, that it gets so hot in Phoenix, AZ. in the summer time, that you can fry eggs on the street.  Now my sister Betty lives down there and she has told me the same thing.  I suppose it does save on washing dishes?

Laugh and the whole world laughs with you.

Larry

Walter Hiatt Family photo provided by Stan Salmonson (61) & Dick Johnson (68):

Gary and Friends,

This afternoon I stopped in at Northland Builders in Dunseith. Stan
Salmonson handed me a picture of the Walter and Julia Hiatt family from
the mid ’40s. This is Lois Hiatt Fugere’s family and she is the little
girl in the front, with blond hair. She recently passed away at about
age 70. I think many of the readers are acquainted with, or related to,
the Hiatts. The family consisted of Walter and Julia–parents, Freddie,
Delores, Eldon, Bernard, Wallice, and Lois. Thanks for posting, Gary.

Dick

We know who the family members are, but other than for Walter, Julia & Lois; I’m not sure who’s who in this

photo.If some of you can identify who’s who, I will repost with names.  Thanks, Gary

                               Walter & Julia Hiatt Family

Dunseith News Provided by Neola Kofoid Garbe:

Class of 73 pictures

Posted by Trish Larson Clayburgh (’73): trish.wild@yahoo.com Montana

Folks,
This is the list of  folks in this picture, but I do not know who is who. I think No 5 is Clark Parrill, but not sure. No 9 looks like Trish Larson.
Need some help please.
Gary

Jimmy Casavant, Clark Parrill?, Laura Fettig, Dean Striker, Vickie Johnson- Not in our class but always with us. Cathy Campbell, Becky Coleman, LaRae Hagel, Lynn Gillis, Beck Coleman, Cathy Campbell and Edith Struck

Joke of the day

A man walks out to the street and catches a taxi  just going by.  He gets into the taxi, and the cabbie says, “Perfect timing. You’re just like Frank.”

Passenger: “Who?”

Cabbie: “Frank Feldman … he’s a guy who did everything right all the time.

Like my coming along when you needed a cab, things happened like that to Frank Feldman every single time.”

Passenger: “There are always a few clouds over everybody.”

Cabbie: “Not Frank Feldman. He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand Slam at tennis.  He could golf with the pros. He sang like an opera baritone, and danced like a Broadway star.  And you should have heard him play the piano! He was an amazing guy.”

Passenger: “Sounds like he was somebody really special.”

Cabbie: “Oh hell there’s more. He had a memory like a computer. He remembered everybody’s birthday.  He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat it with. And he could fix anything. Not like me I change a fuse, and the whole street blacks out. But Frank Feldman, he could do everything right.”

Passenger: “Wow, some guy then.”

Cabbie: “He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoid traffic jams.

Not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them.  But Frank, he never made mistakes, and he really knew how to treat a woman and make her feel good.  He would never argue back, even if she was in the wrong; and His clothing was always immaculate, shoes highly polished too.

He was the perfect man! I never knew him to make a mistake!  No one could ever measure up to Frank Feldman.”

Passenger: “An amazing fellow. How did you meet him?”

Cabbie: “I never actually met Frank. He died, and I married his wife”!

====================================
Blog (306) posted on December 12, 2008

First of all, I want to apologize for a gross error that I made with the caption above Lois Hiatt’s picture with yesterday’s message.  Actually there were two mistakes. Lois is Deceased, not Diseased and she died in Dec. not Nov. That was a typing error on my part. I actually caught both those mistakes when I re-read my returned copy. Often times I forget to use spell check, but I did spell check yesterday’s message. With Diseased being a word, spell check did not detect the error. Often times I find my self reading right over some very obvious errors when proof reading what I am sending. Thanks to those of you that replied with corrections to those errors.  I really do appreciate all replies with corrections.  Gary

Reply from Rhonda Hiatt (75): rhonda_hiatt@yahoo.com

Hi Gary,

Yes, we are all on the list now. Thank you for the pictures of Lois. I didn’t have any pictures of her where she was that young. I never really thought I looked like her, but I do see the resemblance when I look at the picture now, although she was a lot prettier then I was at that age.

Thanks to everyone who have sent pictures of the Hiatt family. I think Dick is the main person who has sent some if not all of them in. It is nice to be able to print out ones that we have never seen or didn’t have.

To Rita Anderson: Sometimes I don’t think my memory isn’t as good anymore either, but Wallace passed away (I think) a year ago and then not too long after that, it was Eldon. The only one left is Bernard.
Wow, I didn’t know Dad had worked at the Gamble store. I do know that Mom and Dad really enjoyed being around you and Edgar.

Rhonda Hiatt

Gary, I hit the send button by mistake I wanted to add Happy Holidays to Rita and I changed the caption over the picture of Lois to Dec 08 and Deceased.

Thanks
Rhonda

Reply from Bobby Slyter (70): 

TO RITA ANDERSON: BERNARD HIATT IS THE ONLY CHILD LEFT LIVING IN THE WALTER AND JULIA HIATT FAMILY. HE LIVES IN WASHINGTON STATE, UNCLE WALLY PASSED DEC 16, 2006

JUST LITTLE OLE  ME FROM KANSAS

Condolences to the Hiatt Family from Bev Morinville Azure (72):

To the  Hiatt, and  slyters , I am  so sorry to hear  of the  passing of your  aunt. Please  know you are all in my  prayers
  GOD  BLESS YOU …………BEV

Question from Sybil Johnson: 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, to all of you! Does anyone know what happened to Hazel Hiatt? I remember her always wearing men’s clothes, but she was a hard worker.

Seeing the Hiatt name many times, these past months, reminds me of her coming to Bernice’s house all the time. She was a tiny woman, as I remember and

always wore a cowboy hat. I have a picture of her, somewhere and when I find it, I will put it on.

Sybil (great_grandma2007@msn.com)

Bill Hosmer’s (48) Reply to Don Aird: 

Gary and All.  I was pleased to read about Don Aird’s commennts.  His Mother worked at the Hosmer Store for many years.  When I was a kid, in the 30’s  I mean the decade, not my age, folks, I would walk into the store, go into the “Ladies Side” as was called the dress, notions, and other “lady merchandise” part of the store.  I tried to time it around mid afternoon, because Clarissa usually went for coffee, or something at the drug store. If I looked a little neglected, she would invite me to the drug store for a malted milk made by Annabelle, or Glen, or even Mrs Horsman, who owned the store before Glen Shelver took it.  I was in a little bit of heaven sipping that tall treat, with leftover poured into my glass.  She was a gracious and wonderful example of generosity.  There was not alot of money going on in those days, and every free goodie was most appreciated.

Another of my memories was when she invited several of us “town kids” to visit her parents farm, and watch what “farm kids” did for excitement.  Mr and Mrs Carlson showed us about, let us ride some of their horses, with supervision by your  Aunt Ursella.  I got on a horse bare back, behind her, and we took off on a dead gallop straight west to that willow  grove which was close to the intersection of no. 3 and the east west road I think has been referred to as cigarette, or snoose or cigar corner.  When we did the fast hard turn back to the barn yard, I nearly came off, but managed to firm up the  grip I had around her and she laughed it off.  She showed town kids what it’s like out there, and did it with alot of class.  The visit included a typically delicious lunch for everyone.  Mr Carlson was busy with the stock the whole time, but managed to introduce us to the animals and treat us with his hospitality.
Now, one more thing I remember, is that before your Dad and Mother were married, my Dad volunteered our taking care of a dog which Don Aird owned while he made a trip somewhere. It was for a few days.  It was a big dog, which was like a Bull Mastiff, or Newfoundland breed, and that dog was bigger and heavier than me, but I spent hours with him in our yard, where he was tied to our outdoor pump. When anyone or any critter came into the yard, that dog would get into a defensive crouch and start barking and showing teeth.  Never did to me, so I’d tell all my friends happening by that it was a one man dog, and I was that man. I think I’d impress  my pals by saying that the dog could pull out that pump and chase you if you do something funny.

So, these remembrances may add a little to your understanding of what a fine heritage you have.  Don and Gary, Thanks for the memories.  Bill Hosmer

Bonnie Awalt Houle’s (56) reply with names for pictures: 

Hello Gary,

You will probably get this twice as I am having a problem with my e-mail.  Rather than take the chance that it didn’t get sent at all I am redoing this message.

Picture 1:  1953 Cheerleaders  Elaine Schneider, Janice Leonard, Bonnie Awalt, Lois Hiatt

Picture2:  Girls Basketball 1954-55:  Back:  ?Knox, Ellen Graft, Joanne Kester, Barbara Bott, Arlene Allard, Mr. Conroy
Front:  Lois Hiatt, Marlene Kraft, Arline Lamoureux, Millie Crum, Mickey Haagenson, Bonnie Awalt

Picture 3: Cheerleaders 55-56  Lois Hiatt, Janice Leonard, Mickey Haagenson, Bonnie Awalt

Picture 4 Girls Basketball 1952-53   Hopefully the names will show up on the photo.  (SEE ATTACHMENT)

Back:  Elaine Schneider, Carol Fassett, Arliss Nordquist, Neva Haagenson, Babe (Joy) Nordquist, Lois Hiatt, Bonnie Awalt, Mr. Berg

Front:   Viola Hobbs, Arline Lamoureux, Millie Crum, Doris Peterson, Betty Lou Poeppel, Janice Leonard

Thank you again for all you do to keep the Dunseith People connected.
Bonnie Awalt Houle 56

Requesting information about Joseph LaFrance
Request from Scott Finholm Grand Junction CO.

Gary,

I read with interest the blog post by Sharon Gottbreht Shen back in 2013. I am, through my mother Edna (LaFrance) Finholm and grandfather Amos LaFrance, related to Joseph LaFrance. I was wondering if I might be able to get some information from you or Mrs Shen. I am related through his second marriage it would seem.

Thanks,

Scott Finholm
Grand Junction Colorado

Pictures of some band members at Dunseith High School year 1959
Posted by Ginger LaRocque Poitra (’65):  Belcourt, ND

Hi Gary,

I am sending 2 pictures, the picture of the girl chorus are,  from left to right are Karen Woodford, Shirley LaRocque and Janice LaCroix. The guy chorus are from left to right,  Larry Schneider, Micky Kester, Lowell Leonard, Floyd Pritchard and David Lowell (unsure of this spelling, could be Lo.)

Thanks Gary

Ginger

Hilltop School Field Trip 1954
Picture from Larry Hackman (’66): Bismarck, ND.

Gary

This is the best I could do with this old picture from a field trip we took in 1954 as students at Hilltop School.  I think Mrs. Halvorson was the the teacher at the time.  Mrs. Halvorson had us all walk about a half mile north of the school to a site at the Art Espe Farm.  They were preparing to drill for oil on that site and we were all sitting and standing on the drilling derrick in this picture.  Mrs. Halvorson took this picture and presented each student with a photo.  Later on the drillers or Espe’s brought round chunks of granite that were about six inches in diameter X  ten inches long to the school that were brought up from the earth during the drilling process.  Does anyone have better photo?

This photo is not in very good condition, but I would like to have you go ahead and put it on the blog and maybe someone with a better copy will send a copy  to you that we can all look at and figure out who the students are.

Thank You,

Larry

Cebu Philippines Radisson Hotel – Monday 5/25/2012
Cebu Expat Dinner with about 130 Expat friends.

====================================
Blog (305) posted on December 11, 2008

Hiatt Bonebrake (81): 

Folks, We have added Julie Hiatt Bonebrake to our distribution. She is the youngest daughter of Freddie and Margo Hiatt. Julie graduated from Rugby, but was with the class of 81 in Dunseith.  She is currently living in Minot.  Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I think we have all of Freddie and Margo’s children (Richard, David, Bobby (Slyter), Brenda, Rhonda, Kim & Julie; on our distribution list. It’s wonderful having all of you guys included with the distribution of these messages.  Gary

Lois Hiatt Fugere (56)
   Diseased Nov. 08

Reply from Rhonda Hiatt (75): 

When I heard that my Aunt Lois Hiatt passed away, it brought back a lot of memories of their family and ours and of the times we spent together. As far back as I can remember, people always said that I looked exactly like Lois. When Grandma Hiatt passed away, and we were at her funeral, this lady came up to me (I don’t remember who she was) and she was talking to me like she knew me and I kept thinking to myself I don’t know who this lady is. Later I saw her talking to my Mom (Margaret Hiatt) and I went over to them and Mom said This is Rhonda. That whole time she had been talking to me earlier, she thought I was Lois.

It is sad to hear of her passing, but also brings comfort knowing that she, like my Dad are no longer suffering from that horrible disease.

Rhonda Hiatt (75)

Reply from Don Aird:

Folks, Don’s mother was Clarissa Carlson, sister to Carroll.  She died in 1952.

I was standing the on the roof of Shelver’s Drug Store when Bill Hosmer flew his jet down main street!  I remember I could read the markings on his fuselage

Mr. Wonderful

Follow up Reply from Don:
They (Hosmer’s)were good friends of my parents – I’m not sure if I ever met them.  Their store was right across the street from Shelver’s Drug store.  My Mother worked for Glenn when Dad was overseas during WW II.

Mr. Wonderful

Cancer update from Neola Kofoid Garbe: 

Gary,

If you would like, you may include this in your alumni news.  Special thanks to Ely, Paula, and Bev for their comments/emails.

Neola

Hi Everyone,

I FINALLY have time to update you on my “breast cancer saga”.

For those of you who might not have heard, I was diagnosed with non-invasive breast cancer last week.  At one time, this news would have been devastating.  However, at this point in my life, I look at it as one more experience God is adding to my life’s resume.

Wally/I met with the oncologist (Dr. Freiberg) yesterday; he explained my choices.  He was very thorough; our appointment least 2 hours.  He’s a neat fellow.  I chose the same treatment many of you have chosen: lumpectomy, radiation, anti-estrogen pills, etc.  I have an appointment with Dr. Lane Lee, surgeon, on December 18.  At that time, a surgery date will be set up–most likely after Christmas.  Sometime after the surgery, the radiation will start.

Thanks for all the emails/prayers.  I am truly blessed to have so many caring friends/relatives.  Because of the many emails I’ve received, I MIGHT not have time to reply to each one–again, because of all you caring people.  Thanks!  I don’t expect to know more until after December 18; I’ll send an update then.

Thanks again for all the emails/prayers/concerns/etc.  As I do with everything, I take it one day at a time and let God do the driving/leading/guiding/etc.

Merry Christmas to all of you!  I may/may not get a Christmas letter composed and sent.  Not because of my health, but because I’m a procrastinator!!

Neola

Message & Pictures from Bonnie Awalt Houle (56):

Dear Gary,

It was so sad to hear that Lois had passed away.  She will leave a big whole in the hearts of those that knew her.  Lois and I graduated together, we were in basketball, choir, and cheerleading.  I am attaching some of the pictures of Lois and the activities she was involved with.  My deepest sympathy to all her family.  I can just imagine Mickey, Millie and Lois having the grandest reunion together.  CELEBRATE GIRLS YOU ARE MISSED.

Bonnie Awalt Houle class of 1956

Bonnie, If you can identify those in these pictures I will repost them with names.  Thanks Gary

                                Lois Hiatt Fugere (56)
                                    Diseased Nov. 08

From Lois Lilleby Fielding (51):
Lois, This is wonderful. Thanks for sharing. Gary

Hello,

Your friend Lois Fielding has sent you the following webpage :

http://www.openmyeyeslord.net/ALookBackInHistory.htm

She/He included the following message:

Hi Gary.  If this goes through successfully, it is long but good.  Lois

Norway
Reply from Dick Johnson (’68): Dunseith, ND

Gary and Friends,

The old customs in Norway have changed much like everywhere else and because of that,  they have lessened the tradition of eating lutefisk too.  When we were there a year ago,  I asked my cousin if they still have big meals with lutefisk and lefse.  He said, in his strong Norskie brogue, “Ah, not so much anymore.”  When we went to his mom’s house for supper,  it was a big meal of ham, potatoes, carrots, homemade bread, and more.  Most of the time they have meals of open faced sandwiches,  many kinds of cheese, potatoes,  and other healthy stuff.

After a week of that though, this old cowboy was wishing for a big greasy cheese burger and when we got to Oslo, I saw a Burger King downtown and we had a couple whoppers and fries and a Coke.  It tasted good and I don’t really even like Burger King back here.  The part that is hard to believe is that it cost us 238 Kroner which somewhere around $50+ US dollars.  It’s really expensive for everything in Norway but they make better wages but pay nearly half in taxes.  Cheap hotel rooms are around $350 US a night.  The good part is that they have huge breakfasts included in the price and that helps some with not having to go out and spend big money right away for that.  They have several kinds of meat and eggs done many different ways and lots of bacon, cheeses, several types of homemade breads, and on and on.  We ate enough to last most of the day.  We never saw many overweight people in Norway either.

Maybe they can’t afford to get overweight?  Thanks Gary!!

Reply from Neola Kofoid Garbe: Bottineau & Minot, ND

Hi Gary,

After seeing/reading my email about having breast cancer (2008) in your blog a couple of days ago.  I thought I’d send an update. I had completely forgotten when I had breast cancer, so after reading my email in your newsletter, I now know the date. LOL After sending that email to you, I had a lumpectomy/32?radiation treatments/have been fine since then—thanks to the MANY prayers that were prayed for me, including those of your readers.   You are probably aware people who experience cancer often take the medication Tamoxifen for 5 years after treatment is concluded.  After about 2 years, my doctor changed Tamoxifen to a supposedly newer/better medication.  After taking this for awhile, I started having side effects (I don’t even remember what they were—uff da!).  My doctor then switched me back to Tamoxifen.  I continued having side effects, so the dosage was reduced.  This didn’t help, so I was told to discontinue taking any medication along this line (I probably took some type “cancer” medication for between 2-3 years and no medication for the remainder of the 5 years.).  I put my trust in God/didn’t worry about what would happen if I didn’t take medication.  I’m happy to report all is well.  I’ve had “clean” mammograms since then.  I sometimes have my mammograms in Minot/sometimes in Bottineau.  It’s much easier/quicker to get an appointment in Bottineau. They do an EXCELLENT job, so that’s where I try to have my mammograms now.  I’m going to put in a “plug” for the “Bottineau Hospital”/Clinic”.  I’ve had various procedures (mammograms/ultra-sound/will have a bone density test when I return to Bottineau/done in Bottineau.  I’ve been VERY PLEASED with anything I’ve had done there.)

I’m sure you noticed I’ve developed my own punctuation rules since retiring. LOL

I’ll TRY to get some Dunseith News scanned/sent to you soon.  I don’t seem to have very much “ambition” some days.

Neola

Pictures of some band members at Dunseith High School year 1959
Posted by Ginger LaRocque Poitra (’65): Belcourt, ND

Can anyone identify those in these pictures? 

This could have happened at a different year but I am pretty sure they all are from the class of 1959

Ginger

====================================
Blog (304) posted on December 10, 2008

Condolences to the Hiatt family from Dick & Brenda Johnson (68):

Gary and Friends, I want to thank Jacqueline Hiatt Fix for letting us know of Lois’s passing. Our condolences to the Hiatt family. Dick and Brenda

Reply from Dave Slyter (70):

To Jacqueline Hiatt   Thank you so much for letting us all know that Aunt Lois has passed away.   She was a wonderful, kind hearted Aunt who will be missed a lot.   She too, like our dad Freddie Hiatt, had dementia in her later years of her life.  It robs them of all memories of the present and most of the past.  It’s a very sad disease and it is very hard on the immediate family.   Our condolences to Dana, Delmar, and Janelle and their Dad Orelle.   You will be in our thoughts and prayers.   Dave Slyter

Reply from Bobby Slyter (70):

Message from Lynn Halvorson Otto (75):

Hi Gary and all, congrats on your anniversary and trip to Hong Kong.  I haven’t been there yet but hopefully before we move back to the states someday.

I want to wish all my family, friends and everyone on this Dunseith site a blessed and very Merry Christmas.  We have lots to be thankful for.  Thanks again Gary for putting this all together.  It’s a great walk down memory lane.  Lynn Otto

Folks, Lynn is currently living in Korea.  Gary

Debbie Mongeon Cernohous’ (66) reply to Gary:

Debbie, I hope you don’t mind me sharing your reply. I know many folks remember you.

Folks, A co-worker (Jane) of Debbie’s recently visited family here in the PI.  Gary

Hi Gary,

Just had to let you know that Jane was in with her pictures from the PI. Such beauty in places and poverty in others.  She had a great time and is glad to be back home.

We now have about 7 inches of snow her in Wisconsin and love it.  We don’t have the harsh winters like ND.  I like to snow shoe and cross country ski so hope to do it over Christmas break.

It is always so good to hear all the news from classmates.  But we did talk at the class reunion so have seen each other in the last couple of years.

Debbie

Reply from Bill Grimme (65):

Gary,

Great picture of you at McDonald’s in Hong Kong! You and I have a lot in common, we find the best things in life no matter where they are! Can’t beat good old American Fast Food!

Bill

Thunderbird article provide by Susan Fassett Martin (65):

Bill Hosmer with the Thunderbirds. The date got cut off, but I think this was 1961? Gary

    Happy Birthday Ramona Thiefoe LaVallie (’66): Dunseith, ND

              Happy Birthday Fred Dutra: Lacy WA

Reply to Vickie Metcalfe’s Norwegian posting
From Keith Pladson (’66):  Roanoke Rapids, NC

Hello Gary,

I still enjoy very much reading your posts, though I haven’t written for a while.  Hope Bernadette is feeling better today. I enjoyed reading Vickie Metcalfe’s recent post as it jogged my memory of a time past in my life and it also provided just a wee bit of humor too.  Several years ago the Government Agency where I worked had a contract with ORACLE to help develop a computer system to automate our then very out dated manual system.  As a functional government representative I worked closely with several of the ORACLE programmers and got to know several of them quite well.  ORACLE had a truly international staff and one of the programmers was a young man from Norway by the name of Per.  Because of my ancestry (mostly Norwegian) Per and I chit chatted often.  More than once I overheard him speaking with his wife on the phone and they always spoke only in Norwegian.  One of the first times I overheard him, he asked if I understood anything he was saying with his wife and I assured him I could not as the only things I understood or could say in Norwegian were a few cuss words (that my dad inadvertently taught me) and the numbers up to ten. In any case, I once asked him if he ate lutefisk.  His response was much like my own – “why would anyone want to eat rotten fish?”  He (Per) had an uncle who had come to the US many years ago and became a US citizen and lived in the Twin City area.  Per and his wife travelled to Minnesota a few times to visit with his uncle and he said he had observed that eating lutefisk seemed to be a bigger thing (or more important) to Norwegians in America than to natives in Norway.  But he did concede that in certain regions of Norway it may be more important and eaten more than in others like where he came from near Oslo. I also noted with humor that Vickie spelled “rullepolse” three different ways.  Since I am not aware of that particular dish, I decided to do a little google search (aren’t search engines wonderful?).  What I found was that rullepolse is a Danish dish but that it is also made in the other Scandinavian countries.  In any case it sounds good.  Thanks Vickie, for jogging my memory of my many talks with Per.

Keith Pladson (66)

Keith,

I have a lot Norwegian Citizen friends here in Cebu. They too said that Lutefisk is not as popular in Norway as in the USA.

Gary

Humor of the day
Posted by Larry Hackman (’66): Bismarck, ND

BRITISH HUMOR IS DIFFERENT

These are classified ads, which were actually placed in U.K. Newspapers:

FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER.

8 years old,

Hateful little bastard.

Bites!

FREE PUPPIES

1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 1/2 sneaky neighbor’s dog.

FREE PUPPIES.

Mother is a Kennel Club registered German Shepherd.

Father is a Super Dog, able to leap tall fences in a single bound.

COWS, CALVES: NEVER BRED.

Also 1 gay bull for sale.

JOINING NUDIST COLONY !

Must sell washer and dryer £100..

WEDDING DRESS FOR SALE .

Worn once by mistake.

Call Stephanie.

**** And the WINNER is…. ****

FOR SALE BY OWNER.

Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica, 45 volumes.

Excellent condition, £200 or best offer. No longer needed, got married, wife knows everything.

Statement of the Century

Thought from the Greatest Living Scottish Thinker–Billy Connolly. “If women are so bloody perfect at multitasking, How come they can’t have a headache and sex at the same time?”

 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Children Are Quick

___________________________________

TEACHER: Why are you late?

STUDENT: Class started before I got here.

____________________________________

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?

JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.

__________________________________________

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell ‘crocodile?’

GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L’

TEACHER: No, that’s wrong

GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.

(I Love this child)

____________________________________________

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?

DONALD: H I J K L M N O.

TEACHER: What are you talking about?

DONALD: Yesterday you said it’s H to O.

__________________________________

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn’t have ten years ago.

WINNIE: Me!

__________________________________________

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?

GLEN: Well, I’m a lot closer to the ground than you are..

_______________________________________

______________________________

TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father’s cherry tree, but also admitted it.

Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn’t punish him?

LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand…..

______________________________________

TEACHER: Now, Simon , tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?

SIMON: No sir, I don’t have to, my Mum is a good cook.

______________________________

TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on ‘My Dog’ is exactly the same as your brother’s..

Did you copy his?

CLYDE : No, sir. It’s the same dog.

(I want to adopt this kid!!!)

___________________________________

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?

HAROLD: A teacher

__________________________________

PASS IT AROUND AND MAKE SOMEONE LAUGH

Due to current economic conditions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off

====================================
Blog (303) posted on December 9, 2008

Correction to the Ramada Inn info that was posted:

Folks I added an extra 1 in the confirmation number I posted for the Ramada to be referenced when calling in for Reservations. The correct number is “Confirmation Number P01959”.The Ramada Inn Phone number is (206) 277-0700.

The Ramada Inn also had our group listed as the “6255 Dental Reserve Unit”. I have gotten that corrected too. The group is now listed both under my name and also the “Dunseith Alumni”. I am going to make our reservations, probably tomorrow.  In doing that I will find out if the receptionist has the right information.

I am also planning a reunion, on August 8th, for my former Army Reserve unit.  That is where the mix up came with the wrong listing for our group.  I’ve got the Best Western Ball Room reserved on August 8th for my Reserve unit reunion also.

Gary

Lois Hiatt Fugere (56) Passed away – messsage from Jacqueline Hiatt (79):

Hey Gary,

I wanted to share with those who knew my Aunt Lois Fugere Hiatt (Mrs. Orelle Fugere) passed away early yesterday morning. I don’t have any information on the details.

Jacqueline

Jacqueline, We are so sorry to hear of Lois’ Passing. Please keep us posted.

Folks, Lois was a sister to Freddie and Wallace Hiatt. Jacqueline is Wallace’s daughter.

Reply from Bev Moriniville Azure (72):

                   Bernadette Stokes shopping in Hong Kong

I figured if Bill Grimme could have a Big Mac in France, I could have one in Hong Kong.

                                              Gary Stokes

These are our two helpers, Tata & Cindy. Tata and her husband Aldren have been with us since before we moved over here in 2003. Aldren takes care of all the outside chores keeping everything clean, watered and maintained. Tata and Cindy take care of all the inside chores.  Cindy has worked for us two years now. Her family has always lived in one of our apartments. She is single and 20 years old. Tata & Aldren have a 6 year old son and a 10 year old daughter. We provide an apartment for them that is within shouting distance of our house.The apartments we have for our helpers and some of Bernadette’s family are by no means 5 star accomodations. To their standards they are, but by no means to the American standards.  We treat our helpers well and they in turn take good care of us.  They do have a lot of free time, but they are on call 24/7.  Gary

Bill Grimme has some corrections to his letter that was posted yesterday.

Gary, See my corrections in Red. 

Bill Grimme’s letter posted yesterday:

Gary,

I occurred to me that as I receive payments for the Seattle dinners from folks I am getting some use of their money in the period between collection and final payment, which I will pay from funds collected. So, after a little back of the envelope calculating, I think it is fair if I give the benefit back. My paying for two dinners seems about right. Now, how to do that? I propose a raffle. For each dinner paid, I will enter a “ticket” (explained later) times a multiplier for how early the payment is. For dinner payments postmarked on or before January 31, the multiplier will be five. So, if a person sends payments for 5 dinners, they will get 25 tickets. Payments before February 29 will have a four multiplier, March 31 will have a three multiplier, April 30 will have a two multiplier, May 31 will have a one multiplier. I will ask your help for a drawing for two dinners on June 15. Here is the raffle plan that I believe will be relatively impossible to “fix”.

The “tickets” will consist of line items on an Excel spreadsheet.

For example, a payment received in January for one chicken dinner and one beef dinner will get 10 line tickets – 5 lines for chicken and five for beef. A payment in February for one chicken and three beef will get 16 line tickets-4 for the one chicken and 12 for the three beef, etc.

A few days prior to the drawing, I will send you the password protected Excel file with all the line tickets on it and you can send it to everyone. Along with that transmittal, I will ask that you send two numbers selected randomly in the range that corresponds to the number of lines on the spreadsheet. After everyone has the password protected Excel spreadsheet and your two numbers, I will send you the password for the spreadsheet and everyone can open and locate the two winners. I will send checks to the winners for two chicken dinners, two beef dinners or a one chicken and one beef, depending on the winning line items. In other words, I will pay for two dinners, regardless if they are beef or chicken.

If you or anyone else sees a flaw in this raffle, let me know.

Bill

Happy Birthday Esther Cote Fugere (’50): Bottineau, ND
            

   Happy Birthday Donna LaCroix Allard (’64): Minneapolis, MN

Class of ’73 photo’s correction
Message from Ginger LaRocque Poitra (65):  Belcourt, ND

Just want to let you know that it is not Joy LaRocque, it’s the Parisien.

I would also like to say that I pray that Bernadette gets better.  I feel so sad when someone is sick especially when they are as good a person as Bernadette is. I will keep praying for her. God bless Bernadette and you Gary, may He keep you strong through this as well, you are both such wonderful people.

I have been reading the emails that you were so kind to send to my son Todd, I am very appreciative of the extra time you put in to make the changes that I request of you.

I enjoy the stories from Larry Hackman, Dick Johnson and Vicki Metcalf. Great memories!

I would also like to wish happy birthdays to all I missed during the time I have been without access to a computer,  Happy Birthday to all of you!

I will sign off for now

Ginger

Thank you Ginger for this reminder.  I have posted the correction below.

When I was putting that blog together I pasted Rita’s picture twice and didn’t catch the mistake until after it was posted. At that time I made the correction for my files and then forgot to repost the next day.

Thanks again.

Looking forward to seeing you at our class of 65 reunion on July 17^th too, at the Birchwood at Lake Metigoshe.

Gary

Class of ’73 photo’s
Posted by Trish Larson Clayburgh (’73):  Palo Alto, CA

May 17 celebrates all things Norwegian
Posting from Vickie Metcalfe (’70):  Bottineau, ND

Happy 17th of May!

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/3746663-marilyn-hagerty-may-17-celebrates-all-things-norwegian

Outside of Norway,  It sounds  from this article, Seattle is the place to celebrate the Seventeenth of May today. I’d like some  rulepolse and some lefse please. My Mom had Grand ma Seim’s roulepols recipe for beef brisket. Mom  would make  it for dad. Dad  was introduced and adopted lots of stuff Norwegian while with the Seim’s. The last time I had  roulpolse was at the Hostfest in Minot. with mom in the 90’s. Sliced thin on  flatbrod! Yum. Later. V

====================================
Blog (302) posted on December 8, 2008

Folks, Bill Grimme (65) is one hard guy to keep ahead of.  Bill is providing two dinners to be given away, with a raffle, for our Seattle reunion dinner in July. Please see his letter below.

Bill, I see no flaws in your method of doing this at all.  Thank you so much for this generous deed.  Gary

Bill Grimme’s letter:

Gary,

I occurred to me that as I receive payments for the Seattle dinners from folks I am getting some use of their money in the period between collection and final payment, which I will pay from funds collected. So, after a little back of the envelope calculating, I think it is fair if I give the benefit back. My paying for two dinners seems about right. Now, how to do that? I propose a raffle. For each dinner paid, I will enter a “ticket” (explained later) times a multiplier for how early the payment is. For dinner payments postmarked on or before January 31, the multiplier will be five. So, if a person sends payments for 5 dinners, they will get 25 tickets. Payments before February 29 will have a four multiplier, March 31 will have a three multiplier, April 30 will have a two multiplier, May 31 will have a one multiplier. I will ask your help for a drawing for two dinners on June 15. Here is the raffle plan that I believe will be relatively impossible to “fix”.

The “tickets” will consist of line items on an Excel spreadsheet.

For example, a payment received in January for one chicken dinner and one beef dinner will get 10 line tickets – 5 lines for chicken and five for beef. A payment in February for one chicken and three beef will get 12 line tickets-4 for chicken and 8 for beef, etc.

A few days prior to the drawing, I will send you the password protected Excel file with all the line tickets on it and you can send it to everyone. Along with that transmittal, I will ask that you send two numbers selected randomly in the range that corresponds to the number of lines on the spreadsheet. After everyone has the password protected Excel spreadsheet and your two numbers, I will send you the password for the spreadsheet and everyone can open and locate the two winners. I will send checks to the winners for two chicken dinners, two beef dinners or a one chicken and one beef, depending on the winning line items. In other words, I will pay for two dinners, regardless if they are beef or chicken.

If you or anyone else sees a flaw in this raffle, let me know.

Bill

Happy Birthday Edna (Sussie) Knox Millang (’60) Dunseith, ND

                     Edna with her grandson Devin Millang

Reply from Bev Handeland Hamnes (’48):  Bottineau, ND

Happy anniversary Gary and Bernadette love to read your emails. have a safe trip. BEV Hamnes

Bev,

Those are old messages that I am posting each day. Our anniversary isn’t until December 3^rd. Thanks just the same.

Gary

Joke of the day

Tired of constantly being broke and stuck in an unhappy marriage, a young husband decided to solve both problems by taking out a large insurance policy on his wife with himself as the beneficiary and then arranging to have her killed.

A ‘friend of a friend’ put him in touch with a nefarious dark-side underworld figure who went by the name of ‘Artie.’ Artie explained to the husband that his going price for snuffing out a spouse was $10,000.

The husband said he was willing to pay that amount but that he wouldn’t have any cash on hand until he could collect his wife’s insurance money. Artie insisted on being paid at least something up front, so the man opened his wallet, displaying the single dollar coin that rested inside.

Artie sighed, rolled his eyes and reluctantly agreed to accept the dollar as down payment for the dirty deed.

A few days later, Artie followed the man’s wife to the local Costco Supermarket. There, he surprised her in the produce department and proceeded to strangle her with his gloved hands. As the poor unsuspecting woman drew her last breath and slumped to the floor, the manager of the produce department stumbled unexpectedly onto the murder scene. Unwilling to leave any living witnesses behind, ol’ Artie had no choice but to strangle the produce manager as well.

However, unknown to Artie, the entire proceedings were captured by the hidden security cameras and observed by the shop’s security guard, who immediately called the police. Artie was caught and arrested before he could even leave the premises.

Under intense questioning at the police station, Artie revealed the whole sordid plan, including his unusual financial arrangements with the hapless husband who was also quickly arrested.

The next day in the Newspaper, the headline declared.

(You’re going to hate me for this.)

“ARTIE CHOKES 2 for $1.00 @ Costco”

====================================
Blog (301) posted on December 6, 2008

hyllis McKay’s (65) reply to Gary:

Hi Gary,

I did receive the two e-mails and I did talk to Pat about the dinner. I will send our order into Bill when I get the checks made out. My daughter and Pat’s daughter will be turning 40 in 2009. We are going to take them to Paris in February to celebrate! Speaking of celebrating, congratulations on thirty years of marriage. That is great that you will be able to go to Hong Kong to celebrate. I spent a week in Hong Kong and had a great time.

I have been getting your e-mails but have been so overwhelmed at work with conferences and learning the new curriculum that was adopted, besides teaching every day, that I don’t seem to have time to keep up with the e-mails let alone writing in response to the ones that jog my memory. Please keep them coming, I just love reading them. Phyllis

Follow up reply from Phyllis:

Gary, I haven’t had any communications from the Department of Defense. With the down turn in the economy, I have heard that more people are joining the military. Hopefully that means they will need more schools and more teachers. Of course my time as a teacher is coming down to a few more years so I don’t know about the time commitment. It still sounds like something I would like to do. I taught in China one summer which was a tremendous experience. You are always welcome to post my small contributions to the cause. I am home sick with bronchitis so I hope to get caught up with your e-mails. Ha! Love Phyllis.

Folks, Phyllis has been a teacher for many years in the Seattle area. Our former High School teacher, Mr. Bob Lykins spent a career working overseas for the Department of Defense Schools after leaving Dunseith in the mid  60’s. Through Mr. Lykins, Phyllis thought this may be a fun thing to do, so she has applied to teach overseas with them.  Gary

Phyllis McKay 2007

Neola Kofoid Garbe has Breast Cancer: 

Hi Gary,

I’m glad to hear you/Bernadette enjoyed Hong Kong; not surprising! Ha!

It appears I’m now a member of the “health problems” club on your blog.  I learned yesterday I have breast cancer.  It was detected early/small cluster/hasn’t spread/sounds very treatable, so I’m not too concerned at this time.  I have also learned worrying doesn’t help anything, so at this point in time, I’m not concerned/worried about it.  I know God is in charge, and I’ll go the route He chooses for me.  I’ve told this “joke” for years: Mom, Jim, and Dad all had cancer.  I said I wasn’t going to worry about getting it, as I thought 3 out of 4 were pretty good odds.  I didn’t think it would be 4 out of 4. So much for that theory! Ha!

I have an appointment with an oncologist on Tuesday.  The weather doesn’t sound great on Sunday, so I’m heading back to Minot tomorrow (Saturday).

It was great to receive your Alumni News again, Old Faithful!!

Neola

Neola, Please keep us posted. Like I told you before, time is not on your side with this one.  Our prayers are with you.  How can we survive without all those wonderful pictures you provide? Gary

Message from Mel Kuhn (70): 

Gary,Gary,Gary,

I’m really glad to hear that you had this exciting trip to Hong Kong and this wonderful 30th anniversary of shopping and site seeing with your wife and all………but what about us? Those of us that you got hooked like a bunch of old junkies and then just cut us off cold turkey. I don’t know if we can allow this to happen again. Dick and I talked it over and we were just lost every morning without our daily fix of Gary. If you are planning any more vacations you’re just gonna have to do like Paul Harvey and get a fill in or set aside time each vacation day to take care of us with your laptop or something. If need be maybe we can take up a collection and get you some kind of big fancy one with your own satellite and everything so that you can get us taken care of. Priorities are priorities you know. For me it might not have been so bad, but I had just started trying to quit smoking a couple of days before you decided to just drop us. Boy, it’s been tough. Not to have that morning smoke with my coffee, but no Gary fix….WHEW!!! I had almost broken down and had a conversation with my wife over morning coffee. All kidding aside it’s good to have you back, and I AM glad that you and your wife had a good vacation and anniversary. 30 years is worth celebrating. My wife and I just had our 26th a couple weeks ago. I found it hard to believe that I’ve put up with her that long, but what the heck, I’ve got some underwear I’ve had just as long. Well, enough of that. Later.

Mel Kuhn

Mel, Thank you so much for the compliments, but I’m thinking I should have purchased some waist high boots when we were in Hong Kong, but they wouldn’t have fit in our luggage.  All kidding aside, I too look forward to the messages I receive from all of you.  I never got hooked on smoking, but my dad was a moderate smoker and he tried many times, unsuccessfully, to quit, so I know it’s a tough. They say each cigarette smoked takes 10 minutes off of your life.  Gary

Message/Picture from Susan Fassett(65):

I found this picture in one of my mom’s scrapbooks when I was looking for info on the Thunderbirds.  Mom worked at the Gamble store at one time.  I think that the boy is Gerald Anderson hanging on the side of the vehicle.  Thought there would be some that would enjoy seeing this picture.  If anyone would like a copy, please let me know.  Hugs and prayers,  Susan

Evelyn Pladson’s Obituary provided by Neola Kofoid Garbe:

Happy Birthday Dorothy Sebelius: Dunseith, ND

Happy Birthday Keith Houle: Becker, MN

Class of ’73 photo’s
Posted by Trish Larson Clayburgh (’73): Palo Alto, CA

 FB posting by Val Moyer (’63):  Bottineau, ND

Folks,
I just had to post this one. Val’s Studebaker’s were a topic of discussion a few months back.
Gary

Update on Trish Larson Clayburgh’s Robbery
From Trish Larson Clayburgh (’73):

Here’s the update to my robbery story in a short version:  The longer version is on my FB page if you want more details and photos.

I woke the next morning to fine the robber was gone.  I was really surprised when the cranky hosts at the hotel refused to cash my check, even though they said they would the night I was robbed.  When I went into the office to cash a check for gas and food money, “Bob’s” wife refused me saying “I don’t have enough cash in my drawer to give you any.  You can go to the bank in town – there are three of them”.  She treated me like it was my fault that I had been robbed in her hotel, and she was MAD that it had happened.

In shock, I loaded the horses and my puppy and drove three miles into Three Forks, not knowing if I would even make it that far, and if I wasn’t able to get cash, I didn’t know what I would do.  As I drove, I just put my trust in “The Universe” to bring good into my life, as almost always happens.  As I came into town, I called a random bank, and the teller told me she couldn’t cash a check for me, but after hearing my story of the robbery and the rude desk clerks, she told me to park across the street from the grocery store and “I know a guy I will call to come and help you – just wait there – he’ll come in a few minutes”.

I waited, alternating near tears of frustration and irritation with a feeling of hope and relief that everything was going to be ok.  I kept trying to find meaning and the lessons in my experience.  I am not often on the side of the desk where I have to ask for help.  I’m usually the one offering help and comfort as a nurse.  In all my years of travel, I have never been robbed or really even had anything bad ever happen.  It was a surprise to me how bad it felt to be in a situation where I had to ask for help and how humbling and hard it was, and how unfair it was to be treated with suspicion and coldness.  I suddenly was aware what it was like to be alone and without any funds to buy my freedom.  It gave me new insight into the plight of the many homeless people I have taken care of in the Emergency Department over the years.

Within about ten minutes, a gentleman drove up in a pickup (there is something I love about everyone around here driving trucks).  He looked at me with compassion and told me he was the pastor of the Christian church in town and that they had a fund they used for helping people who ended up in trouble in their town.  He drove with me out to the gas station and put $50 worth of diesel in my truck so I could get myself into Bozeman to get the funds that were to be wired by Western Union later through my bank.  His friend Russell pumped the gas for me and told me he was a member of the same church.  Russell was also understanding and told me how sorry he was that this had happened in their town and that “I have to deal with those cranky people at the motel all the time”.

He changed the subject to horses and while the gas pumped, we talked horses and roping and team penning.  He and his sons love to compete and he told me some funny stories while I waited – trying to take my mind off my troubles and yes, it worked. By the time I left, my faith in people was restored, I was cheerful again, and I was hopeful that everything would be fine in short order.  Most of all, I was thankful for the kindness of these two pleasant people who were willing to help a person in need.

The reason I had come to Three Forks in the first place was because I had learned there was a Foxhunting group in the area.  I had called from Kalispell and had been warmly invited to join them, so had driven four hours the day before in order to ride with the hounds.  I was expected to show up at 2:00 to join in a “Puppy walk out”, and I really didn’t want to miss it.  I called the Houndmaster, Renee, and she was appalled by my story.  She said “Trish, I wish you would have called me! – Please come up and stay with us and we will make up for your trouble in Three Forks!”

So I drove to the Mantle Ranch home of “Montana Horses”, about 10 miles up the country near Logan.

I entered into a dream world, and am now having one of the most amazing, heartwarming, welcoming experiences of my life.

Kail and Renee Mantle are fourth generation horse traders, and own a 500 acre ranch about 30 miles from Bozeman, in some of the most beautiful Montana mountain country you can imagine.  This is where the Missouri Headwaters are created near the town of Three Forks where the Gallatin, Jefferson, and Madison Rivers combine.  The Mantle ranch sits on the shore of the mighty Missouri and it is absolutely stunning in the beauty of the land and the herd of horses that runs here.

My new friend welcomed me to stay in her darling little guest cabin, and invited me to join them later for dinner, which was my first meal in two days.  They were so warm and welcoming – it reminded me of what it’s like to be in North Dakota with good friends.

Within the past 48 hours, I have ridden with the hound pack, ridden to a wall tent camp up in a mountain meadow, learned how to carve up the frozen meat to feed the hounds, gathered up a herd of 120 horses, bandaged two injured horses, watched Kail rope and train a kicking horse who needed treatment, and turned my little herd of 3 out with the big herd.  Today, I helped Renee clean 8 saddles for delivery along with 8 horses to a Dillon Montana ranch where students from France will come this summer to learn horsemanship from University of Montana Faculty.

Along the 2 hour drive, Renee and I got to know each other and learned about each other.  We learned we both have always loved horses, and that we’re both more excited about our future with horses than ever before.  We learned we both love dogs and animals more than most people.  We shared stories of histories, our families, and our friends and by the end we knew we were going to be very good friends.  She invited me to stay longer, to join her Big Sky Hounds Hunt Club, and to become a “Whipper In”.  Learning how to whip, is a staff job for the Foxhunt I have coveted and only dreamed of one day being able to do.  This Sunday, I will begin my new job, riding to the hounds as a Whip, and I cannot find the words to say how excited I am to have the opportunity to live here on this beautiful ranch and to get to work and learn with the hounds and Renee and her husband Kail, an expert horseman and a former PRCA Bronc rider.

It’s going to be a steep learning curve this summer, in preparation for the hunt season which begins in the fall.

My horses are living the life they love, drinking from a lake instead of a bucket, eating fresh grass instead of dry hay, and running, resting, and rolling as they feel inclined. My puppy (a white German Shepherd named Spirit) has free run of the place, and even gets invited at will into the main ranch house along with Kail and Renee’s 3 dogs, 2 inside hounds, and four cats.

I am loving every minute of this phase of my life adventure.

I’ll be staying for a while, and counting my blessings every minute of every day.

Thanks for sharing my story of Equine adventures with our friends on the Dunseith Blog Gary.  And again, congratulations to you both on your 30th!  I hope to see some photos of the two of you smiling in your next blog

Trish
The Equine Nomad

====================================
Blog (300) posted on December 6, 2008

Folks,

We arrived this evening about 7:00 from Hong Kong.  We had a beautiful trip.  Hong Kong is a beautiful city consisting of most high rises.  In fact I did not see one single house. It appears that everyone either lives in an apartment or a condo. It is a well developed city with a well managed transit system both on top the ground and under the ground. They have a very modern state of the Art MTR train system that runs underground and also under the sea.

Other than for our travel days, we were only in Hong Kong for two days. We stayed at the City Center Hotel in Kowloon.  Other than for taking several excursions on the MTR train, we pretty much spent most of our time in Kowloon.  We explored their many beautiful shopping areas.  It was fun just walking around and seeing the many different shops and the area. Bernadette loves to shop. She didn’t over do it though.  We were able to get everything into the two medium size suit cases that we took along.

I called Steve Salmonson, Stan & Joan’s son, who was also visiting Hong Kong.  With our schedules, we were not able to hook up with him like we would have liked to have done.

We will be busy in the morning, so I’m sending this out tonight before going to bed.

Gary

Reply from Larry Millang (66):

Hi Gary long time since we have seen each other. I just got my first computer so am very new at this but am enjoyng all the articles. I was a 1966 graduate from Dunseith I see Larry Hackman and Keith Pladson I believe were also 66 graduates. I left North Dakota in 1982 and lived in Glendale, California 1982-1987 then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada 1987-2007 and returned to Bottineau in September. I am helping take care of my Mom and work at our New Wal-Mart.

Reply from Tom Hagen (51) To Joyce Boardman (53)

Dear Gary, this is for Joyce Boardman Smith who was a friend of ours many long years ago.   Do remember playing the “Blackhawk Waltz”???? We had lots of good times singing around the piano at the Boardman house and enjoyed seeing your mom in later years when she came out to Williston to see your aunt Eva Nash a good friend of ours in later years!!!!! We love E-mail letters,  Love Tom and Dot

Reply from Don Martel (Principle/teacher):

Hi Gary,

We too enjoy the daily contact with Dunseith that you make possible.

      In regards to Gary Morgan, Bill Hosmer and Dick Johnson’s memories of when the Thunderbirds were in Dunseith, I learned some time ago to not trust the memory of anyone over 50 years of age.  Maybe the Turtle Mountain Star would have a record of it.

Don

Folks, I’m sure this was published in the “Turtle Mountain Star” in 1961.  Do any of you have any articles?  Gary

Report on Chuck Munro (Geri Metcalfe 59) following quadruple bypass heart surgery:

Dear Ones,   Just a note to tell you that Chuck had his one-month checkup with his surgeon today, an EKG and Chest X-ray and blood work.  Dr. Newman was very pleased with his progress, and wants him to “keep up the good work with his diet and exercise program”. She took off of all his heart meds, including blood pressure meds.  Everything looks good!!   Love, Geri and Chuck

From Brenda Hoffman (68):

Happy Aniversary! Hope you post some anniversary photos when you return. Doesn’t time go by rapidly when you’re with the right person!

Brenda class of 68

Reply from Greg Larson (70):

Gary:

Thanks for the birthday wish.  I appreciate all of your work on these emails.

Gregory C. Larson
Attorney at Law
LARSON LATHAM BLISS HUETTL

Reply from Cheryl Larson Dakin (71):

Congratulations on your wedding anniversary and have a wonderful trip.

Cheryl Larson Dakin

Reply from Bobby Slyter (70): 

JUST LITTLE OLE  ME FROM KANSAS

Reply from David Slyter (70):

Gary and Bernadette:   “CONGRATULATIONS”  on 30 years of marriage.   That is a “Big”  milestone.   I have seen pictures of you and Bernadette thru this emailing blog and I you guys make for a great looking couple.  Have fun in Hong Kong and please hurry back so I and most of the rest of us will not have a melt down while you are gone.   These messages are so addicting.   ha    Have fun   Dave Slyter (70)

Reply from Dick Johnson (68):

Gary and Bernadette, Just want to say Happy Anniversary and enjoy your trip! Dick

Fauske family photo & Message from Glenda (Russell 64) Fauske:

Gary and Bernadette, Congratulations!  30 years is a milestone.  Russell and I celebrated 30 years this year, too! Attached is the Fauske Family photo.  I just got a new scanner, but it must have dust in it?!  I’m disappointed with the quality…this is the first one I’ve done on it.  I cleaned the glass and wiped the screen clean, but still the dust shows…so you’ll have to keep the picture small.  Happy holidays to you! g The Lazy RF Ranch            (701) 263-4742 Russell and Glenda Fauske RR 1  Box 139                  Dunseith ND  58329
Thank you Glenda for sending this photo at my request.  Dust or no dust, this is a wonderful picture of the Fauske Family!  One of these days Elwood & Eleanore will join the Senior ranks. One would never guess by looking at this photo that they have been married over 66 years.  They were married in October 1942.  I had the pleasure of attending their Golden Anniversary celebration at their farm, with my folks in 1992.  Bernadette did not make it back to ND that year. It was at their anniversary that we got the very sad news of Orville Hagen’s passing. I will never forget that. Cancer took his fate at a young age.  So sad.

Back to the picture.  You guys are all looking great! Connie, Beth & Arlinda (Lindy); I have not seen you guys for many years, but I think I’ve labeled you all correct. Please tell me if I have not and I stress that wholeheartedly.  I goofed up with that 60’s photo of you guys that Tim Martinson straightened me out on.  Gary

Elwood Fauske Family – November 2008
L to R: Carrole, Brian, Connie, Eleanore, Elwood, Beth, Russell & Arlinda (Lindy)

Message from LaRose Ketterling (46):

Gary and Dick

The picture of the guy walking in front of broken windows in the hail storm picture is of my Dad- Richard Ketterling.  He was the manager of the Peavey Elevator in Dunseith from 1942-49. He always had his cigarette in a holder even though it looks like a pipe. I remember that storm- all of the windows of our porch facing west were broken.

LaRose Ketterling

                    Happy Birthday Verena Gillis:  Dunseith, ND

Trish Larson Clayburgh (’73) got robbed.
Posting from Trish:

Note: Folks, Please visit Trish’s FB page “Trish Larson Clayburgh” for all of the complete, very interesting and well written details. Trish, you are a gifted writer. I admire your brilliance.  Gary

Gary

Not sure if you saw my FB post, but I was robbed tonight.  I won’t go into all the details again, cause I know you are on FB and can read it there if you’re curious.

But I was robbed of my small purse and it’s funny, It’s an inconvenience, but not that huge a loss.  Unless he does an identity theft kind of crime;  I’ve already cancelled my debit cards and reported my license stolen.  I also made a report to the Sheriff, but they really couldn’t do anything, because I couldn’t prove it.

But I know he did it.

The thing that’s interesting to me is that I am not very upset.  He’s a jerk and will pay his karmic dues, but I’m looking at this as a big lesson for me.  A lesson to be thankful for.  Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Don’t carry much cash.  I was very grateful I didn’t have much in my purse.  Under $100.

2.  Keep passport separate from the rest in a safe place.  I recently had a good idea to separate those IDs, and I am SO glad I did that.  My passport is safe, and I am going to need that to get a new license in Montana.  Also keep phone numbers to call card companies if cards are stolen.  I was lucky to have both bank phone numbers on my phone.

3.  Be more careful around strangers.  I am fearless, have a good character intuition and always have been lucky.  In all my travels, I have never been robbed before.  But there are dangers even and especially in rural places related to the use of meth and the horrible damage it does to the brain.  These people do not recognize right from wrong and will hurt their own children to get a fix.  They are happy to steal from a stranger.  They do much worse things than that without guilt or remorse….there was recently a meth murder of two in Helena (not far from here).  A young couple was brutally murdered while sleeping in their home after a party by a total stranger who broke in and stabbed them to death.  The girl was stabbed IN THE HEAD more than 40 times.  That’s meth.  It makes crazy people out of even nice folks.  It kills among family and friends.  It’s the worst.

4.  I am more certain than ever that The Universe wants me to stay for at least a little while in Montana, although you’d think I couldn’t  wait to get out of here after being ROBBED.  I love the dangerous  beauty of the land and have been making plans to get a little place for a month or two. I want to hole up and finish a book proposal I am working on.  I think I will see about buying a gun as well.

I don’t have a choice because California will only issue a duplicate DL IN PERSON.  Montana requires 30 days of residency before you can apply for a license.  Guess I can only go by horseback from here out.  Lol.  Even more reason to hole up and finish my book proposal.

Anyway, I think you are the only person who might be awake.  So I am sending my thoughts.

I am not sure if it is wise to repost  this to the blog or not.  I will leave it to your discretion.  The story was really just for you:  Hen pecked on my cell phone because I am too freaked out to sleep, although the thief is sleeping soundly just three doors away.  Or maybe he’s over there just tweaking away…

I wonder if I will run into him tomorrow?  Hopefully not tonight!!!

Hope all is well.  I didn’t know you were such a great bowler.  I am terrible but I enjoy lobbing a few from time to time.  My best score EVER was about 150.  I have never been that lucky since.

But it’s a great excuse to drink beer with friends….LOL.  And Zi enjoy trying to knock em down…

Ok, I think I can sleep now.  I don’t know how I am going to eat tomorrow or buy gas.  My card won’t be here for 2-3 days.  I will have to figure something out…

The Adventure continues

Trish Wild

The Equine Nomad

Dunseith Skating Rink Story
Posted by Vickie Metcalfe (’70):  Bottineau, ND

Years ago, when I came home to the farm, I gathered up clothes and took them downtown to Don’s Laundromat to wash.

As I walked in the front door an older man known as “Tomcat” began talking to me.  I could barely understand him. I did my best to respond politely. Suddenly The back door burst open, Mr. F. hollered, “Get out, don’t be bothering her! Then, Mr. F. asked politely, “ Was he bothering you?” If he is…. I will take care of him.

Rendered speechless, I shook my head and said meekly, “no. no, but Thank, you.”

Mr. F. remained on the premises. He impressed me as a very courteous, polite gentleman.  I felt quite safe.

When the laundry was finally completed, I gathered up the baskets, tucked them in the car one by one, bade Mr. F. goodbye and thanked him. He courtly nodded a reply.

Arriving home I told my Dad about the encounter at the laundry. Dad leaned back in his recliner, with his unlit pipe. He said. “He has always been my friend”.

“Tell me more Dad,” I sat down folding clothes.

Dad tamped on his tobacco and told me of a winter long ago

As a wee child he learned to skate on Rabbit City Lake.  His mother with her younger children moved from the farmstead into town after his father died.

One winter, he found solace skating on the Dunseith Skating rink.

The skating rink had a small brick jail next to it. The one room building had a door and a small window up high.

One day as a young boy was skating solitarily lost in thought. He was startled to hear a voice carried by the breeze.  He stopped. Then turned, listening toward the breeze.  Again a GRUFF voice.

“Metcalfe, come! “ demanded the gruff voice.  He warily skated to the window.  He craned his head, looked up, up, up toward the little window. He could not see a face but heard the gruff voice speaking, “Take this to the back of (????). A piece of paper floated down from the window.

My father picked up the paper scrap. He sat down, took off his skates, then ran to the back door of (???) He knocked.  The proprietor opened the door, glanced down at him, taking the paper from his outstretched hand, looked left then right, saying,  “Wait.” The door shut with a pronounced slam..

A short time later, squeak, squeak…the door opened a crack, a hand appeared with a paper bag, a voice saying, “Cliff, take this back to the jail, be quick, and don’t tell anyone.”

Dad said, “I took the paper bag, ran, delivered the brown bag to the man at the  jail. “I told no one.”

It was then, Dad told me, at that time the Faine brothers were well known as the best skaters and hockey players in the region.

Dad never exactly said what was in that brown paper bag.  Now, I don’t suppose a father could tell a teacher daughter. That once upon a time, he was a 12/13 year old bootlegger, for Dunseiths’ legendary hockey star Guff Faine.

Thanks Gary, friends and  the family of a Dunseith hockey legend.

Vickie L. Metcalfe

Joke of the day

Ole knows everybody. Ole was bragging to his boss one day, “You know, I know everyone der is to know. Just name someone, anyone, and I know them.” Tired of his boasting, his boss called his bluff, “OK, Ole how about Tom Cruise?” “Sure, yes, Tom and I ver old friends, and I can prove it.” Ole and his boss fly out to Hollywood and knock on Tom Cruise’s door, and sure enough, Tom Cruise, shouts, “Ole! Great to see you! You and your friend come right in and join me for lunch!” Although impressed, Ole’s boss is still skeptical. After they leave Cruise’s house, he tells Ole that he thinks Ole’s knowing Cruise was just lucky. “No, no, just name anyvon else,” Ole says. ”President Obama,” his boss quickly retorts. “Ya sure,” Ole says, “I know him.” We’ll fly out to Washington to see him.” Off they go. At the White House, Obama spots Ole on the tour and motions him and his boss over, saying, “Ole, what a surprise, I was just on my way to a meeting, but you and your friend come on in and let’s have a cup of coffee first and catch up.” The boss is shaken now, but still not totally convinced. After they leave the White House grounds, he expresses his doubts to Ole, who again implores him to name anyone else. “The Pope,” his boss replies. “Sure!” says Ole. “I’ve known the Pope a long time.” The unconvinced boss flies them off to Rome. Ole and his boss are assembled with the masses in Vatican Square when Ole says; “This will never work. I can’t catch the Pope’s eye among all these people. Tell you what, I know the guards so let me just go upstairs and I’ll come out on the balcony with the Pope.” And he disappears into the crowd headed toward the Vatican. Fifteen minutes later Ole emerges with the Pope on the balcony. By the time Ole returns,  his boss has had a heart attack and is surrounded by paramedics. Working his way to his boss’s side, Ole asks him, “What happened?” His boss looks up and says, “I was doing fine until you and the Pope came out on the balcony and the Japanese tourist next to me asked, ‘Who’s that on the balcony with Ole?’

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Blog (299) posted on December 1, 2008

Folks,

Bernadette and I will be leaving for Hong Kong tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. We will be in Hong Kong for 3 nights and 4 days, returning Friday. Wednesday, December 3rd, we will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary.  I can not believe that it has been 30 years since the shipyard sent me over here to Subic Bay for a pre-overhaul ship check on the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), when I met Bernadette. Joan Wurgler Salmonson informed me that their son Steve is visiting in Hong Kong this week too. She gave me the phone number to his hotel, so we will try and connect with him too, while we are there. He is actually staying close to where we will be.

While we are gone, I will not be posting any blog’s, but keep the messages coming.  I will catch up when I get back.  Other than for a few days when our phone line was stolen, this will be the first break since December 26th of last year for sending this daily blog.  You guys are doing great providing the memories and material to keep this going. As you can tell, I try to keep things focused on Dunseith and the Alumni to include a few outside things that may be of interest to the majority of you folks.

I’ll be back with you Friday night or Saturday morning

Gary

Clarence Hagen’s obituary provided by Neola Kofoid Garbe:

       Clarence Hagen

Dec. 26, 1914-Nov. 27, 2008 Clarence Hagen, age 93, of Bottineau, formerly of Dunseith, died Thursday at a Bottineau hospital.

Funeral will be held on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Peace Lutheran Church in Dunseith. Visitation will be Monday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at the Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau. Burial will be at the Salem Cemetery north of Bottineau.

Clarence Jens Hagen, a son of Henry and Sarah (Waddle) Hagen, was born on December 26, 1914. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. He later attended Ackworth country school and later graduated from Dunseith High School. Clarence drove the Standard Oil bulk truck until entering the U.S. Army in April of 1941. He received his basic training in Camp Claiborne, LA and Fort Dix before being sent overseas.

He served with the 5th Army, 34th Division, 135th Infantry during the European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre. He received his honorable discharge in June of 1945. He returned to Dunseith and in the spring of 1946 he moved to Wahpeton and worked for the U.S. Soil Conservation District. On July 1, 1950, he married Mary Ann Rodlund in Milnor. In December of 1950, they moved back to Dunseith and built their home in the Turtle Mountains. They lived there until moving to Bottineau in 2005.

Clarence was a member of the Peace Lutheran Church in Dunseith. In addition to his love of farming, he served on numerous community and county boards. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, of Bottineau; 6 children, Susan Froseth of Bottineau, Karen (Dale) Simon of Bottineau, Arthur (Mavis) Hagen of Bottineau, Ellen (Jim) Redding of Minot, Arlan (Denise) Hagen of Bottineau and Henry (Sandy) Hagen of Bottineau; 13 grandchildren, Michelle (David) Saville, Nicole (Clint) Bogden, Jennifer (Andrew) Dittberner, Peter (Denise) Simon, Joanne (Justin) Karch, Devonne (Jon) Leonard, Joshua (Keisha) Hagen, Justin Redding, Sarah Redding, Breien Hagen, Tracy (Brad) Christianson, Melissa (Josh) Van Dyke, and Angela Hagen.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister and brother-in-law, Thelma and Donald Bannister; infant sister, Verna; and son-in-law, Steve Froseth.

Arrangements are with Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.

Salem Church & Cemetary: Clarence Hagen’s final resting ground.

Reply  from Marie Iverson Staub (60):
Mel Kuhn, take note:

I don,t mind if you post my message tomorrow and we will try and make the reunion. Joyce and I are cousins my mother(Agnes Ronning) and her mom( Minnie Ronning) were sisters and they married brothers

my dad was Adolph Iverson and her dad was Carl Iverson. I think I am related to most of the people in Bottineau area. The Lunds, Sivertsons, Johnsons, Iversons and I’m sure  several others in one way or the other as my dad had 8 siblings and my mom also had 8 siblings.

Joyce’s brother Oliver was a good friend of Marvin Kuhn and when I read the messages from Mel Kuhn I can sure see he is related to Marvin he has the same humor.

Take care.

Marie Iverson(Staub)60

Marie’s initial reply:

Hi Gary,

Yes , I have been getting all of your EMAILS.

I’ve never been interested in the computer until you started sending all these wonderful memories.

I’m not sure yet about the dinner but were going to see if we can rearrange some things to be there.

By the way I talked to Joyce Flaata yesterday and she said to say hi.

Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season.

Have a great anniversary.

Keep up the good work I really look forward every day to these EMails

Marie Iverson Staub 60

Note: Marie’s cousin, Joyce Flaata, lives south of Vinje church up in the hills. We were all members of the Metigoshe Lutheran Churches.

Message from Bob Lykins (Teacher):

Gary, Congratulations to you and Bernadette on thirty years of wedded bliss.  God bless and have a great time in one of my favorite cities in the Far East, Hong Kong. Bob Lykins

Message from Sharon Longie Dana (73):

Gary, I just wanted to wish you and your lovely wife a Happy Anniversary!!!!!!  Next August i will be married to my sailor for 30 years !!!! Its always funny to me when people ask how long I have been married and i say 29 years and they a lot of them say to the same guy…makes me laugh, I have a girlfriend who has been married 3 times and she says and i still haven’t hit 29…. Have a great trip!!! Sharon Longie Dana(73)

My apologies to Dick Johnson:

Dick, I totally forgot to include this picture with the posting of your message yesterday.  I knew I had seen the picture when you replied asking if it came through after seeing I had not included the picture with the posting.  You are just too polite.  You should have told me I screwed up and didn’t include the picture. When I went looking for the picture, just now, I discovered it was included with your message I posted yesterday. I am so sorry for this mix up.  Gary

Dick’s reply to include picture:

Lloyd Awalt–If Bonnie will keep typing, keep sending memories. We enjoy them. Your mention of the big hailstorm had me remembering the picture of that storm that is in the Dunseith history book so I scanned it for those who don’t have the book yet. The caption under the picture says 1943. Thanks for the memories! Thanks Gary for your tireless posting of these memories of old Dunseith! Dick

Happy Birthday LaRose Ketterling (1946):  Mercer, ND

Happy Birthday Sharon Pearson Zeiler (’62): Rugby, ND

Class of ’73 photo’s
Posted by Trish Larson Clayburgh (’73):  Palo Alto, CA

Cebu Expat Bowling league News
Folks, My average is about 135, so I had an exceptionally good week last week.  This happens once in blue moon.   Gary

Hello Friends,
Bowling News

Twenty four bowlers enjoyed the leisure bowling last week.
Alex posted a fine total of 493, Eddie’s 498 which in turn was blown out of the water by Gary Stokes’ massive 530.

Gary’s 204gave him the High Game for the day as well.

Lunch at Bigby’s in the SM Cebu Mall
With Bernadette, Novie (Bernadette’s Neice) and her 5 year old boy Uriel

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Blog (298) posted on November 30, 2008

Condolences to the Clarence Hagen family from Lynette Halvorson Otto (75):

To the Clarence Hagen family:  My condolences to you all upon your husband and fathers death.  I graduated with Arlan and I will always remember the 4H days at your farm home.  May God give you comfort in your grief.  Lynette Halvorson Otto (75).

Happy Birthday Greg Larson from the class of 1970:

I got a message telling that Greg Larson has a birthday today, November 30th.  To verify it was our Greg Larson from the class of 70, I ran his name in a program I have and it stated that Gregory Larson from Bismarck was born in November 1952.

Greg, we wish the best with your birthday today, enjoy.  Judging from your email address, I’m guessing you are probably a lawyer.  I think I remember you telling me that too.  I think I need to improve my memory skills, if there is a way of doing that.  Gary

Email Address change for Joyce Boardman Smith (53):

Hi Gary:

Thanks for all you are doing to keep us all in touch with friends.

Please note change of e-mail address for Joyce (Boardman) Smith:

Keep up the good work.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Joyce

Reply from Bill Hosmer (48):

Gary Stokes and Gary Morgan.  It comes to mind that after I left the team, another team came by Dunseith in 1963. Two of them were on during my tour.  They came to town, and had called my mother to let her know of the approximate time and date.  When they got there, the right wingman, Bill Higginbotham spotted a large group of cars all close together, and they thought that everyone went out northeast of the town where there was a yard full of car bodies.  My mother  wrote to me in Okinawa that they had come to town but flew quite a distance from main street.  That may be the time Gary Morgan was going to the bank, and explain the confusion. Cheers, Bill Hosmer

Reply from Kenny Nerpel (65):

Gary, Just a little note about the spit wads that are in the discussion lately. I’m not sure (CRS) what year this was but I think I may have been a Freshman.  I think we were still in the old school the year before the High School moved into the new building on the South edge of town.   Anyway there was this really tough study hall, the study hall from hell, that I think was the last period of the day.  I liked to use this study hall to get my homework done so I didn’t have to take any of it home but was often impeded by the full scale warfare, involving spit wads, erasers and seemingly anything else that could become airborne, that was taking place in the room.  This day, after taking a few good shots in the back of the head, I decided to give up on the homework and just take some time to catch up on the news in the Turtle Mountain Star.  I turned the direction that I thought the fire was coming from, put up the paper in front of my face and commenced to reading.  After a few minutes a spit wad slammed into the paper, tore a huge hole in it and fell harmlessly into my lap.  What are you going to do?  I immediately got up went to where the papers were kept, and picked up a Minot Daily News.  The news wasn’t anymore interesting but the paper was quite a bit thicker and served as a much better shield for the rest of the day.  Ha! Kenny

From Dick Johnson (68):

Gary and Friends, My wifes family all gathered at her sister’s home in Bismarck for Thanksgiving. They flew in for all over the country and had a good time. I made contact with Larry Hackman, who also lives there, and we met for coffee on Friday afternoon. Mel Kuhn was also in Bismarck cooking a big holiday meal for his two sons and daughter and extended families. He sneaked out for the coffee meeting with Larry and we had a couple hours of reminiscing and laughing about our years of growing up in Dunseith. Larry is a guy with a wealth of memories. It was a blast! He spoke of a few things that jarred old dusty memories in my mind and consequently gave me some more ‘ammo’ for this blog. There may be many who have had enough of my memories though! Thanks Gary! Dick

Dick, I think I can speak for most. We love your memories and will never get tired of them. Keep them coming.  The same goes for all the rest of you. Being a smaller community, most all of us can relate to most everyone’s memories.  If nothing else, the folks in them.  We all walked the same turf, just at different times is all.  Gary

Reply from Bob Hosmer (56):

Hi Gary,

Thanks for the personal note.  I have had no trouble receiving the messages.  And Katrine and I will be attending the Alumni Reunion with all of you in July.  I’ll be sending a check soon for the dinner.

We live in Lynnwood, WA and are just  few minutes drive to the Best Western Hotel.

Thanks for this tremendous service you’re providing.  It’s so unique.

Looking forward to seeing you and your wife.

take care,

Bob

Happy Mother’s day to all of you mothers out there. 

We have reservation for dinner at the Maya Mexican restaurant today at 5 pm. That is where Bernadette wants to go, so that is where we are going. This is a picture that was taken at Maya’s several weeks ago. We have the same table reserved for today.
Gary

Class of ’73 photo’s
Posted by Trish Larson Clayburgh (’73):  Palo Alto, CA

Cebu, Philippines – Stokes Residence – Before and after building
The back side of our place looking down the hill.

The four unit apartment building at the bottom and the two top units of the three unit apartment building on the right are for our helpers and Bernadette’s nieces and nephews. Very simple, nothing fancy.

The bottom unit of the Three unit apartment is for visiting guests. We fixed it up a bit nicer than all the rest.

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Blog (297) posted on November 29, 2008

Clarence Hagen’s death notice – from Neola Kofoid Garbe: 

CLARENCE HAGEN, 93, Bottineau, formerly of Dunseith, died Thursday in a Bottineau hospital. (Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau)

Mary Ann, Susan, Karen Ellen, Art, Arlan & Henry; My sincere sympathy goes out to all of you with the loss of your husband and dad. Clarence was a highly respected man in my book.  Being the close neighbors that we were, I have known your family my entire life and you kids your entire life’s.  I say that, because you are all younger than me. Your dad was a great father and husband.  You dad was firm, but very fare with all of you kids and some of the rest of us too in your and our growing up days.  I have always respected you dad, highly,  for being the guy that he was.  He will be missed dearly.  My condolences are with you now, with his passing.  Gary

Message from Lloyd Awalt (44): 

Gary,  Bless you for the wonderful memories,  I pray that everyone will keep sending in these Memories Past and Present because they mean a lot to many of us.

Gary I first met your Dad out and Pritchards.  Since that time your Dad and I have done a lot together.  To me the most important has been the work we have done with the VFW putting up the flags honoring all the men from the Bottineau area that have served our country in the Armed Services.  So far we have 404 Flags flying in their honor.

Shirley Olson Warcup:  When I arrived home from the Navy, I remember there being a lot of kids around but I had no idea who they were.  I’m glad to know that you were there.  When I stop to think about it, that was a long time ago!  Thanks for being there.

I don’t personally know a lot of the people that are writing in but I sure remember their parents.  Especially Francis and Joe Morinville, Joe and I worked together at the creamery before Joe bought the store.  Bev’s e-mails make me think of her parents.

How many people remember the hail storm that hit Dunseith?  It was about 1945 or maybe a little later.  It hit right at noon.  The hail was so large that almost every window in town was broken out.  Our living room faced the west the direction the storm came, it hit breaking every window in the living room sending a flood of water washing through the living room, dining room, and kitchen.  In the wash of the storm the water that came with it washed Dad and Oliver Handelands hats through the house and right out the kitchen door into the back yard.  We had been eating dinner and the glass from the shattered windows covered the table, making it necessary to throw all the food out.

Dick Johnson:  Thanks Dick for thinking that I wrote the articles entered in my name.  Actually, I come up with the ideas, put forth the facts and my secretary puts together the story in readable form.  My secretary is my sister Bonnie.  Little sisters are so used to being told what to do that even when they become adults they still follow the same pattern.  (As long as Lloyd has ideas I will send them in for him.)

Lloyd Awalt (1944)

Lloyd, How well I remember you telling me you first met my folks at the Pritchard’s.  Yes, you and my dad were great friends for years, right up until the time of his death.  You guys along with several others were and you continue to be,  the primary leaders of the Veteran’s affairs in Bottineau.  My dad lived and breathed the freedoms he fought for in WW II.  Other than for the almighty above, there was nothing more sacred to him than the American flag and what it stands for.  As I’ve said before Lloyd, Dad was at peace of mind, at his burial, knowing you were the one folding and presenting the American flag to us, his family, that draped his coffin. It was his request that you be the one to do that. Long before he died, he had all the details of his burial worked out with Bill Nero, the undertaker. Bill and dad were good friends.  Thank you Lloyd.  Gary

PS – Bonnie, you are a great secretary.  Keep up the good work and Lloyd’s memories coming and yours too.

Geri Metcalfe Munro’s (59) reply to Gary asking about the Seattle letters: 

Gary,

I FOUND the two letters you sent; I thought I had marked them unread and they were still in my inbox; usually I transfer Stokes mail to Dunseith Reunion.  I am making reservations today.

My husband, Chuck, has been undergoing many tests and then had open heart surgery on October 27th, four bypasses and a mitral valve replacement.  I guess I let some of the Dunseith emails slide.

Geri Metcalfe Munro ’59

Geri, I hope you don’t mind that I added Chuck’s surgery from another message that you sent.  I am hoping that Chuck is recovering well from his open heart bypass surgery.  Often times folks feel so much better, with the restored blood flow, following these bypass surgeries.  I hope that is the case with him.  Gary

Reply from Allen Richard (65): 

Reply to Dick

Regarding the escalation in the size of squirt guns—to quote the great “self anointed American Hero” —–Jesse Ventura—- My definition of gun control is hittin what you aim at.”  I stuck with the Wee Gees. LOL

aLLEN rICHARD

Reply from Gary Morgan (54): 

Gary & All,
The summer of 1961 I was a summer seasonal Customs Inspector at Noyes, Minnesota.  The Summer of 1962 I was a summer seasonal at Dunseith.  I must have dreamt I saw the Thunderbirds that morning when I went to the bank.

Gary Morgan

Gary, The Thunderbird show was talked about so much that even for those of us that did not see the show or the jets, have visions of the whole event of how it was, in our minds, as though we were there. It’s amazing how that works.  Gary

             Happy Birthday Jeff Campbell (’76): Bismarck, ND

Happy Birthday Sharron Gottbreht Shen (’59): Waretown, ND

Posted by Janice LaCroix Kester (’59):  Fargo, ND

Janice(’59), Charlotte (’62) and Paulette (’68)

Photo posted by Vonda Melgaard Antonson (’76):  Maddock, ND

Gary,

I was going through some old photos Mom (Shirley Knutson Melgaard) had squirreled away……found this one but there is no name on the folder or anything…is by chance your graduation photo??

Vonda

Yes Vonda, that is me. This is my 1965 High School Graduation picture. I have not seen that one in while.

Thanks, Gary

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Blog (296) posted on November 28, 2008

FromMarlene Lilleby-Palmquist/Larsen (53):

Gary

Your E-mail letters are most interesting and I look forward to reading them each day.  Although

my family moved to Wash. State when I was going into 7th grade  (1947) It’s still amazing how many people I recognize  that drop you notes.  The Leonard’s were cousins and I have a lot of memories of my Aunt Edna and most of the family. My parents were Louis and Margaret Lilleby and another Aunt and Uncle were Arnold and Hattie Lilleby- I still remember when my Uncle Arnold let me set pins at the bowling alley to be able to have some free games. Lois’s daughter Cami and her family live in the same town as we do (Ephrata, Wa.) She came just out of college to be a deaf Ed. teacher and met her husband who is a dairy farmer there.

The Burchams were also relatives on my mothers side and after Don Burcham passed away , his wife Betty Smith Burcham (who now lives in Kennewick Wa. near her daughter Cindy), and I have taken several cruises together. I have taken the Alaska inside passage 2 times and it is a wonderful trip. You will all have a great time.

My brother Ray and his wife live in Issaquah, Wa. He is retired and she is still working at Fred Hutchinson Cancer research center.  My sister Judy and her husband have the Holiday Express hotel in Moses Lake, Wa.

I retired from selling Real Estate a few years ago and now my husband Arlan Larsen and I live in Ephrata 1/2 of the year and the other 1/2 in Yuma Az.

The best of both worlds!

Your notes bring back so many memories of Dunseith. Hosmers great store and Shelvers Drug store with the good ole fountain. The Red Owl and Casey Simes store.  Our neighbors on the farm ,The Richards and Cooney McKays and Simon Grieners (sorry if I miss spelled your name),the ride to Russell school on a horse pulled wagon.  Wow—does that go back a long way.

& how  great it was to move into town to the new house (with a real bathroom!!!!)

Thanks again for including us in your newsy letter each day and

Happy Holidays  and many blessings to all my old friends and family

from Dunseith.

Marlene Lilleby-Palmquist/Larsen

Folks, with personal correspondence with Marlene, she told me she did not receive the message I put out several days ago announcing the “Dunseith Alumni Reunion” in Seattle.  It appears that message and the Seattle hotel accommodation message did not get delivered to all the recipients.  Please let me know if you did not receive either of those two messages. I feel it’s important that everyone be informed of this event so that all Dunseith folks, everywhere, have the opportunity to participate if they so wish.

Reply from Bill Hosmer (48): 

Gary, Dick and Dunseith People.   The year was 1961, Dick.  And we were in Florida doing air shows when the Cuban Crisis was in 62.  I believe Gary Morgan thought it was 62.  Dick, I’ve always felt bad about the fear factor which some of our friends experienced.  There were several. Bill Hosmer

Reply from Dick Johnson (68): 

Gary and Friends,

Bill Grimme, I do remember the blow tube shooters you mentioned. And
your mention of being the only kid ‘dumb’ enough to fall for a
trick—not! One of the older Boguslawski boys, Tom or Phillip maybe,
was sitting on the heater in the grade school, holding a big picture
book of some kind. He said, “Hey come here, did you ever see anything
like this”? I was in about the 5th grade and went over and stood right
in front of him and looked at the book. He had his other hand under the
book—with a squirt gun–and soaked the whole front of my pants, before
I felt anything. He and his buddies had a big laugh, but for me it was
an emotional disaster. I told what happened, but everyone said, “Oh
yeah, right, ha ha ha”!  It was definitely a turning point in my
education–as in, don’t trust older guys not to pull  crap  on you!

One spring when the squirt guns became the rage, things began to
‘escalate’. Bigger squirt guns, then bigger, then dish soap bottles,
water balloons, and finally bread sacks full of water and tied to the
end of a rope so they could be swung in a circle and thrown! It was all
it fun–cars full of kids with every kind of water device pulling up
along side another car and blasting everyone at once! We were all in
John Hill’s new 1966 Chevy pickup, with Tim at the wheel, when some kid
let fly with a bread sack on a rope—and busted the windshield in
pieces–bad deal!

Another time just a few years ago, I was circle track racing at Thunder
Mountain Speedway, north of Bottineau when we were bunched up for the
start of a race and coming into turn four and the green flag–all at
once liquid sprayed across my face shield and on my fire suit. There is
NOTHING more dangerous to a race car driver than fire, and the first
thing that crossed my mind was GAS! I couldn’t bail out because I was
penned in the inside lane–then it happened again, and I looked to my
right and saw one of my race buddies squirting me with a squirt gun and
laughing his butt off! He knew I was in a near panic!! Thanks Gary!

Dick

Reply from Sybil Johnson: 

Yes, I remember those pea shooters. My brothers use to play with them and I felt those peas, personally. Sybil Johnson

Class of ’73 photo’s
Posted by Trish Larson Clayburgh (’73): Palo Alto, CA
 

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Blog (295) posted on November 27, 2008

Folks, You’ve heard the old saying  “The check is in the mail”.  Well, my check is in the mail to Bill Grimme for two chicken breast dinners. We love chicken breast, so that is what we ordered for the Dunseith Alumni reunion being held in Seattle. I also mailed 30 letters to those that don’t have email, informing them of the Reunion in Seattle, that live in the Puget Sound/Washington/Oregon areas.

Another concern:  Because of the volume of email I’ve sent,  the last two days I’ve had to use my local email provider, globelines, for sending the daily blog.  Often times all messages do not get delivered when using globelines. Please let me know if you did not receive messages 293 & 294.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  Today is the day.  Bernadette and I are going to a buffet dinner at the Marco Polo hotel with some American and English friends this evening.   Then on Tuesday, we are headed to Hong Kong for a few days.  We will be celebrating 30 years of marriage on December 3rd.  Gary

From Sharron Gottbreht Shen (59):

My dad, Dale Gottbreht, thought Louis Armstrong was the best; called Louis “top drawer”. Hope this attachment from my brother-in-law can be shared. Dad would have graduated with the class of ’36 but his dad had more pressing need and Dale left DHS his sophomore year, incomplete. Happened to many back then. He cooked a “mean” turkey! My very best Thanksgiving was cooking for my son Ivan and his friends in NYC 2001; the smell of burnt metal still present a mile from ground zero. Bought the groceries near his apt on LaGuardia Place. Although the turkey I selected was not the listed special, the register clerk held up the line so the manager could march up and give the lady, me, a free turkey because I had spent $75.00. New Yorkers, not famous for cordiality, were patient to a fault. Cashier was having a great time and brought home the importance of savoring the moment of everyday, everywhere for everyone. I am so touched and thankful for the numerous mailings from Dunseith folks, Gary. Happy Thanksgiving. Sharron

Sharron, The attachment you sent me “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong is a beautiful video. Being a little over 4,000KB, may be a bit large for group mailing.  I’m not sure how many folks have PowerPoint either.

Folks, For those of you that would like this wonderful video, please zap Sharron a message.  I know she will gladly forward it to you.  Gary

Email address change from Don & Colleen Conroy (58)  Martel:

We have switched email providers.  Our new email address is:   marteldc@, please disregard all others.  This switch is affective 11/26/08.

Don & Colleen Martel

From Bob Hosmer (56):

Hi Gary and all Dunseithers,

I’ve enjoyed the comments about my brother Bill–and his comments as well.  I’m his youngest brother.  I’d like to add my comments that most of you don’t know about but adds to his out-standing character that you all do know about.

When I was still something of a brat, just entering my teens, Bill was at West Point.  I wrote him a letter asking a very ridiculous question: “Why don’t we harness the electricity lightning produces to provide cheep power?”

To my surprise and glee, in the midst of a heavy study schedule and other time-consuming demands, he wrote me a very serious response to that question.  I have never forgotten that incident.  He considered me important enough in his life to take precious time to write not just a note but a letter of more than a few pages–a very treasured memory.

Also, in 1962 while he was still flying left wing in the Thunderbird Diamond.  He came to Seattle area and did a show at Payne Field.  I was engaged to my wife at the time and we invited him to Katrine’s home for a dinner and to bring a friend.  He and one of the solo pilots came.  Jerry, I think was his name.  He and Jerry honored us with their presence, when they could have been part of something bigger and more important than being in a private setting.  Then next day at the show he took Katrine’s nine year old nephew, Philip and put him in the cockpit of his plane prior to the show.  Philip is running his own business today, but has never forgotten the privilege Bill gave him.

Just one more incident,  A few years ago he and Pat came to our home for a visit on their way back from Metigoshe to Tuscan.  The visit covered the time when he would have a birthday.  My kids and their spouses planned and put together a surprise birthday bash for him.  Pat knew what was going on but Bill didn’t.

When the day arrived, he had a shirt on that was striking.  Katrine and I commented on it.  He said something like, “Well, it’s my birthday today” in something like a mock offence. Like nobody noticed so I’m going to celebrate this way.

Was he ever surprised when we went to our oldest daughter’s home and he encountered a lively group wishing him a happy birthday.

What fun for me to have a brother so open, generous, thoughtful and fun to be with and even tease a bit.

Bob Hosmer (56)

Thunderbird reply from Dick Johnson (68):

Gary and Bill Hosmer and Friends,  Hey Bill, I have a question. Someone said you guys flew over Dunseith in the summer of ’62 and I thought it was in ’61. It really isn’t an issue, I just want to keep the years right. Wasn’t it about the same time as the Cuban Missile Crisis? I was at the farm and remember how you guys pulled up to clear the hills and then rolled over to head back south. Bill, as an eleven year old kid and worried about nuclear war etc., those birds scared the devil out of me! I still remember thinking, “Here we go”! I didn’t get to see the maneuvers over main street but the low altitude turns were fantastic. Had I known it wasn’t strategic action, I might not have been shaking so badly!! When you are a kid, the world seems small and anything that wild and low just has to be bad! I still remember how the ground shook under my feet! Years later when I stood close to the runway at an air show, an F-15 did a low level flyover and then pulled vertical and added power until he was out of sight. It brought back thoughts of that day back at the farm and nearly brought tears to my eyes. I’m sure glad we had you guys on our side!  Looking back, it certainly was a day to remember, no matter whether it was ’61 or ’62! Thanks Bill! Dick

Reply from Bill Grimme (65):

Gary,

Reply to Dick Johnson’s note below:

Dick,

I remember the shooters you mentioned. Made many of them. Shot bb’s in those, though, if I remember right. The peashooters I was talking about were like little blowguns-plastic tubes just slightly bigger than a regular drinking straw and a little sturdier. You actually shot dried peas. After a little practice, you could load up peas in your mouth next to your cheek and you had a semi-auto blowgun. Now, about the tapioca.  It was relatively round, not quite as big as a dry pea, but, it looked suitable. So, I loaded up my mouth and looked for a victim. Unfortunately, tapioca, although it starts out hard, dissolves and turns into a starchy, kind of tasteless mush after it has been in your mouth a little while.

So, who remembers the pea shooters?

Thinking about the tapioca reminded me of another prank. I think Myron Zorn may have pulled this on me, but, I might be wrong. Remember the old “Open your mouth and close your eyes and I’ll give you a big surprise”? Well, Myron (or whoever it may have been) finally convinced me to do that. What he gave me was a big spoon full of powdered milk-the old kind that didn’t dissolve well-not the Carnation with the instant crystals. Well, that stuff sets up like concrete on all the moist areas of your mouth and is nearly impossible to get out for several agonizing minutes. Great games we played! I saw a similar effect years later when I gave my dog a spoon full of peanut butter. It stuck to the roof of her mouth and she spent a good half hour trying to lick it completely out! It was actually hilarious. I am not usually so cruel to animals, but, I had spent a lifetime trying to figure out how to get even on that powdered milk trick. The dog was the best I could do. No one else had ever been dumb enough for me to trick. The dog liked the peanut butter, though. Every time I made a sandwich, she begged for peanut butter.

Bill

Reply from Allen Richard (65):

I never got into pea shooters that much, but spit wads through a straw were pretty common.

Then there were the squirt guns– remember the “Wee Gee?”  It was the kids version of the old west Derringer — tiny, easy to conceal and had great range.  Hitting somebody in the ear from two rows away was pretty common.  I carried mine where a strip search would be required for discovery.  Only time I ever got on confiscated was the time I was dared to shoot Hepper as he wrote on the board ( The dare probably came from John Awalt or Kenny. )   –I didn’t do it,  but he didn’t find the wet spots on the board next to either shoulder very amusing.  Lost my very best WEE GEE that day!  Think it cost me 5,000 words too.

Then there were the rubber bands and the paper wads.  Did a few of those, but quit when a few hard core types switched from paper to paper clips——————

Well— speaking of rubber bands—— there was the memorable incident when Earl Hiatt, Myron Zorn and I came up with an eraser launcher from a bicycle inner tube.  We tested it in Jury’s study hall.  Our success was registered on Andy Patenaude’s forehead.  The red mark was there for a couple days as I recall

My penmanship should really be better than it is–considering the practice I got —————————————

And then there was the forward rolls through the open window in POD class when Hep was at track meets–and we had a sub.  That would be John Awalt and me —  with his 55 Chevy strategically parked.  Jerstad found that amusing— but I think I had to work on my penmanship again.  L.J.  (our term of endearment for Mr. Jerstad ) explained that it would be a cold day in —- before i graduated if I maintained my level of goofing off.  He was right — as I recalled there was about 2 inches of snow on the hood of my care when I left graduation.  Then off to the graduation party —- I’ll let Kenny, John A. and Rene fill in the blanks here — but it all ended up cooling in the creek by the slaughter house the next morning —————- Error! Filename not specified.

I’ll stop now– Kenny has already expressed concerns about the details registered in my memory——-

Old Time Jamboree in St. John
Posting from Dick Johnson (’68):  Dunseith, ND

Gary and Friends,       This Saturday evening,  May 6 at 7PM is our annual Rolette County Historical Society fundraiser old time music jamboree.  This has been a good fundraiser for us for many years and we again have some good entertainment lined up.  The Senior Citizens provide a nice lunch with homemade pies and bars as well as Sloppy Joes etc.  I hope many of the readers will be able to attend to help support the museum.  Thanks Gary! Dick

Norway man looking for Relatives in the Dunseith, Rolette and Bottineau areas
Message from Thomas Jeppesen:   Jostedalen, Norway 

Dear Mr/Mrs and to who it may concern. My name is Thomas Jeppesen, of Hokksund,Buskerud,Norway. I’m looking for people in the Dunseith,Rolette and Bottineau county area related to the Espe/Bukve/Seim family that emigrated from Jostedalen,Norway. I see names like  Learae Parrill Espe and Ingrid Espe on your website. Could they be descendants from the Espe family in Jostedal? Would love to get in touch as my girfriend is a descendent from John Iverson Bukve Hellegaard whos many children emigrated to North Dakota. Best Regards Thomas Jeppesen. 

American Legion project
Posting from  Linda Johnson Juntunen (’72):  Perth, ND

Gary,

The American Legion, Department of ND has a project on the table for the weekend of May 15-17, 2015.  Attached is an article from the Legion News and my comments calling for volunteers.  Many of the blog followers have attended or have had a family member attend this wonderful educational camp.  Maybe someone might be interested in coming up and helping out.

Linda J. Juntunen

American Legion Auxiliary

Northwestern Division C & Y Chairman

5394 96^th St.

Perth, ND  58363

701.230.2779 cell

701.477.5536 home

Linda.j.ala@utma.com

www.ndala.org

ND Legion to

Shingle IMC

Practice Huts

In the last issue of the Legion News a NDAL project

within the state of North Dakota was introduced. The rich

heritage the ND American Legion, local Posts and Auxiliary

Units have with sponsoring student musicians into the

International Music Camp’s summer programs has brought

to light the need for repair of practice huts and building

s that affect the quality of learning the children receive

at the camp. Approximately 2,200 kids attend the camp

in six weeks each summer; sixty percent are from North

Dakota, which translate in 1,300 ND kids. The project

was also introduced at the Fall District Meetings and an

organizational meeting was held at the Winter Conference.

The meeting was well attended by at least 25 Legionnaires

representing several posts, companies and interested parties.

The IMC Co-Directors Tim and Christine Baumann were

present to answer questions and offered support for our

planning process.

Project leaders have been selected and the list is

growing. Randall Cale and the family roofing company

will be leading teams. Phil Meyer, Jeff Hall and Harley

Getzlaff, all from Bottineau, and volunteers from two nearby

communities will be reaching out to their local community

college construction projects to offer a real world project

for their students to experience. Lavonne Matthews, a

paralegal, has volunteered to have a waiver of liability

drafted for the volunteers. Linda Juntunen of Rolla will be

leading the charge on providing the meal services to our

volunteers through the use of the camp dining hall. Housing

is available in the dorms for those traveling from outside the

region. Bring sleeping bags or sheets and blankets, pillows

and personal items. Mark your calendars for the weekend of

May 15, 16, 17, for sweat, laughter, and for a project worth

getting done. May 16th is Armed Forces Day, a great day

for a Legion service project. A rainy day alternative is May

29, 30, 31, the first weekend after Memorial Day. There

will be a social element included as well, plans include

a bonfire Saturday night if possible to bring in a little of

the IMC experience. A plan of starting the project Friday

and wrapping it up on Sunday is a huge undertaking but

with enough crews and equipment in place, this task can be

Material donations are being sought from the

manufacturers to support the statewide project for the North

Dakota Children and Youth. Plans are being developed

to have a media day at the camp during the project to

demonstrate the collaboration between the International

Music Camp and the ND American Legion, a collaboration

extending over decades. The music camp will also be

having their spring CPR weekend, Clean, Paint & Repair

team working to open the dorms and get prepared for their

first round of campers in June.

After the organizational meeting during the Winter

Conference, the question still remains on what is needed

to ensure the project goes off as planned. It seems there

will be plenty of hands to help get it get started and we

may have a shortage of younger blood to do the climbing

and crawling on the roofs of the practice huts. If you are

inclined to come and assist in the project, please consider

bringing a younger assistant along with you to help in those

areas which may not be suited for some of our membership.

“American Legion Row” will be our first areas to complete.

Approximately a third of all these huts have the American

Legion logo and a header above the door with the Post name

and number of who have originally sponsored the hut. A

team out of Bottineau is going on property to inspect and

determine what type of under layer roof repairs may be

What do we need? What items, tools or essential

equipment will be needed? The IMC and Peace Gardens

will assure there are roll-off dumpsters for the refuse.

Equipment needed includes Bobcats for removal of debris.

Local availability would reduce having to trailer them across

the state. What tools are needed? Air nailers, compressors,

extension cords, drop cloths, ladders, narrow scaffolding,

magnet rollers, shovels, shingle cutters, pitch forks, etc.

Legionnaires experienced in roofing will have a better idea

of what’s needed so plan on coming to the event and lend

your expertise.

What do you do now? Contact our ND American

Legion Headquarters in West Fargo at 701-293-3120 or

email the Adjutant at adjutant@ndlegion.org and let them

know you are interested in helping on this project.

I hope that all members had the opportunity to read the above article that was printed in the Legion News.  As an Auxiliary to the American Legion we all work to support their goals.  In the Spirit of Goodwill the ALA will be providing food, snacks and meals for this weekend.  Nine meals for 50 volunteers per meal time seating will take a lot of help to prepare and foods to prepare and serve.  We will also need snacks for coffee breaks throughout the weekend.  Please consider sending cash contribution, volunteering some of your time to help prepare and serve and maybe even providing a dozen or two cookies or bars.  Should you wish to volunteer for the weekend I want to let you know that we will be housing the volunteers in the IMC dorms so bring your pillows and bedding and join us for a weekend of good fellowship, great fun and rewarding service.

If you have any questions please contact Linda J. Juntunen, 477-5536 or cell 701/230-2779.  You may also contact the Department Adjutant in Fargo at:  701/293-3120

We appreciate all that you and your Unit can do to help with this worthy cause.

Linda J. Juntunen

Past Department President

====================================
Blog (294) posted on November 26, 2008

Folks, I personally reply to or post all messages that I receive from you folks.  If you have not received a reply from me or have not seen a message posted that you have sent to me, then I have not received it. I have a system I use where I don’t remove the original message from my in box until I’ve posted it or replied. Today I noticed a message that I had gotten from Tom Hagen several days ago still in my in box that I had not posted. It’s there today though.  Please let me know if a message has gotten lost.  On the other hand, please let me know of any of these daily messages you do not receive, by keeping track of the numbers. Periodically there are some that do not get delivered.  This is not a perfect system, but it works well.  Gary

Reply from Carol Thompson Gilje (67):

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to wish “you and yours” a very happy Thanksgiving feast, blessed with family and friends.

I enjoy reading all your stories of growing up in Dunseith.   I realize that I missed out on a lot of the fun, with working either with the family or at the library.    I  have been a real estate agent with Century 21 in Kingman AZ for the past 18 years.   If you get tired of the cold winters “up there,”  it’s a good time to buy a winter place in Kingman.  Good place to live with nice year round climate. Close to Laughlin and Vegas and lakes for fishing. (No ice fishing though, hah)     Take care everyone & stop by & see me

Carol Gilje

Century 21 Barbara Ricca Realty

4005 Stockton Hill Road

Kingman, Arizona 86409

(928) 757 – 2100 Ext. 227

Cell (928) 715 – 4754

Reply from Aime Casavant (66):

Gary, Although we will not be going on the cruise, have you considered setting up your own travel agency?  I think you would be rather good at it.  Or perhaps, retirement is much better. My wife and I recently took this very similar cruise with the Norwegian – leaving from Seattle – returning to B.C. Canada.  When my wife suggested it I thought “Alaska?  for a cruise? I was doubtful.  In fact it was very enjoyable –  looking out at the mountains and northern woods from the ship.  Sometimes I was up at 6:00AM (unusual for me on a cruise or vacation) out on the deck ( with only a few others amongst the 3,000 or so), it was just a unique, tranquil experience.  Knowing in the silence and scenery of the morning, that within a few hours the bustle of activity on the ship would begin for another day of fun. I thought about it but we have been planning a trip to visit our foreign exchange student in the Netherlands and our daughter in-law’s family in Sweden. Best regards, hope you all have a great time, Aime

Reply from Marshal Awalt (51):

Gary

I want to thank you and Bill Hosmer for all the info.I got my book on order today.It’s like they say ask and you will receive.This web site is the best thing since sliced bread.You do good work.

Marshall

Reply from Tom Hagen (51):

Hi, Gary just a note after reading your latest material.   Another Winthrop Smith daughter was Betty .   She was older than I but we attended DHS at the same time.  She married Don Burcham.    My brother, Leland, and I lived at the same house as Betty my freshman year (Lloyd and Annie Hill) in the old Mossie (Sp}  house next to Habberstad’s Trailer Court.   I think Fontanes  lived there later.   Floyd Hill and Alice Metcalfe roomed there. We love E-mail letters,  Love Tom and Dot

Reply to ‘pea Shooter’ fom Dick Johnson (68):

Gary and Friends, Bill Grimme’s story about ‘pea shooters’ sure had me remembering how we made them! We used two different kinds of clothes pins–one straight one and one with the spring–and then had to file the groove deeper to hold the spring back. If I get a chance, I’m going to make one just to see if I still can! Bill, I never tried tapioca as ammo—is there something you aren’t telling us? Maybe you end up with pudding in your pea shooter?!?! Thanks to Bill for the memory and thanks Gary! Dick

Twins
Happy Birthday Darlene Quillinan Larmore (’63): Bivalve, MD
Happy Birthday Denise Quillinan Halvorson (’63): Dunseith, ND

Peace Garden Dedication “Tug of War”
Memory/Question from Sharron Gottbreht Shen (’59):  Watertown, NJ

Hello again Gary,

I was telling my cousin John about grandfather George Gottbreht being Captain of the Tug-of-War team at the Peace Garden dedication. Do we know the names of others on the team? Where is the silver cup today? Does anyone have a picture of the cup or event?

I found this picture in my Archives. It was posted with blog no. 1344.  Gary

Mark Boucher Passed away
Posting from Neola Kofoid Garbe:  Bottineau & Minot, ND

Mark Jeffery Boucher was born on November 3, 1961 in Rolette, ND to Vernon and Annette (Casavant) Boucher. He grew up in Rolette and graduated from Rolette High School in 1980. Mark furthered his education at Valley City State College. He worked as a carpenter for many years and also managed apartments in Rolette for Fercho Apartments. Mark enjoyed helping Merle Boucher on the farm in his off time. He liked collecting sports memorabilia and watching all sporting events on television, especially the Denver Broncos. Mark also enjoyed wood working in his spare time. He will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by his family members and many friends.

Mark is survived by his sisters, Valerie (Mark Gunville) Mortenson of Rolette and Joni (Chris) Doehler of Bisbee; brothers, Myles (Laura) of Detroit Lakes, MN, Rick of Steele, and Corey (Sarah) of Minot; along with many nieces, nephews, great nieces, and aunts and uncles.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Annette Boucher and sister, Tracy Boucher.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 1:00 PM at Elick Funeral Home, Rolla, ND with Deacon Emery Mears presiding. Burial will take place at St. Edward’s Cemetery, Thorne, ND. A meal will follow funeral services at the Senior Citizen Center, Rolette, ND.

Elick Funeral Home, Rolla, ND.

====================================
Blog (293) posted on November 25, 2008

Folks, there is a lot to this message today.  Please read all the way to the bottom so as not to miss anything.  Gary

In reference to the 1956 band picture. I got a message from Neola.  With a second look she was inclined to think that the Smith girl standing between Dave Shelver and DuWayne Lang is Beverley and not Lois.  I called Lois today.  She is inclined to think that it is her in that picture.  She and Beverley only attended school one year in Dunseith and that was in 1956 after their mother died in 1955. Lois does not have email, but her kids do.  I gave her my email address, so she can have one of her children send me a message so I can send a copy of that picture and the other Smith girls to her.  Gary

Ronald LaRocque has cancer – message from Ginger LaRocque Poitra (65): 

I haven’t read all the e-mails, so maybe you already know that Ronald

LaRocque, my cousin, he was born in 1949, has pancreatic cancer, he just
found out a few weeks ago.  It is the fast growing type, he will have
surgery in Minneapolis on Wednesday the 26th, the day before Thanksgiving,
so they celebrated their Thanksgiving this past weekend.  It would be nice
to have prayers for him.  He has always been a hard worker.  He lives in
Center ND. he works in the coal mines there in Falkirk I think.  He and
his wife’s plans are to move to Bismarck after he retires. He is married
to his second wife Mary Jo Malaterre from Belcourt.

I need to run now. You can send me e-mails here.

Talk to you later.
Ginger (65)
Pea Shooters from Bill Grimme (65): 

Gary,

Those mentions of KC in the past few posts got me to thinking that you just can’t buy pea shooters anymore. They were kind of a seasonal thing, it seems. One time I got into my mother’s cupboard for “ammo” and decided that tapioca would work. Try that some time-it’s quite an experience.

Kids don’t know what they are missing.

Bill

Request from Marshal Awalt (51):

Gary

Thanks for keeping everyone in touch.You get everybody’s day started off right.Yesterday Diane Larson Sjol gave us the name of the book the birds were silver then.I’ve tried to find it on google and books a million with no luck and the web site my computer says no such address so I am hoping that some one came up with a location and can help me find a copy.They were in the sky and we were on the ground everyone doing their thing.I sure would love to read that book.

Thanks again

Marshall

Marshall, your request has been answered with Bill Hosmers reply below.  Gary

Reply from Bill Hosmer (48):

Gary,  I am infoing my two wonderful cousins who blasted you with all those words of kindness about my younger days.  The book which Diane mentioned is about the men in our squadron and some of our experiences in the early days of the Vietnam War. If anyone is interested in purchasing the book, it would make the author happy because his living room is still full of books.  This is not a marketing ploy, just a continuation of Diane’s input. He was the flight surgeon of our squadron when we were flying  missions out of Korat Thailand in the mid 60s

The author is Lowell Peterson, a practicing cardiologist.  To order a book which costs $25.00 plus $2.50 for mailing.  Send your address to his address. He does not use a credit card capability, so the check is the quickest way.   His address is: PETERSON HOUSE   2627 BEECHWOOD   APPLETON, WI 54911.

Now the hot sauce that Diane mentioned is unusually distinctive and not overpowering hot. It has a distinct flavor with which to enhance sandwiches, omelets, stews, chile, bloody marys  ad infinitum.  In regard to the mailing by Diane, the gentleman who produces this delicious stuff was not a Thunderbird pilot, but he is a close friend of about 45 years with whom I got qualified in the F-105 fighter right after I left the team. Then I went to Okinawa and he went to another base in Japan. Then we both got involved in the Vietnam War. The email address Diane gave for the milehighhotsauce.com is valid, and Mike Cooper will accept credit card orders. His phone number for that will also provide the credit card order capability, which is:866 264 5344.  Orders can be by the case 12 bottles, or by lots of three bottles. There is 10oz in each bottle.  I buy mine by the case. .

Gary, I don’t think all of this has to be in your next issue of Dunseith Contacting, but the address, cost etc will be helpful to him and appreciated by me.  Now, Gary, one more thing.  I am going to send you a copy of the book as a gift of appreciation for every word, thought, and gesture you have gifted us with.  On top of that , I’m ordering a pack of three of the sauce for you for the same reason.  I expect no objection to this idea,  I really want to do this.

The only thing I request is that you please give me your mailing address for getting these items to you and your family and friends.  The refrigeration of unopened sauce is not necessary, so this is practical,and tops in my agenda.  If you have included your address earlier, my recovery capability is limited and it would be easier to get it from you.  A direct mailing to hozndaz7@yahoo.com will do the trick.

Lastly, but not conclusively,  I wish you and your beautiful bride, and all of your offspring, and your good friends my wishes for a Happy Celebration of All The Holidays coming up.  One more thing, Gary. When I was a Plebe(Freshman)at West Point I played soccer. An upper classman who also played soccer, introduced himself to me and shook my hand which meant that I could call him by his first name instead of “sir”. He graduated in 1950.  I never saw him after that, but his. name was Ramos, and he became the President of The Philippines  and I read about him with pride and remembered I could call him Fidel.  Cheers and gratitude, Bill Hosmer

Bill, Thank you so much for the nice gesture, with the book and sauce.  It is absolutely not necessary for you for to do this. Bernadette and I really appreciate your kind gesture.  From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.  If what I’m doing brings pleasure to others, that in turn brings pleasure to me. I hope you realize the cost of postage to mail stuff to us here in the Philippines.

Bill, You have another fan, your cousin Nancy, with her message below.  Gary

Reply from Nancy Hosmer Baldwin (62): 

Hi Gary and all,
I was out of town for a few days so just now read all the
emails regarding our local hero and my cousin, Thunderbird
Bill, and can’t help reminiscing. Way back in early 70’s I
was dating my future husband, Mike Baldwin, and on our way to a
Thunderbird air-show, I mentioned that my cousin, Bill, had
been a Thunderbird pilot. Mike was a true aviation enthusiast.
He lived, breathed and dreamed jets and even though he had a
private pilot’s license, he was in awe when it came to jet
pilots. It’s not that he didn’t believe me but after the show,
he couldn’t wait to ask the Thunderbird pilots if they knew
Bill Hosmer. The four he got close enough to ask, either knew
Bill or knew of him which impressed Mike to no end. I always
had a sneaking suspicion that Mike proposed soon after just to
get close to Bill. Eventually that day came and over the years
they had several great visits. Mike passed away in 1999 but I
think he was pretty close to being Bill’s number one fan, even
telling the story about the Thunderbird’s impromptu Dunseith
flyover as many times as I did. You’d think he’d had been there
himself. Anyway, cousin Bill, you’re so darn charming, Mike
would have loved you even if you hadn’t been a pilot..

One more note.. Diane Sjol mentioned Col. Cooper’s Mile High
Hot Sauce. I’m on my second “case”. It’s delicious!!
Nancy

Thunderbird story from Gary Morgan (54): 

Gary & All,

In reply to Diane Larson Sjol…thank you for putting us on to “The Birds Were Silver Then”. I immediately went on line and ordered a copy for my brother, Dick, for Christmas.  It’s available through Barnes & Noble.  Incidently, the year The Thunderbirds buzzed Dunseith was 1962.  I was working as a summer seasonal Customs Inspector at Dunseith that summer and had just gotten off the mid – 8 shift.  It must have been about 9: AM because I was waiting for the bank to open to deposit my paycheck and had just gotten out of my car when these planes came swooping down main street.   I then went home and changed my shorts before I went to the bank.  You may remember we lived in the basement apartment below you that summer.
A note to Patty & Terry.  As a rule there were three people assigned to the port at Dunseith, Bill Yuill, Kenny Shirk & Al Koenig.  When they went to 24 hour service during the summer they would add one summer seasonal so 4 of us covered the port 24/7.  As you can guess, we worked alone most of the time.  Sundays we would add a 10 AM – 6 PM shift to supplement the other 3 eight hour shifts so we could have two lanes of traffic open when the band concerts at the Peace Garden got out.  A far cry from today.

Gary Morgan

Thunderbird reply from Dale Pritchard (63):  

Gary,  Here’s a little more input on the Thunderbirds.  In the Spring of
’73’, while stationed at Forbes AFB, Topeka, KS, I was selected as one
of the crew members to provide Air Force C-130 support for the
Thunderbirds.  This lasted nine weeks with only two returns to Forbes to
switch out airplanes and go again.  We were required to attend every
show so we wouldn’t lose any time in going for replacement
parts/equipment if needed.  If I remember right, we covered shows in 23
states during this period.  I never tired of watching the shows.  The
pure professionalism of everything they do is awesome to see.  On the
downside, in the Fall of ’79’ I was at Nellis AFB, Las Vegas as a
maintenance superintendent for two weeks with three of my own C-130s and
three from Germany.  We watched the Thunderbirds taxi out one day and
they didn’t come back.  All six had crashed during a training session.
That was truly a sad day and time, not only for the temporary loss of an
American tradition, but also for the loss of sons, husbands, and
fathers.

Dale

Question from Evie Gottbreht Pilkington (65): 

Evie, your mystery person has been solved.  Please see my comments at the bottom.  Gary

Hi Gary,

I am wondering if I should know this person, is it a Dunseith person????? ) my brain is not what it use to be…..Hope I didn’t go to prom with him……lol

That is a private joke that Connie Halvorson and I share…..we are close friends and when I don’t know someone, we always say…did we go to prom with them…..it is that senior moment thing.

We are approaching my favorite time of year….I love the Holidays!!!!!!!!

Thanks Gary for all you do ….everyone really enjoys the emails.

emp

From: Pat Meidinger [mailto:prm@drtel.net]
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2008 11:15 PM
To: empilkington@yahoo.com
Cc: larryn@westriv.com
Subject: Days Gone By

Evie,

Do you know me?  I think I know you.

Nagel’sEducated Prairie Dogs

LarryNagel

8650 43rd  Ave.

Shields, ND 58569

Phone: 701-597-3730

Email:

Mystery solved:

Larry, Evie Gottbreht Pilkington is part of the class of 65. She lives in Irvine, CA.  How did you come across Evie’s email address?  This is interesting.  Gary

Evie,  Larry Nagel is a prior Dunseith High School teacher. The book has him listed as being hired in 1967.  Larry came into the school system after our day.  Gary

Former teacher memories from Ele Dietrich Slyter (69): 

Happy 80th cousin  Jim E. Metcalfe
From Vickie Metcalfe (’70):  Bottineau, ND

You look great on your photo!

You’re message  in today’s blog  gave me the incentive to get busy and w-a-l-k more than a couple blocks.

Here in the North country, it is the beginnings of a  beautiful May Day.

The songbirds woke  up early and welcomed the morning sun.

Jim, I sincerely wish you the best in good health, family and ~~golf.

As ever, Vickie

1915 Portrait of Gottbreht family
Posted by Sharron Gottbreht Shen (’59):  Watertown, NJ

Portrait of Gottbreht family at the marriage of Cecelia Gottbreht to Ole Evans October 1915. I identified each person on Photo App,but am not sure about man behind William, front left.

Very interested in remarks of any who remembers the generation that were born in Dunseith and lived there much of their adult lives.

Posted by Vickie Metcalfe (’70):  Bottineau, ND

BY-LINE BELOW PHOTO: Bottineau Otter Tail, under the direction of John Derr, brought his crew to the new Bottineau County Veterans Memorial Hall at 104 North Main Street to help fix the chain that was caught to raise and lower the flag.  In addition, the flag needed replacement.  A  8 ft by  12 ft flag is flying.  This flag pole was made by Dwayne Sorben for Cenex 20 years ago.  Last year, CENEX donated the flag pole to the Veterans and in turn the Veterans provided them a rope flag pole. Thank you to all for everything you have helped in establishing a New Bottineau County Veterans Hall.  The Veterans have Coffee Monday through Sat from 0800 to 1700.  EVERYONE IS INVITED  to come visit with a veteran.

SUBMITTED BY A VETERAN

Smith girls Pictures
Reply from Neola Kofoid Garbe:  Bottineau & Minot, ND

Hi Gary,

I think the pictures of the two Smith girls (yesterday’s blog) was “settled” when that newsletter was first posted.  You might still have our exchanges from that time.  The pictures are of two different Smith girls.  Lois is the one in the picture labeled “Lois”; she is a member of the Bottineau High School Class of 1958.  She is married to Homer Yates.  They have lived in one of the southern states for many years—I have her address, but not the energy to look it up.  The Smith girl standing between two people is Beverly, Bottineau High School Class of 1957.  Beverly was married/lived in Minnesota.  She passed away quite a few years ago.

Your old/new blogs are very interesting.   Thanks!

Neola

====================================
Blog (292) posted on November 24, 2008

Mike (Chip) Johnson (73) is in the Dunseith area – message from Rod Hiatt (69):

Gary

Just a quick note to let the ones in the Dunseith area know that
Mike(Little Chip) Johnson is back in the area for the next 6-7 days. He
and his wife, Vickie, came up to stay with my brother Rick and his wife,
Susan who is a sister to Vickie.
Chip was telling us that now in Nebraska, a part of highway 83 between
North Platte and Valentine is now toll road. The toll is different from
any I have been on, as at 65 mph you don’t pay anything but at 78 mph
you have to pay $119 toll. Can anyone give Chip directions for a cheaper
road back to Denver?

Reply from Bill Hosmer (47):

Gary, and my Dunseith Friends,  I am overcome with your comments from the past.  My ego has been fed enough to last for the rest of my life. All of you have demonstrated that tremendous Dunseith generosity and support. Anything I accomplished in my past was due to a certain spirit and tons of encouragement by the likes of you, your parents, and grandparents experienced during  my terrific days as a Dunseith guy. Blessings and Cheers to you with gratitude and affection.  Bill Hosmer

Reply From Bill Grimme (65): 

Gary,

This is a great re-run! Brought back all the memories of the fun and pride Bill Hosmer and his team brought to Dunseith.

Those were good times. Plenty left ahead with your daily emails, too.

Last year’s reunion and these daily emails have really kept a spark going. I know when I went back to Dunseith last September, it was almost as good a trip as the reunion the year before. I’m really looking forward to the cruise. I think it is shaping up nicely.

Cold here in Birmingham tonight – should have a low of about 27. It got down to 24 last night. I know that doesn’t get the attention of the folks in Dunseith, but, down here, people start getting excited in the 20’s. Folks sell firewood out of pickup trucks on a lot of corners. We do get the single digits occasionally, but not often. A little snow now and then, too. In 1993, I had 18″ on the level in my yard. Drifts up to 2 or 3 feet. Shut the town down for 4 or 5 days. No snow removal equipment and a lot of hills here. My wife had me shoveling a square IN THE BACK YARD!!! We had three small dogs and they needed a little help for the necessities. The poor little guys would come in with snowballs hanging on their bellies. It would take about a half hour to get them all melted.

Looks like we’ll get a little warmup by Turkey day.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Bill

Reply from Colette Hosmer (64): 

Thanks, Gary, for gathering together these “Thunderbird” accounts.  Bill has always been a great source of pride to the family and I am especially proud as I have the honor of being his favorite cousin.  (Just kidding, I assume several of his other cousins are reading this and I take great pleasure in putting him on the spot).    Colette

Reply (Thunderbirds)  from Neola Kofoid Garbe: 

Great newsletter, Gary.  I enjoyed it as much/maybe more than I did the first time it was sent.  You do a great job of organizing the info for your newsletter.  I remember KC; I bought several neat pairs of earrings from him in about 1954. The story about him is precious.

Neola

Reply from Diane Larson Sjol (70): 

To all,
Do any of you remember what year it was that Bill over
Dunseith…seems we lived there then.  I think my dad was in Germany
at the time and we lived in the old Art Rude house across the street
from the school.  I remember being a little scared and excited at the
same time when I heard those jets and told everyone, “That was my
cousin Bill Hosmer!”  We aren’t actually cousins but since my mother
and Lee Hosmer were sisters and I am a first cousin to the Hosmer
girls, Bill’s folks were always “Uncle Jack and Aunt Inie” so Bill was
always my cousin and still is!  It was a very proud moment for me and
I have told the story many many times.  By the way, a fellow
Thunderbird pilot of Bill’s makes and sells the most wonderful
hotsauce.  Bill introduced it to Nancy (Hosmer) Baldwin and she
introduced it to me….I order it by the case.  Col. Cooper as he is
known, is quite a character and will answer any email you send
him…..if anyone is interested, it is calle Mile High Hot Sauce…the
website is www.milehighhotsauce.com.  One other thing….for those of
you who are interested in reading a very fine book of essays and
stories of the Vietnam Air War edited by Lowell Peterson entitled “The
Birds Were Silver Then”  the book is composed of first hand interviews
and stories by the pilots themselves and Bill Hosmer is featured
throughout the book as well as on the back cover.  We all know what a
descriptive and eloquent writer he is so it’s great to be given
another opportunity to “hear” his stories.  I begged him for a copy of
this book and he was kind enough to give me a signed copy.  I
recommend it highly….Diane Larson Sjol

Reply from Bonnie Awalt Houle (56): 

Hi Gary,

In answer to the comment by Gary Metcalfe about Dunseith Teacher’s from the 50’s.  Of Course Conroy and Jerstad were always on the end of  our tongue when it came to classes but what about Ms. Shurr???  She could certainly keep a class in line, with just a look the dungeon could go from rowdy to silence.  I didn’t appreciate what she was teaching me at the time but when I entered college one of my professors told me that I must have had a great English teacher because my grammar was excellent.

Ms. Shurr also taught Current Events, Janice Leonard, Mickey Haagenson and I would always get the very front desk for current events.  Then we could wink at the boys or make faces when they were trying to give their current events.  The boys would get really flustered and mess up and what was so great was that Ms. Shurr couldn’t see what we were doing.  Most of the time Mickey’s face was more red then the boys.  Lots of fun.

Next was Mr. Erickson, Civics, Band and Choir.  We were able to travel all over with the marching band because he pushed us to learn, and perfect.  In Civics, well I guess that Band and Choir were definitely Erickson’s best suit.

What about Mr. Starks and drivers education, you boys knew more about the inside of a car then he did, one afternoon he took the entire class out to his car to explain to us how to change oil, DuWayne Lang, Gary Metcalfe, Gary Cota, just kept pointing at things under the hood and naming them off finally Mr. Starks dismissed the class.  I still can’t tell you a thing about much under the hood of a car.  My husband has taught me the most important thing about cars, “The only thing you can safely run out of in a car is gas, everything else causes damage.”  Starks must have taught something else but I can’t remember what.

I don’t remember any other teacher from that time, surely someone out there has something to offer.

Bonnie Awalt Houle 56

Reply to the 1956 band picture from Gary Metcalfe (57): 

Reply to Bonnie:  Good job Bonnie, I agree, that is Lois, the pictures do not do her justice. What was her older sisters’ name?  There was one of them in school with us.  Windy Smith lived out near Lords Lake, probably a neighbor of Keith.  When the mother died, Windy moved to Bottineau with his girls.  Doris Smith married Corbin Pritchard (shoe store).

Hey Bonnie, how come I thought there were only two teachers in Dunseith, Conroy and Jerstad???  Gary Metcalfe

Reply to the 1956 band picture from Neola Kofoid Garbe:

Hi Gary,

Thanks for another interesting newsletter.  As you know, I stay up late, so I usually read your newsletter before I “hit the hay”.  I always check the computer for your newsletter before I go to bed, IF I haven’t read it earlier.

The Lois Smith picture resembles Winthrop Smith’s daughter, Lois.  As you know, Lois’ sister, Doris was Corbin Pritchard’s second wife.  This Lois Smith graduated from Bottineau High School in 1958.  Her sister, Beverly, graduated from Bottineau in 1957.  I don’t know when Winthrop moved to Bottineau, but I’m guessing it was 1955/56, as it states in the Centennial Book the family lived on the farm until Winthrop’s wife, Edna, died in September 1955.  I think you have the Centennial Book.  Winthrop/Edna are on page 619.  See how you interpret their write-up.  I would send Lois’ graduation picture, but my annuals are in Bottineau.

Neola

Follow up reply from Neola:

Gary,

The Lois Smith I was talking about is married to Homer Yates.   They live at:

10450 Willoughby Cr.

Keithville, LA 71047

318-925-6932

As far as I know, they don’t have a computer.

Beverly Smith, Class of ’57, is deceased.

Neola

Folks, Neola is from both of the Bottineau High School classes of 57 & 58. She had some medical complications in her High School days that held her back a year.  Neola is the primary spokes person for both of her classes and is the primary organizer of their reunions.  Gary

Gary.  I need to “correct” one item; I don’t do much for the Class of ’58’s reunions.  My good friend, Cherrille Bergeron McLean, is the “head honcho” for that one.   Ardell Willard (originally from Omemee) Grimm (Richard)and I co-chair the Class of ’57’s reunions.

Neola

Folks, I believe we now have everyone identified correctly in this photo.  This photo has sure generated a lot of interest.  It was a lot of fun with all the replies we got from all of you identifying those that you knew. This was definitely a picture that was not totally identifiable by any one person. It was with the combined efforts, with all your replies, that we were able get everyone identified.  You guys have great recall.  You realize this picture is 52 years old.  Gary Metcalfe, you did a wonderful job policing the replies for being correct. Thank you Dick Johnson for providing this picture.  Gary

Picture L to R:  1956 DHS Band

Front row: Gayle Bedard, Caroleen Lider, Janice Lacroix, Marjorie Landsverk, Lowell Williams, Lois Hiatt.

Row two: Karen Woodford, Colleen Conroy, Gerald Lamoureux, Marlene Schneider, Duane  Woodford, Mick Kester, Shirley LaRocque, Susan Brew, Connie Bedard, Joanne Kester.

Back row: Charlie Ericson, Ernest Kundart, Charlotte LaCroix,Barbara Bott, Ronnie Link, Lowell Leonard, Dwight Lang, Curt Halvorson?, Don Conroy, Neva Haagenson?, John Morgan, Ellen Graff, BIG DAVE SHELVER, Lois Smith,DuWayne Lang

Minot Daily News article/picture of Dick & Brenda Johnson provided by Neola Kofoid Garbe: 

Hi Gary,

This clipping was in today’s Minot Daily.  It is the second part of the article.  I had planned to attend the jam session, but I became so involved in all I’m trying to get accomplished in this week I’m in Minot that I completely forgot about it until I read this morning’s paper.

Neola

Happy Birthday Jim Metcalfe Jr. (’52) Kingman, AZ

Jim Metcalfe’s message

Hi Gary,

I’m sending this photo, as I commence the official start of old age which, for me, comes on Sat, May 2nd, because many others of your group do so and it’s always fun to see how people change over the years.  Oftentimes, I meet people whom I should know but I’d never recognize them just meeting on the street, or I may remember them but can’t  recall their name. Anyway this was taken this morning in our back yard in sunny Kingman, Arizona after walking straight off the golf course.  Nine holes, 5 days a week walking is the best exercise I  get these days.

Our family has been concerned for the health of my youngest sister, Lola who should be getting home from a stint in a Fargo hospital. We hope for her soon recovery as we do for Bernadette.  It’s hard to be sick, but it’s also difficult to care for a sick person, and it gets harder at our age. Thanks for continuing updates on your wife and stories about other family and friends.  It’s almost like we come to know them a little bit and it’s very interesting to follow.

Highest regards for the way you handle this blog.  Working with people is difficult.  Keeping it clean and taking care not to offend some black sheep relative or worse requires some serious tap dancing and you handle it so well. I wish they gave ‘Best Blog awards’ You’d get a ton of votes.

Jim Metcalfe

Gary’s Reply
Yes, we are concerned for Lola too. She has a lot of family and friends support. She will be OK.
Thanks Gary for the nice kind words too. It means a lot.
Gary

Happy Birthday Art Rude Sr.
Posting from Art Rude (’71):  Bismarck, ND

Tomorrow is Dad’s 92nd birthday, and although I was worried about him on Sunday, he seems to have been doing much better, as much as I can tell from here. I’ve been looking through old pictures, and although I hope to find a number of things as I go through the old stuff, I started thinking about the skating parties that Dad used to run every year for the 8th Grade. As I recall, it was towards the end of the skating season, they rented the skating rink in Bottineau (now known as the “Lumber Dome”) and would take several bus loads of Dunseith kids there for a night of skating. As I recall, each 8th grader could invite 3 guests, and that was a big social event as I recall. Dad did it for quite a number of years. I was wondering if you would ask the group in your Dunseith Alumni Newsletter if they have any stories, and I would especially enjoy a picture of my Dad on skates. I did not inherit my Dad’s love of skating. I recall he told me one time, that on Dec.7, 1941 conditions were perfect so he and Con Carpenter had skated around Willow Lake! Afterward, they learned about the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Cebu Expat Dinner at the Marco Polo

This picture was taken last night. Because we had so many people, 200 plus, we had to split the group up into three nights. Bernadette went on Monday and Tuesday, but not last night (Thursday) so I was the only one from our house hold that attended last night. Such good food too. For my efforts and their appreciation, the Marco Polo gives me 4 free dinners, each night, for Bernadette, Novie, Mirasol and me. Last night it was only me though. Because we have the numbers, the five star hotels give our folks a 50% discount with a beverage of choice for our monthly dinners. For those returning solo, any time, we have a Cebu Expat membership card that most of the five star hotels will honor with a 20% discounts for all food and beverages. It is a win win situation. Doing this and the Dunseith Blog, I am kept as busy as I choose to be.

Gary

====================================
Blog (291) posted on November 23, 2008

Reply from Tom Hagen (51): 

Hi, Gary, a big shout back to Susan Brew Roussin.   Yes, I well remember living with your Grandpa Jerry and Grandma Kathryn Demo in the old Gilbert House (reputed to be the oldest structure in Dunsieth) now gone.

Do you remember that a family named Presnall lived on the other side?
Well, she was a distant relative of mine and just died in Tioga ND at
age 97 (Verna Torgerson Presnall) and of course the kids attended the
Dunseith school ,   The only one I know of is Max who lives in Tioga.
Remember when Dot and I visited you south of San Haven.   Where is your
sister Lorna???

We love E-mail letters,  Love Tom and Dot

Bill Hosmer and the famous Air Force Thunderbirds: 

Folks,  This deserves a re-run. Many of you have been added to our distribution list since this was run last January.

Seeing Bill Hosmer’s name, with his message yesterday, brings back a lot of memories of him and the famous Air Force Thunderbirds.  As most of you know, Bill was a pilot with the Thunderbirds back in the 60’s. He, along with the Thunderbird team, performed many air shows around the world, with Dunseith being one of them.

The following was posted last January, 2008.  Bill’s reply, with his side of the story, follows everyone’s story of their remembrance of that famous day, in Dunseith, when the Thunderbirds, unexpectedly, came to town.  Some of the older generation thought the Russian’s were attacking

Bill, this is one event that will never be wiped from the history of Dunseith.  We are proud to have you  as one of our own.

Gary

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 , 2007, when our subject of discussion for the day was you and those planes performing over Dunseith.  Last winter our class members had, almost live discussions, on various topics and this was one of them.

Gary

The first message I 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 (65) 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 (64) 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 (66)

Gary & Bill (Grimme) & 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 (65) 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 (65) 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 Hosmer’s (64) 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 (65) 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  from Deb Morinville Marmon (70):

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

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 (64) 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

Larry Hackman’s (66) 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