Road trip with Dad 1983
Posted by Vickie Metcalfe (’70):  Bottineau, ND

Gary and Dunseith friends,

Road Trip Home 1983

One summer, while attending an orientation for the blind class with two other guys in Grand Forks Dad learned basic Braille. Thereafter he used a Braille wristwatch.  I relied on Dad and his Braille watch thoughout our trip to tell us the time.

The night before leaving his sister Jean’s, his nephew Ric gifted his Uncle Cliff with a ‘special box’.

My fondness for driving ‘Blue Highways’ found mid morning traveling to avoid traffic. At Everett, we turned onto US Highway #2 to take over the cool Cascades. Groves of  trees were ladened with multi fruit. Greens, reds, and yellows . Dad spoke of Sunday’s long ago when he drove his bride, mom as a newlywed over the Cascades to  the fruit groves.         At a  Wenatchee fruit packing plant boxes of applets, cotlets and cases of peaches were purchased and placed in the back seat.  Dad enjoyed treating and sharing with others.

Crossing the mighty Columbia, meandering  south to pick up interstate across WA  to Spokane sweet peach aroma filled the car.  I couldn’t avoid  the afternoon rush.  My nephew by then was into asking his grandfather about the navy. Grandpa had done basic Navy training at Farragut Idaho. Soon they were talking about what navy recruit guys on leave did when they saw pretty girls.  Navigating with teeth clenched, knuckles white and hair standing on end, lanes of traffic zipping through Spokane I was completely stressed.  The feat was accomplished with no help from the shotgun or middle seats where grandfather and grandson mimed how the Navy guys would  ‘freeze on the corner seeing girls! Urgh!

Cool easy Idaho and Western Montana driving, stopping to  walk and eat local meals.  With all the Navy talk, the next venture was to locate the ranch where Dad’s navy buddy was now living.  The Springdale exit, had a rickety, much used bridge with old bridge planks many nails pulling out which made the loose boards clunk and groan over the Yellowstone. The A.C. was relief from the oppressing heat stirring up  brown dust on a long winding ranch road through swarms of grasshoppers  which  hopped, pelted  and smashed stuck on the windshield obstructing  our view of the Crazy Mountains.

Dad and George were true, solid friends who had endured years of war together watching the others back from basic training, to watching the coast for the enemy, and  on the vast Pacific.  But their  visit was about ranching,good horses, dogs and hunting the Crazy Mountains. Applets, cotlets and fruit for a pie were left with George’s wife as  they said their last goodbye.

The final night of our journey found us staying at my Sidney home.  Once, I had been told native American Indians referenced that part of the valley to death valley  And it felt like it! One could never catch a breath of breeze from the summer heat to cool  down at night.

The cool Turtle Mountains and mom were waiting the next evening. We had built into our memories more moments to treasure and share.

The next day dad instructed me to take peach deliveries to his brother Bill, various friends, nieces  and nephews while he and his  eldest grandson drank peach shakes blended by mom .

He showed Mom how the,  ‘special box’ from his nephew worked. It was then placed in a familiar place where he could always locate it.

Thanks Gary, until Later,

Vickie Metcalfe

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

Gary , Dunseith friends, and Betty Lamb,

After Dad lost his vision in his mid fifties he attended blind orientation at UND Grand Forks with two other fellows who had also lost their vision. He learned various things one was how to maneuver with a white cane. Another was playing whist using Braille cards.

Through that training he became a bit more self-assured and the senior citizen bus picked him up for lunch at Senor Citizens 3 days a week.  The driver at that time was Ole Olinger. Dad knew several passengers including Dan Peltier, Moise Azure and others.

He knew most of the folks at senior citizen center. They visited, ate and played cards. After the cards, Ole would take bus riders to their homes. But he took dad to Dales.

Of the most consistent at playing whist were, Florence Cushing, Henry  and Melvina Schneider.

After Mrs. Cushing passed away Leonard told Dad of a promise he made to his wife. She requested husband Leonard ‘to promise her if any thing happened to her. Leonard would take her in her place to be Cliff’s partner playing whist’ that he was now dad’s whist partner.

While on our 1983 journey, dad received a ‘special box’

One day he took it on the bus to dinner. He showed the people the silver square cube about four inches. He did not show them a small button.  He kept one finger over it.

The senior citizens were very curious about the special  box.  They asked what it was? He said, “It is an answer box. ” One who expressed the greatest curiosity was Mrs. Pete Schneider.

With a soft voice, She said, “What does it do?” He replied, “ It answers questions”. Sophie said,  “What kind of questions?”  He responded, “Oh, any thing. Would you like to ask it a question?

Sophie said, “Yes, But, What question shall I ask?”

He said, “ Ask it anything.’

Then,  “How about asking what time it is?”

Sophie bent down to the answer box.  Clearing her throat once, then twice.

Sophie ‘s gentle voice spoke at the box.  “Excuse me.”  “Excuse me, Please, tell me what time is it?

The box answered clearly montone, “IT IS NOW 11:25.a.m.”

The senior citizens started to giggle, and the room filled with laugher.  The question box was a talking clock with a push button.

Thanks Gary Until later.

Vickie Metcalfe

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Blog (547) posted on September 11, 2009

Posted on September 12, 2009

Good day folks,

I don’t have any postings for today so we will continue with the previous postings.

For you folks in ND and the upper Midwest, you have had your share of winter and snow this year. I has been cooler than normal the past few weeks here in Cebu, Philippines too. At noon it is now 83f. Normally it’s pushing 90f. We’ve had a lot of rain too.

This little 2 year old girl who lives next door came into my office to say “Good Morning” of which she said so well in perfect English. English is not her language, but she repeats English words very clear that are spoken to her. Her mother is a sister to Bernadette’s sister’s husband. Her mother speaks very little English, so this little girl didn’t pick up any of her English speaking skills from her mother. She has one younger and two older sisters too. The oldest is 6. They all look exactly alike too. This family of 6 lives on about $200.00 per month too. They can make it, but not to the American level of living though.

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Blog (546) posted on September 10, 2009

Posted on September 11, 2009

Carringbridge update for Bev Morinville Azure: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bevazure

Posted by her daughter Shonda Azure Campbell (94): Minot, ND

Thursday, September 10, 2009 3:40 PM, CDT

Greetings family and friends,

Once again i bring you great news … The DR was in and her tests are already back and all is well …..NO CANCER !!!! And her x ray was better then the DR expected it to be …….Thank you all for your kind thoughts and your stead fast prayers …. We are all very thankful

Shonda

Condolences to the Gerald Casavant Family

From Jean Nicholas Miller (66): GLENDALE, AZ

Reply from Marie Iverson Staub (60): Seattle, WA.

Hi Gary,

Just wanted to let you know I loved the pictures of the Peace Garden’s. I also wanted you to know I enjoyed meeting you and Bernadette at the reunion in Seattle. It was more fun then I expected and also seeing people I did remember from Dunseith also glad to hear everyone had such a good time on the cruise. Thanks again

Marie Iverson(Staub)

Picture from Jim Kamphenkel (DHS Teacher): Greenwald, MN.

Yes. I was the coach.

Pictured Front row L to R: Gaillord Peltier, Allan Enno, Keith Berg, John Mongeon

Back Row L to R: Gordon Malaterre, Elmer Parisien, Robin Olson, Jeff Campbell, Everett Enno, Jim Kamphenkel

Not pictured: Clarence Enno, Marcellino Parisien

Fortunately, I wrote all of this info onto the back of the picture way back then…I certainly couldn’t remember who was NOT there!

These were a really nice group of young people to work with. I enjoyed working with them immensely.

Jim

Jim, Thank you so much for responding to our WEB site and for this picture. I have added you to our daily distribution. Please let me know if you’d rather not be getting these daily messages? Gary

Back: Gordon Malaterre, Elmer Parisien, Robin Olson, Jeff Campbell, Everett Enno, Jim Kamphenkel
Front: Gaillord Peltier, Allan Enno, Keith Berg, John Mongeon

Reply/Pictures from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND.

Gary and Friends,

Margaret Seim Lawston’s story of not getting enough of the water from
their well is true. I think I drank far more water from the old cream
can back then than I have since! I too remember how Mrs. Carlson
suffered from arthritis. Her hands were knotted and knobby but she made
some of the best cookies I ever tasted! She gave her recipe to my
Grandma and then Brenda got it from her so I still get to enjoy those
cookies from so long ago. I think they are from an old Norwegian recipe
because they are mostly butter and sugar—all the good stuff! She
stayed on the farm with Carroll for several years after her husband,
Pete, died in 1953. I think she moved to her daughter’s home in Minot
about 1960. I believe she passed away in 1962. I remember going to see
her in Minot once, where she lived in an upstairs apartment. One cute
story was when Carroll asked me if I could read Norwegian? I said that I
couldn’t read it but could generally get the meaning if I read through
it a couple times. He went in and got a letter from Norway that he kept
in a drawer. It appeared to me that they were sending condolences on the
loss of his mother and asking if he was still going to stay on the farm?
I asked him when he got the letter, so he handed me the envelope—1963!
He said, “I didn’t write to them, I didn’t know what the hell they were
saying—he he he!”

There was a threshing crew made up of John Seim, Pete Carlson, Lude or
Max Peterson, and I think one more neighbor. This was a partnership
called ‘The Big Four’ and they did a lot of custom threshing around the
area as well as their own. Carroll told me that some of the scrap iron I
hauled to Minot for him contained the remnants of some of the equipment
from the partnership. Maybe Margaret Seim Lawston or Don Aird can
correct me on who was in the partnership. It is a piece of local history
that I think we should preserve in proper form. It seems to me there was
a man named Albert Peterson, who was not related to Lude and Max, and
was also involved in this partnership.

My Grandma, Cynthia Johnson, had the pictures I’m attaching. They were
taken in the yard at John Seim’s place—later owned by his son Art
Seim, the father of Margaret Seim Lawston. The top photo is of the
confirmation class from Little Prairie Lutheran Church taken at Seim’s.
It includes the Carlson kids, Don Aird’s mom is one of the girls. She
is Clarissa, a sister to Carroll Carlson. The lower photo
says—‘Gang of the lazy J.S.’ (John Seim). The middle guy is
probably Art Seim and the short guy on the right, I think is Elmer
Espe who is Art’s cousin. Not too sure of the others. Thanks Gary!

Reply from Robin (Dan 75) Pladson: Dunseith, ND.

Gary,

Just a short note……..with this email you sent a picture of the Herman Hiatt place across from the Achworth Cementary to the east, which is viewed through our dining room double deck doors (Daniel and Robin Pladson). Anyway, I was talking to Daniel last night and we believe the date on the picture is incorrect. Should have been “2008”. I did some investigating with the tags on the car, they were yellow in 2008. And supposely they rotate in colors every 5 years. What brought this on is the german shephard in the background, she is our dog and the joke is “she is visiting her grandparents for the summer” and comes home for supper on occassion. Her name is Josie, and Daniel didn’t get her till 2005. Josie keeps on eye on our place, cemetary and Grandpa and ma Marchus and loves to play throw with anyone she comes in contact with.

Enjoy reading the news and history of the Turtle Mountain area from your daily emails. I am originally from the Black Hills of South Dakota, a cattle ranch(now 5th generation) that was founded in 1868 by my great grandparents, Joesph Fugier (son of Emil and Emilie Fugier – born in France, “Fugier” is an anglicized version of “Fugere”). Emil had a couple brothers (Fugere) that came to St-Dominique, Quebec, Canada area and Emil went on to Iowa and had son Joe and siblings. From what I am finding out, is that I have distant cousins here in the Rolette/Bottineau Counties. Never would of thought by marrying Daniel I would have relatives in the area. The first time I met David Fugere he said “it was about time they get a french girl in them norwegian hills”.

Robin, I think you are right. This picture was not taken in 2004. I Think instead it was taken in 2007 when we were back for the Dunseith reunions. I remember your dog and my brother Bud telling me it was your dog. I have added several other pictures taken from the other direction that include your buildings. Larry and Mona Marchus have sure kept the place looking nice. Dad used to keep all that mowed too, after they moved to Bottineau. We had a beautiful place in the hills with a fantastic view to the east all the way to the Peace Garden and Little Prairie. Gary

Former Stokes Farm Yard now owned by Larry & Mona Marchus

Picture take from the Stokes yard:

Ackworth Cemetery with Dan & Robin Pladson’s house & farm buildings on the back side.

I remember those evergreens being planted when I was a kid. They stayed so small

for so long. Gary

Cropped picture of the Cemetery with the Pladson Buildings.

Robin & Dan, I’m thinking that is the old Holmen school on the right. It used to be on the Lake road (#43) several miles west of Salem church. LaVerne Rude, if this is the school I’m thinking of, this would be your old school. Salem used to use that school for their two weeks of Bible school that we all attended every summer. Gary

Looking North from the Ackworth Cemetery on the Willow Lake Road:

Stokes farm approach on the right and the Pladson approach/mailbox on the left.

The Former Johnny Hiatt farm, now the Fauske farm is one mile north and a half mile west.

The Canadian line is about 2 miles north.

Dunseith Anonymous Donor
Facebook posting from two years ago.

Folks,

This posting popped up as “Memories, 2 years ago, on Facebook” so I thought I’d share it with you.

This Dunseith anonymous donor adopted this family about 7 years ago, a widowed mother and her 3 sons.. She has never missed sending them a monthly allowance. The three boys are pictured in the picture with Bernadette’s Nieces; Novie and Mirasol. This family is so grateful for her generosity. She is an angle sent from heaven in their lives.

As I was putting this posting together the boys came asking for an advance to this month’s allowance because they had a school payment they need to pay. I called my FPO mail and her check is there, so I gave the boys their allowance.

          Mirasol                           Novie

Mary Anne McLeod Trump
Posting from Vickie Metcalfe (70): Bottineau, ND

 Gary,

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-38648877

On the  second time I was in Scotland , over one  weekend  our group stayed in Stornaway, on Isle of Lewis.
It is most beautiful!
On Sunday, Three of us walked to church. There were many churches on Lewis,  mostly Church of Scotland or Presbyterian,
We wanted to go to the one that held services in Gaelic.
But that was not to be.

Before I sat down, I looked into  the eyes of  an elderly  lady and asked,  ‘Are seats  saved for other people usually attending?”
She replied emphatically,  ‘You are welcome to sit any where  in God’s house!”

In Scotland, the Isle of Lewis, has the most  conservative laws of any place in the whole of Scotland.
All  people  observe ‘Sunday’.
Why?  They have to because  there are,No taxis, stores  or eating places  open.

Lewis/Harris is well known for Harris Tweed.
In a  historical Black House’  on Lewis I watched our driver  sit at a loom and work on some tweed.
The Isle also has more ‘Standing stones’ .

This past summer, I asked  Angus  ( both of his parents immigrated from Lewis)

“Does your family on Lewis know any of Donald Trumps relatives?”
He shrugged “No”
I guessed it was no big deal to him.

He’d probably, fit in with Trump’s cousins.

La†er, v

Question
Vickie, Is this Angus Campbell you referenced?

Posted by Neola Kofoid Garbe:  Bottineau & Minot, ND

The other day, it “struck” me this is Ernest/Ernie and Ruth Pilloud.  I sent it to Susan Gardner/asked her to check with Louise’ daughter, Veda Clark, or Louise’ granddaughter, Jennifer Lauckner (I think all three work at St. Andrew’s.)  Veda verified it’s her grandparents.

Posted by Neola Kofoid Garbe: neolag@min.midco.net Bottineau & Minot, ND

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Blog (545) posted on September 9, 2009

Posted on September 10, 2009

Cebu Philippines: Tuesday Pool
Every Tuesday a group of us get together and play pool at the Eurohub from 9 to Noon. Yesterday there were only 4 of us, all from different countries

L to R:  Gary Stokes (USA), Michael Kenny(Ireland), Alex Todd (Philippines) and Peter Probst(Germany)

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Blog (543) posted on September 7, 2009

Posted on September 7, 2009

Bob Boardman (44) passed away

Message from Beatty Boardman, Bob’s wife:

Bob passed away on Friday, September 4, 2009 in the Frazee Care Center. The funeral is Thursday, September 10 at 11;00 AM. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church,Frazee, Mn. Visitation, Wednesday 4:00- 8:00 PM. We will be celebrating his life at this time.

Beatty, Our condolence are with you and the whole Boardman family with the passing of Bob. Vickie Metcalfe said she saw Luella and Ralph today/yesterday in Bottineau. Vickie sent me Bob’s Obituary that I have posted below. Our thought’s and prayers are with you. Gary

Posted by Vickie Metcalfe (70): Bottineau, ND

From the In-Forum

Robert Claire Boardman
Frazee, Minn. Died Friday, Sept. 4, 2009, at age 83 in Frazee Care Center under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.


Robert Claire Boardman
Frazee, Minn.
Died Friday, Sept. 4, 2009, at age 83 in Frazee Care Center under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.
Survivors: wife, Betty; two sons, David (Charleen) Boardman, Gary (Dawn) Boardman; daughter, Donna (Terry) Atherton; brother, Don (Irene) Boardman; and two sisters, Luella (Ralph) Bjornseth, Joyce (Jim) Smith.
Services: Visitation will be Wednesday from 4 to 8, with a prayer service at 6:30, in Furey Funeral Home, Frazee, and Thursday from 10 to 11, followed by the funeral at 11, in Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Frazee. Burial: Church cemetery.

Reply from Mona Dionne Johnson (48): Lake Metigoshe, ND

Gary: Our great country was indeed fortunate when Truman had to step
in on April 12, 1945 and assume the great responsibility of the
presidency and World War II. The sign on his desk “The Buck Stops Here”
was not just a sign to him, it was fact, and with the grave decisions he
had to make, he made them. He never disgraced the office and he led our
country forward. There should be more like him today.
Mona Johnson, ’48

Reply from Aggie Casavant (69): Fort Mill, SC

Hi Gary, First I want to say thank you for getting Yvonne all squared away,I know she’ll enjoy it. Next I want to say that I had no idea that you and Warren Anderson served in Vietnam… Wow! I guess I say that,cuz when Gary Metcalf mentioned the other day of guys that we think of as war heros that we know,all I could think of was my brothers,now I have two more I can add to my list… Gary and Warren. I guess for those who never expierenced saying goodbye to your brother or brothers not knowing if you’ll ever see them again,it’s something that never leaves you. When I saw the pictures of you and Warren in Vietnam it brought back a flood of memories
Thanks for sharing those pictures Gary,they really meant alot.

Next the pictures of Terry and Tim Martinson are so cute,they should be put on a Norman Rockwell Calendar…Totally Priceless!

And to Allen Richards,”Honor To A Politician” WOW!!! Do you have the e-mail to Capitol Hill? I am

so serious,cuz I’m so fed up with that bunch… And before I forget to ask,cuz I’ve been wondering for awhile… Why Midland Michigan,and where is it?
Later…Ms.Aggie

Aggie, I lost a lot of my pictures when I had computer problems a while back. I am going back through the old messages capturing some of those pictures and in the process I am reposting a few for folks to see that were not on our distribution when they were originally posted. There are a whole bunch of us from the 60’s classes that served in Viet Nam. For fear of missing a few, I will not start naming names, but I will be re-posting their pictures as I come to them.

Gary Wall was a Dentist in Viet Nam and I was a Dental Technician. Gary was from Bottineau and I of coarse from Dunseith. We met for the first time in Viet Nam and worked in the same small clinic for 6 months before Gary went back to the states having served his full year and I was transferred to a different Clinic in country. Gary is now retired, living in Bottineau. He is married to Loretta Neameyer, one of our own, from the class of 72. These old pictures are coming up in the same order as they were posted the first time, so Kenny Nerpel’s reply to our picture follows right in line with the previous postings. Gary

Previously posted with message 170 on July 24, 2008

Viet Nam Pictures & message from Kenny Nerpel (65):

Turtle Mountain Americans,

Regarding Gary’s Vietnam photo: Gary Wall and Gary Stokes

Wow, those are some strack troops (ideal in military dress, demeanor and
bearing). Notice the bloused boots and clean uniforms. I think I
remember using something called boot blousers when we were in basic and
AIT to get that clean professional look, but I never saw anything like
that in Vietnam. Where did you get them anyway? Where I was we got clean
uniforms in bulk every two to three weeks, whether we needed them or
not. Sometimes they came in by convoy; other times they just dropped
them out a chopper and then it was a mad scramble to try to find
something near the correct size.

The attached photos (Trang Bang, The Road and The Road2) are of members
of my platoon while on road security (it looks like blue ribbon was the
beverage of choice back then) and of Vietnamese soldiers (White Mice)
searching through the belongings of people wanting to use the road. All
photos except the the one taken from the air were taken the same day
along the dirt road Six Alpha, which connected the village of Trang Bang
with FSB (Fire Support Base) Pershing. The brown-uniformed guys are
South Vietnamese police called white mice; the nickname came from their
uniforms and I think that they sometimes wore white helmets and gloves.
The photo from the air is of a small fire base (Dees) taken from an
approaching helicopter. The smoke indicates where they want the chopper
to land.

It’s been about forty years now, so maybe it’s time for a Vietnam story:
The Road

Highway 1 was a paved highway out of Saigon (Ho Ci Minh City) running
through Cu Chi, Trang Bang and on towards Tay Ninh. It proceeded
northwest about 15 miles to the city of Cu Chi and then it was about 8
miles farther to Trang Bang. Near Trang Bang was a bridge and FSB
Stuart. The road where these pictures were taken was the dirt road Six
Alpha, a secondary road leading from Trang Bang north to FSB Pershing
then on to the Saigon River. The Vietnamese fellow (Wine Maker) visiting
with the troops lived along this road and made some of the worst rice
wine that has ever been made. He was always more than willing to share
some of it with us and we were willing to partake. We figured what are
they going to do to us anyway? Send us to Vietnam? This road was a
supply route and had to be patrolled to protect the convoys supplying
FSB Pershing about 4 to 5 miles up the road from FSB Stuart. Daily
convoys from Cu Chi took this route and required heavy security because
of constant mining of the road and harassment of the convoys by the VC.
Road security was welcome duty. It afforded the opportunity to mingle
with the locals and it was a break from the other duties of the
infantryman. Even though considered good duty it was not without danger.
On one of my first assignments to road security I remember saying, “this
isn’t so bad.” On that day we were providing security for the
minesweepers, which involved patrolling both sides of the road while the
engineers went down the middle sweeping for land mines. I happened to be
the closest to an engineer when a mine was discovered. I took a seat on
the shoulder of the road while the engineer proceeded to dig the mine
out. Suddenly there was a deafening explosion. The mine had been
triggered. I looked up and saw huge chunks of earth flying up and then
dropping back towards the ground. Another member of the platoon who had
been “in country” for awhile came over to me to see if I had been
injured and when I said I had not, he remarked, “I think you should help
look for the body parts. I always do because if this happens to one of
my friends, I think it would make it easier for me to help bag up the
body.”

Welcome to Vietnam!

Kenny

Kenny Nerpel – Viet Nam
The Road2

Kenny Nerpel – Viet Nam
Trang Bang

The Road

White Mice

Wine Maker

Dees

Memorial given for Cliff Henry at our class of 65 reunion on July 12, 2007

Aggie, All of us in these 2 memorial pictures are Viet Nam Veterans.

Holding the flags are Henry Hackman & Kenny Nerpel with Pet Gillis & Warren Anderson

Bill Grimme in front reading Cliff Henry’s Eulogy.
In the back holding the flags Henry Hackman, Kenny Kerpel. I’m not sure who the person between them is?
Pete Gillis, Joe Casavant, Rene Casavant, Gary Stokes, John Bedard, Warren Anderson, ??, Ron Strong?

Cliff Henry (Deceased) from the class of 65

Kenny Nerpel (65):
Note Kenny and I went through Basis training together at Fort Lewis. Gary

 Robney Lagerquist (67)
Served in Viet Nam

Lyle Lagerquist (68)
Stationed in Germany

Millang Memories

Posting from Keith Pladson (’66): Roanoke Rapids, NC 

Thank you, Gary, for keeping this valuable information forum available to all of us. Having spent almost all of my adult life away from North Dakota (and more specifically the Dunseith, Bottineau and the Turtle Mountain communities) it was hard to keep abreast of events, happenings, changes, etc. that occurred in and/or effected where I came from.  Your efforts with this blog have really changed that. I’m sure I echo the feelings of many, who like me, have chosen to live their lives far removed from back there, in saying again, Thank you, Gary!

I am saddened to hear the news of Diane Millang Volk’s passing.  Though I don’t remember her much (I’m 11 years older) I considered her brother, Larry, my best friend during all of my High School years.  And in deed I had the opportunity to communicate with both her brother, Larry, and her sister, Joanne, just last year.

Keith Pladson (66)

Gary’s comment

Thanks Keith for the nice comments

A fond Memory
Posting form Vickie Metcalfe (’70):  Bottineau, ND

Gary and Dunseith Friends,

I am sharing a fond memory .

A 1983 Road Trip West

In the early eighties, Dad’s two brothers Emil and Jim within a fortnight of each other passed away unexpectedly.  Dad emotionally close to each of his siblings, was left deeply bereft.

He found comfort  with visiting his eldest brother, Bill, Close neighbors, Dunseith Senior Citizen’s and the last Stool at Dales.

Finally, I managed to talk him into a trip West to visit. He said, “Yes on one condition.  I had to give my word,  if any thing happened to him I would bring his body home to North Dakota.”

We made the decision to leave in mid July. The previous week I drove to S.E. Wyoming to bring  to the farm my 11 year old nephew who would accompany us on our journey.

My father lived with diabetes, needed restful nights.  We  chose to leave on a mid morning on a bright summer day.

The guys were quietly non-communicative on the drive South to interstate.  When with my father, I tried to be descriptive of our surroundings, “Smell the yellow clover Dad?” There is hay field to our right, a hay conditioner is moving pulled by a John Deere Green tractor.”

Initially, Dad with the seat reclined rode shotgun.  The 11 year old was in the back seat. The seating arrangement swiftly changed for the remainder of  our travels at the first rest area.

Getting out of the car, my nephew opened Grandpa’s door, unbuckled stepped back, gave his grandfather his right arm  to guide him to the restrooms.  Dad carried the white cane in his right hand.

When the two of them came back they were laughing . Dad said,   “Were there the cock roaches in the ladies restroom?” I said “No why?”  My nephew  replied  “We hit a couple in the Guys restroom.”It went down hill.  Laughter  and  story telling continued between the two  of them all the way toward  Miles City for the night.

The dry Montana July heat took  the breath away when stopping often at rest areas.  While in Montana, we ate breakfasts of steak and eggs, dinner ‘s salads and later supper specials.  The first night we ate at old Miles City Olive Hotel. ( If you watched Lonesome Dove and Gus, that place would be familiar?)  Lodging across MT was usually at a Super 8 with air  turned on High.  We never left until late mornings.

The next three days of our journey west was filled with Grandpa telling his grandson crazy stories of his Navy Days.

I didn’t get a lick of help from either on anything. They just entertained each other.  Oops, my nephew was good at packing and unpacking the Cougar.

I managed find my way through Seatle, avoiding rush hour traffic. I don’t think those people ever slow down!  I found the street where my aunt’s Leona and Jean lived.  Passing Aunt Leona’s  house,I drove down the block to Aunt Jean and Uncle Waino who had an early supper waiting.

Aunt Jean always knew what her big brother and little boys liked to eat.  And she loved spoiling everyone in her family.

My nephew now was quite comfortable bunking in the same room as his grandpa and guiding him around. Dad was quite familiar with the outlay of  his sisters  homes.  He had previously visited both of them over the 40 years they had lived in those same homes.

After supper, on the second night in N. Seattle the phone rang. My cousin Ron asked,  “Will you walk  your dad up to my mom’s to visit?”   My nephew was  well into a  wild card game called War stayed behind with his Great Aunt.

Dad wasn’t really keen on going any where  as he wanted to stay in familiar place.  Dad walked holding my arm, was rather stiff, ,bent, and  weary.  We quietly walked along, inhaling the cool, wonderful smells of evening air that  can only happen in the Pacific North West.

Slowly Dad  walked  holding my arm guide, up the street. Click…Click. Click, went the cane.   A sound…..What’s that? A drone? Yes, a drone!…faint at first… then clearly.   Bagpipes piping, “Hark. Hark, the Pipes are Calling” .   His demeanor changed immediately, Dad stopped brought himself up to stand straight, tall and listened.  Then, with purpose he walked toward the sound of the pipes.

Ron was playing for him.

Solid steps in unison up the street we walked!  Into view on the stoop stood our piper.  He played on,  a concert for his Uncle Cliff.

Inside the door, we were greeted by Ron’s parents. Leona and George and  bit of more visiting. Uncle George retreated, off to his bedroom. He was going into work early in the morning  at Boeings.

Dad continued to sit while Ron put the pipes away. Aunt Leona and I went to the kitchen sitting sat the metal dinette set, in the corner by the windows. It  was quite familiar A  home which hadn’t changed  at all over the years.

Dad and Ron went into a quiet discussion.  They spoke for an hour.  Then, another hour.  Then another.  Finally,  t’was 1:00 a.m. We  all bid  Leona goodnight. Ron drove dad and I down the street to Jean and Waino’s house.  Jean had left the light on and the door open.

Dad never did tell me what  he talked with Ron about. It was their time.

Years later, Ron told me, he never forgot the visit with my dad. Ron said,  “After talking to your dad that night, I decided if Uncle Cliff  could put his war away, I could put mine away too.”

Thank You Gary.

Until Later,

Vickie

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Blog (541) posted on September 5, 2009

Posted on September 6, 2009

Diane Millang Volk Condolences
From Maryls Hiatt (’71):  Dunseith, ND

I too was so saddened to hear that Diane Millang Volk passed away.   My condolences to all Diane’s family.  She was just “the best”.  I will always remember her beautiful smile and what a beautiful person she was.  Her family will be in my prayers at this time.

Marlys Hiatt

Diane Millang Volk’s (’77) Obituary
Brose Funeral Home – Mohall, ND

Diane Volk
March 21, 1959 – January 8, 2017

SHERWOOD – Diane Fay Volk, 57, Sherwood, died Sunday, January 8, 2017, at a Houston, TX, hospital.
She was born March 21, 1959, in Rolla, one of five children born to Clifford and Velma (Brennan) Millang. She was raised on a farm in the Turtle Mountains, north of Dunseith, amongst lots of family. She attended school and graduated from Dunseith High School in 1977. Her father, Clifford, died when she was a young girl and Diane worked with the family both on and off the farm through high school. One of her favorite jobs was at the International Peace Garden.
Diane graduated from the Dakota College at Bottineau with an associate degree. While in college, she worked for the Farmers Home Administration and met her future husband, Ron.
Diane and Ron were married in Dunseith on April 17, 1980. They started their careers in the Cavalier/Park River area, with Ron working for the SCS and Diane for the FmHA. The next stop was Minnewaukan for two years. In 1983, their first child, Meghan, was born and Diane and Ron moved to Sherwood to start farming. Their other children were born (Krista 1985, Jenna 1990, and Mitchell 1993) while they were farming.
Diane was very active on the farm, operating equipment, helping with cattle, many parts-runs, all while raising the kids, feeding Ron, etc. Diane had several off-farm jobs, most notably the Executive Director of Northwest Regional Housing Authority and managing Sherwood Homes. She looked forward to family trips to Florida, Black Hills, California, Washington D.C., Seattle, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and other North Dakota trips.
Diane enjoyed cooking and gardening. A large amount of her time was spent on horse events (rodeos, horse shows, jackpots, showdeos), school (basketball, football, T-ball), church events and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. One of Diane’s favorite places was the cabin at Lake Metigoshe. She loved being there whether snowmobiling, on the pontoon or just relaxing.
Diane attacked her cancer with her usual spunk. She ended up losing that battle. However, Diane is the big winner because she is in heaven now with Jesus without pain; so it doesn’t get any better than that. Diane will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Family: husband of 36 years, Ronald Volk, Sherwood; daughters, Meghan (Jacob) Bratvold, Sherwood, Krista (Robert) Alexander, Tolley, Jenna (Jerrod) Braun, Tolley; son, Mitchell Volk, Sherwood; grandchildren, Alton, Caleb and Zane Bratvold, Luke and Hannah Alexander, and Leah Braun; mother, Velma Millang, Rolette; siblings, Larry Millang, Bottineau, Joanne (Mark) Bernstein, Souris, Mark (Deb) Millang, Rugby, Clayton Millang, Dunseith; father- and mother-in-law, Leo and Janice Volk, Sherwood; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Diane was preceded in death by: her father, Clifford Millang; and grandparents, Arthur and Arla Millang, and Ray and Janette Brennan.
Funeral: 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 17, 2017, at St. James Catholic Church, Sherwood.
Recitation of the Rosary: 7:00 p.m., Monday, January 16, 2017, at the church.
Burial: Sherwood Union Cemetery, Sherwood, in the spring.
Visitation: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday, at the church.
(Brose Funeral Home, Mohall)

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Blog (541) posted on September 5, 2009

09/05/2009

Posted on September 5, 2009

Reply from Larrett (’71) and Yola Peterson: 

Hi Gary and Bernadette,

We cannot  thank you enough for the wonderful time you spent with us. Larrett and I had a great moments with you and this would be a  treasured to us! Thank you so much for your time to us .

Hugs and kisses to Bernadette!

Gary’s Reply
Thank you guys so much for taking time out of your schedule to fly down to visit us in Cebu while visiting your family and friends in the Manila area. We most certainly appreciated your visit. You are welcome anytime.

Diane Millang Volk (’77): Passed away.
Face Book Posting

Mitchell Scott Volk    MD Anderson Cancer Center.

January 8 at 7:23pm · Houston, TX, United States

With a heavy heavy heart I regret to inform everyone that my beloved MOM(Diane Millang Volk) has passed away peacefully from complications of Cancer at the young age of 57! She was surrounded by all us kids ,my dad, and other family members. We are all heartbroken, but we’re able to say our goodbyes. She was a great mother, but even a better person! We thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers!

Gary’s comment
I am so saddened and was very surprised too, to hear this news of Diane’s passing. In my growing up days, with 4-H and other activities, our families were very close. Diane was 12 years younger than me, but I remember her well. Larry, her brother, and I are only a few days apart in age.

Our condolences are with all of Diane’s family with her passing. She was a wonderful person. Chip off of the block.

==============================================
Blog (540) posted on September 4, 2009

Posted on September 4, 2009

John Nelson DHS Class of 41 passed away:

Posted by LeaRae Parrill Espe (67): Bottineau, ND.

Dear Gary,

We were saddened to learn of the death of my uncle John Nelson of Minot who passed away this morning at Manor Care. He had a massive stroke last week .

He is survived by three sisters Eugenie Walker, Marie Parrill, and Mildred Parrill. He was preceded in death by three sisters – Nellie Blomquist, Jennie Metcalfe, and Olga Edinger and two brothers Erling and Carl Nelson. His wife Della passed away June 2008. He is survived by four children, Jeff and Jana of Minot and Sherri Coutts, Colorado Springs, CO and Bob of Craig, CO. A memorial service has tentatively been set for September 19 in Lansford.

He worked in plumbing and sheet metal for R & O in Rolette, purchased his own plumbing shop in New Rockford and sometime in the 1960s went to work for Honeywell in NW North Dakota. For many years he traveled this area to check thermastats, etc in many buildings and schools including the Bottineau Public School where I worked.

I am sure the Minot Daily will carry the full obituary soon.

He was a member of the Dunseith HS Class of 1941.

Thanks for posting this. LeaRae Parrill Espe

LeaRae, Yes it is so sad to hear of the passing of your Uncle John. You also lost another Uncle, Thurman Parrill, this month too. Our condolence are with your whole family with the losses of both of your uncles. I will post the Minot daily Obituary when it comes out. Gary

Reply from Gary Metcalfe (57): Forsyth, MO

Hello All, Regarding the cruise it was everything that we had heard about it, and that is hard to believe. When you try to tell this generation about anything, their response is “been there, done that”. Thanks to the mobility of our world.

Aggie after the cigarette caper that we all have tried in one form or the other, Prince Albert, Velvet, Duke’s, Bull Durham in the rural setting. My dad didn’t smoke, so I only got an old pack of Camels and a cigar he had from Chris Berg in Seattle about 4 years old. So then we used a weed that looked like tobacco and yes, newspaper burns too fast!!

I have known people who take up smoking or chewing later in life. If you do, I’d like to offer some advise….don’t start with Copenhagen. Don’t be on a mission such as going to get the cows for milking. As I lay under the barb wire by the old split rail cornerpost, I started to measure the consequences of being home late with the cows, sooo up on my hands and knees, gradually getting to a standing position. Wouldn’t you know the cows were in the far end of the pasture!

Aggie, I was pretty sure, now I am very sure. You can laugh at yourself, a lot of us are not real good at that, if you know what I mean. You just need to share more of those many stories.

Sharron Shen you just exposed one of your heros. Everyone should have at least one, wouldn’t that make an interesting blog. Very interesting man, Ernest Boucher. I always wanted to know about him. Thanks for sharing.

Gary Metcalfe

Reply from Bev Morinville Azure (72): Dunseith, ND.

Postings by Neola Kofoid Garbe: Minot & Bottineau, ND.

Sister Sharon Houle is a sister to all of the Houle kids (Keith, Joanne, Gary, Allen, Ron, Pam, Doreen) that we all know from Dunseith. Their mother, Lillian, recently passed away.

.

From the Thurman Parrill Family

Don Boardman DHS class of 60

Jamie Pladson is the son of Dan (75) and the late Marge Johnson Pladson

Granddaughter of Lloyd (44) & Theresa Cote (48) Awalt

Larrett Peterson (’71) and his wife Yola’s Visit to Cebu

Folks, These are some more pictures of Larrett and Yola Peterson’s visit to see us here in Cebu. They are in the Philippines visiting Yola’s family in the Manila area. They took time out of their schedule to fly down and visit us here in Cebu 400 miles south of Manila. We really enjoyed their visit. Larrett and I thoroughly reminisced our common ties of the Dunseith and Turtle mountain communities too.

Larrett and Yola arrived Thursday about noon and left Saturday evening. They had reservations at the Waterfront Hotel. Thursday Evening we had dinner at the Buffet 101. Bernadette was not well enough to go with us, however she was feeling better on Friday and was able to join us for dinner at the Ching Palace Chinese Restaurant. Saturday Morning I joined Larrett and Yola for Breakfast buffet at their hotel. Following Breakfast we went to the SM Mall. On Friday they scheduled a City tour.

Thanks again Larrett and Yola for your visit.

Gary

                  Larrett Peterson and Gary Stokes

                        Larrett and Yola Peterson

==============================================
Blog (539) posted on September 3, 2009

Posted on September 3, 2009

Larrett Peterson (’71) and his wife Yola are visiting us here in Cebu, Philippines

Folks, We are so honored have Larrett and Yola Peterson visiting us here in Cebu. Larrett graduated with the Dunseith HS class of ’71. When I saw Larrett yesterday, there was no doubt in my mind that he was a Peterson. In my childhood days, I knew his Uncle Jack very well and also his dad Bill, and his uncle Duane. There was no doubt in my mind that he was related.

Larrett and Yola are Visting her family and friends in the Manila area. They made a special trip, 400 miles to the south, to visit us here in Cebu. There is lots of water between us and Manila too, so they flew. They arrived yesterday and are staying for two nights and three days. They are staying at the Waterfront hotel.

I met Larrett and Yola at their hotel room after they arrived yesterday and brought them back to our house to visit and see Bernadette before going out for dinner at the Buffet 101. Bernadette wasn’t well enough to go with us for dinner. Her condition is like a yoyo. Hopefully she will be able to join us tonight. We plan on getting together with Larrett and Yola this afternoon and for dinner again this evening following their City tour. For sure we will have more pictures to post with the next blog posting.

I pasted a picture below of the Philippines that will give you an idea where Cebu is located in relation to Manila and also where the Philippines is located in South East Asia. We are 10 time zones from North Dakota. That is nearly half way around the world. On Day light time we are the same time as New York with one being night and the other day.

Gary

Thank You
From Vickie Metcalfe (’70):  Bottineau, ND

Gary,

Thank you for all you do from afar. I wish you Gary, Bernadette, and your extended families good health and continued Blessings in 2017.

Dunseith Friends,

It is so great hearing back from various people reading. I  appreciate feedback and each warm message I  receive.

Best wishes wherever you are and go in the coming year..

With fond thanks.

Vickie Metcalfe

==============================================
Blog (538) posted on September 2, 2009

Posted on September 2, 2009

Reply from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND.

Gary and Friends,

Thanks to Larry and Don for the insight on the neighborhood. My
neighbor, Audrey Anderson Smith, was a sister to Arol (Bud) Anderson.
She told me many stories about Bud and Carroll Carlson.One time Bud’s
wife, Norma, got tired of Carroll and Bud arguing about politics and
went to bed at midnight. She got up in the morning and they were still
sitting at the table—arguing about politics! I think Carroll lived
alone too long and this was the main reason he was considered
introverted by most folks. He really liked to visit and talk but usually
didn’t if he had to start the conversation. Knowing this, I always would
break the ice and he would talk right along. If we asked him to come
over for a meal, he would usually say, “Ah, I got plenty to eat over
here, he he he, do you think I’m gettin’ skinny or what?” The next words
were usually, “What time, he he he?” He was VERY knowledgeable about
history and current events and expressed his opinion! I placed value in
his opinions because of his personal experiences over many years.
Several times we invited him up to our cabin on Lake Metigoshe. He just
loved to ride around the lake on my pontoon. I remember one day we took
a cruise around the north lake and then went back to the cabin to eat.
After we ate and sat around for a while, I said, “Anyone care to take a
ride around the south lake?” Carroll nearly tipped his chair over when
he jumped up and headed for the dock! It was fun for me to see someone
who still enjoyed the little things in life. He was a good friend and I
sure miss him.

Larry’s mention of roll-your-own smokes reminded me of my Grandpa Hans
Johnson and his flat can of Prince Albert. I really loved the smell of
his tobacco and the smoke was sweet, not rank like the cigarettes today.
Grandpa died in the fall of 1965. It was about 30 years later that I was
trucking hay and stopped in St. John for noon lunch at the little cafe.
There wasn’t a table left in the whole place so an old fellow I only
kind of knew said I could sit with him if I wanted. He was just
finishing his meal when I sat down. I was looking around the room and
all at once this smell from 30 years ago hit me. I looked at him and he
had just lit up a home-rolled P.A.! It was like instantly going back in
time! It’s amazing how the mind can store the memory of a certain smell
for all those years!

Seim’s well—good water for sure! We went to their well and got
drinking water in a cream can out of the covered underground tank below
the big windmill.I used to take the bottom cushion out of the old Model
A and set the cream can in the back. If we got water in the morning, the
sun shined through the small doorway and I remember seeing all the way
to the bottom of the deep tank. Clear and cold! My grandmother also used
the water can as a weather forecaster. It sat in the entry to the old
house at the farm and if it started to ‘sweat’ (condense on the outside
of the can) she would say, “You better finish putting up that hay today,
it’s going to rain.” It usually did! While I’m on the subject of old
predictors of weather, Grandpa always said to watch the seagulls. If
they are flying low over the lake it will more than likely rain. If they
fly high, no rain. If the foam from the waves on the lake lines up in
streaks–rain. If the oak leaves turn over and show their silver
underside–rain. The old ‘red sky at night–sailor’s delight, red sky in
the morning–sailors take warning’ still works most of the time too! I
still watch for these signs and they still hold true most of the time.
The old folks were much more in touch with nature than most people are
today. We have Doppler radar, the weather channel, and radio so the old
ways are not even considered anymore. Oh well, technology moves on but I
still use the old signs as well. Thanks to Don, Larry, and Gary!

Dick

Reply from Brenda Hoffman (68): Greenville, SC

Hi

Actually, Dr. Angel Cuadrado is actually a professor and pediatric cardiologist or oncologist (I keep forgetting which) at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. One of his interns’ brother owns a unit in our condo in Greenville and she says he’s a great dr. instructor and person. Can’t ask for more than that! And Manual lives in Nebraska. Not sure what he does/did for a living.

Brenda – class of 68

Brenda, I just talked to Angel and he said he only went to grade school for several years in Dunseith. He remembers very few folks from those days, however he does remember you. His brother Manual (Manny) graduated with the class of 63 and yes, he is on our distribution list. Gary

Reply from Sharron Gottbreht Shen (59): Everett, WA.

Gary, the picture of Dale and Adolphe should be dated 1955 or after – the 42 film Arla used in 1958 for several pictures may have been that used at the bar.
The blanching seen in the bar pictures was similar to that of early flash camera results. Sharron

Sharron Gottbreht Shen – 7-24-09

Seattle/Dunseith Reunion 7-24-09:

Front L to R: Evie Gottbreht Pilkington (65), Fred Dutra & Francie Gottbreht Dutra (63):
Back: Sue Metcalfe

Seattle/Dunseith Reunion 7-24-09:
L to R: Leah Metcalfe (Daughter), Sue & Gary Metcalfe (57)

Mom’s Gold bond Stamps
Story from Vickie Metcalfe (’70):  Bottineau, ND

Gary and Dunseith friends,

It is storming here again in North Dakota. The snow is swirling around. A dark and cold night as I recall  the  winter  of ’54 or ‘55 . That was also a winter of a lot of snow. Back in  the time gravel township roads were maintained infrequently by the blade>.

Dad worked out that winter plastering in Belcourt.  A car was left at ‘Snoose box ’Junction.  Dad would feed the cattle  with a hayrack and the team in the wee hours of the morning. Then, he’d pick up the lunch box packed by mom and ride Barney to the Highway.  He’d meet up with Uncle Bill who came from the other direction.

Uncle’s Bill and Jim Metcalfe often worked in Belcourt too. So they’d meet and ride together. In the evening, Dad would be left at the highway and he’d walk the ridge left by the blade>>>>>back home  the 1and 1/2 miles. He’d get home, chore,go pitch hay for the next day then eat supper ,.

It was the winter I had a had  the runny nose problem.

Yup. That winter I was a snotterer!

One Sunday, Dad said to  mom. “Vickie stinks.”  Mom checked me all over, changed my clothes at first didn’t find where the stink came from.

Finally they decided the awful smell was coming from my nose. Dad said something like “I think her eye is looking funny too.

My worried Mom got on the ringer telephone. She called Uncle Jim and Aunt Ella’s.  I don’t remember how she had to ring them up.  Did she have to ring up Central first to get through?  (Central switchboard was located in a little house on the South side of Kelvin.)

Anyway, the next morning, after  the chores of milking and feeding the cattle.  Dad brought the hay rack and team to the house. Warmly dressed we crawled onto the hayrack.  Dad drove the team through the snow to ‘Snoosebox’ Junction.

There was Uncle Jim Metcalfe!  He had driven his car down  the highway #3 from the North where he and his family  lived by the border.  Mom and I crawled out of the warm hay leaving Dad and my sister behind.  Off the team went for home.

We were seated in Uncle Jims car going South through Dunseith and turned West on Highway #5.  It was a long ride.

Finally there was the town of Bottineau.  Uncle Jim drove to Dr. Nelson’s office.

This was a place I really didn’t like!  I remembered Dr. Nelson. Because in the past I had gone round and round his examining table once when he attempted to give me a shot.  I managed to escape out to the reception area. Just as I was about to get out the door the lady grabbed me. And soon,  it was all over but the crying

Mom and I got out of the car and Uncle Jim drove away. Once in the office I was put up on the examination table. Dr. Nelson had that big round metallic thing  with a shinging light on his head. He looked up my nose.  Soon he had a long instrument up my right nostril.  It seemed he put  the whole length of in Then He pulled and out came a big paper wad.  A kleenix tissue!   He said to mom, “She may have an infection, if she hadn’t come she might have developed eye problems” . Whoa a shot.

Finally, I was glad to be getting  out of there!  I put on my coat, mom grabbed my hand and we walked out the door.  She carried  her purse in the other hand as we walked up the street to a kind of store place.

When we were inside, she talked to the sales clerk. Then, reaching in to  her purse pulled out Gold bond stamp books.  Books that my sister and I had fun so much fun licking stamps with mom.  Mom traded her books for a pan she wanted.  That was the day Mom got her double boiler.

Uncle Jim found and gathered us up. Off we went in his car East. I slept all the way back to ‘Snoose box ‘ Junction where dad  and the team met us.

Mom used the  double boiler frequently through the years.  Our favorite things she used it was in the making of divinity and sweet sauce for  Suet Pudding!

Until later.

Vickie Metcalfe

A Montanans  WWII Story
From Vickie Metcalfe (’70):  Bottineau, ND

Here  is one Montanan’s  story from todays online Billings Gazette.

My Dad Cliff, served in the US navy and also trained at Farragut, Idaho.

He was stationed for a while at Seaside Oregon.

But  deeply  patriotic he wanted to do his duty and volunteered to go out.

Dad  served as a Boat swan Mate.

He piloted boats with soldiers onto islands.

He  shared  about the kamikaze .

He was ship side to bury sailors at sea.

He also said  the sailors often listened  to Tokyo  Rose.

Dad said  she had a beautiful voice and used it.

She seemed to have  information about the various ships, and it felt like she was talking to the guys.

Laterv

http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/we-were-all-kind-of-pale-faced-as-we-were/article_6443df77-8e11-5c09-bfc8-b36cf6bfd10c.html

“We were only 100 to 200 yards from a mountainous beach. That evening from a bullhorn the beach we heard, “Hello boys on the LMS 96 being repaired by LSD. You all would like to go home to your loved ones but this will not happen. An imperial Japanese kamikaze will blow you all to bits at daylight. This is Tokyo Rose. Sleep well. Bye.”

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Blog (537) posted on September 1, 2009

Posted on September 1, 2009

Reply from Dale Pritchard (63): Leesville, LA

Gary,

Sharron Gottbreht Shen’s revised quote, “Dunseith, where the women are
strong, the men all handsome and the children above average,” from the
PBS radio program “Prairie Home Companion” caught my attention. One can
turn that quote around when they are proud of where they came from. I
found, and got hooked on, the program maybe 5 years ago and listen to it
when I can. Thank you, Sharron!

Dale Pritchard

Sharron’s (59) reply: Everett, WA.

Yeh! I was waiting for a kindred spirit to recognize Garrison K. Another line from Prairie Home Companion that I love is “beebop a rhubop rhubarb pie – it takes the taste of disatifaction out of your mouth”! Mr Keillor brightens my every Sunday. Thanks Dale. Sharron

Reply from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND.

Gary and Friends,

The prom pictures with Conrado Duran reminded me of some of the other
Cuban students who came to San Haven and attended school in Dunseith.
One in particular was Roberto Lopez. He was sandy haired and very nice
looking. He was very good at softball and baseball. When we played
softball on the west side of the old white school and he came up to bat,
the outfielders took off to the south on the run. He could hit the ball
all the way to the street or over the street into Boguslawski’s yard,
over 200 feet away. In Cuba they played ball all the time and he was
good! I think most of the Cuban kids were sent to stay with relatives in
the US to escape the revolution when Fidel Castro took power. I remember
they feared for the safety of their families still in Cuba. Another
family was the Cuadrado family. Angel (an-yel) Cuadrado was in our grade
and Manuel was about two or three years older. I remember how they had a
bit of trouble with English at first. Some of their sentence structure
was humorous to us, as we never had been around Spanish speaking people.
One morning as I got to school, Manuel came up to me and very seriously
said, “Do you heard what happen?” I said, “No, what happened.” Manuel
said, “Father Wolf, from the Catholic Church, he woke up dead.” He
apparently had died in his sleep. Although it was a sad deal, I couldn’t
help chuckling that day whenever I thought about Manuel’s excited
statement. They were all excellent students and very courteous, as I
recall. As the doctors from the San transferred to other places, so did
the kids who stayed with them. Angel Cuadrado left in about his
sophomore year. Lola Metcalfe Vanorny told me she heard he is now a
pediatrician in Atlanta, GA. Thanks Gary!

Dick

Converversation between Larry Hackman (66):Bismarck, ND.

& Don Aird: St. Louis, MO.

From Larry to Don:

I think this was a interesting conversation we had. Would you mind if Gary Puts it out on the blog? If you do please let him know as I’m sending this to both of you. Don, I also must have deleted the latest emails. If this is OK with you and if you want to include them please send them onto Gary

Don to Larry:

Carroll Carlson was my favorite Uncle I visited him as often as I could the last time was in December the year before he died. I knew Alvin and Art Siem we used to get our drinking water from the Siem’s farm. Eva Siem always had cookies and hot chocolate for me when we stayed at the farm during Christmas.

Don

Larry to Don:

Don

I have been trying to place you and where you lived?

So far I have nothing. I know several people use to haul water from their neighbors wells in the hills. Some of the water was real good and some not so good. I think a lot of it depended on the depth of the well. Did you know the Walters’, the Birklands’, The Dietrichs’, and the Hackman brothers that lived along 43. There are a lot of Hackmann/ Hackman relatives that live in and around St.Louis. Do you know any? My family originated from between Gerald and New Haven, Mo. near a church called Port Hudson. Mo.

Larry

Don to Larry:

Not many folks in Dunseith know me. I was born in Bottineau in 1943. My Mother Clarissa Carlson Aird worked and lived in the Shelver Drug Store until Dad returned from Europe (WW II) then we moved to Wahpeton. My Mother died in 1952. I was raised in Wahpeton, went to college in Dickinson, went to Vietnam in 1970, came back to NDSU where I got my masters on the GI Bill. We always came back to the Carlson farm across the road from Siems but I never got to know anyone either in the hills or town. Over the years I came back to visit Uncle Carroll as often as possible. Carroll was the least sociable character I ever met. He rarely visited anyone. In fact Dick Johnson lived just down the road from Carroll, Carroll wouldn’t talk to him. So Dick took it upon himself to start a conversation. Dick then watched after him until he died.

The water we drank came from the Siem farm. It was the best water I ever remember drinking, it was always cold. Art and Eva were good friends.

Misery is a beautiful state but to hot and humid in the summer. I spend my retirement working with/for Vets and fishing the many rivers that are close to St Louis.

Larry to Don:

Don

Sorry I havn’t got back to you sooner. I was thinking about your comment about Carroll being unsociable. After reading many of the stories written about him and what he accomplished during his life time I dont’t think that was always the case. However, I think that as people, in particular men, get into their later years they seem to hold back and shy away from other people. I know several in my family that did the same thing. They actually were all real nice folks, but just would not go out of their way to strike up a conversation with anyone. I think there are several reasons for this, one being that as most of us age we start to loose are hearing. It gets hard to understand what some people are saying. I’m finding that out now. People with soft voices and most kids, I can,t undrstand, so I end up asking them to talk slower, and louder and to repeat . If there is any background noise forget it. I know I’m going to have to get hearing aids eventually, but I don’t want to. I know that is one reason why people shy away from other people and avoid crowds. Another reason why people shy away from other people is that when you deal with other people their problems have a tendancy to become your problems. When you get up in age I think most people and again mostly men figure that they have seen and had to work through enough problems and don’t want to get involved with solving any more. I always thought my great uncle was wasting his life sitting back in his chair, smoking his pipe, and watching the leaves flutter and turn in the breeze just outside the window. He would do that for hours every day. You know, now that I’m retired and can kick back, there is something that is calming and almost hypnotic about relaxing and watching the leaves. It almost makes me want to get a pipe and light up. Maybe I’ll consider it again in about 10 years, if it crosses my mind. I havn’t smoked for almost 40 years, but I remember my great uncle didn,t mind if I took one of his pipes filled it with his tobacco and kicked back and had a smoke and a conversation with him. I was about 12 years old. Them were the days? I had a couple of uncles who smoked roll your own cigarettes using Bullderm tobacco in the sack orPrince Albert tobacco in the can. One uncle could roll a cigarette with one hand. I had to use both hands. They always claimed, that roll your own cigarettes never started a fire. Because if you didn’t draw on a roll your own , it simply went out and you would have to relite, or if you laid it somewhere it would simply go out. Where as, with a taylor made cigarette it would keep burning until there was nothing left no matter if it was in your mouth or an ash tray, or a pile of dry leaves. They didn’t set much store with taylor made cigarettes

Larry

Larry to Don:

Don

There were two parts of these messages that did not go through. Your reply to the last message, was that Bud Anderson and Carroll Carlson were good friends before and after the war and that Bud had informed you that Carroll Carlson had become introverted due to his experiences in the war, where he was involved in several major battles and that he was a lot more light hearted and friendlier before the war.

Don I remember Bud Anderson being quite a jokster. Bud’s family was putting up hay on my Great Uncles (Henry Dietrich’s) place. Frank Hackman my uncle was in the stack. At that time the object was to build a hay stack to the largest dimensions possible and still get the stack moving people to move it from the hay field into your farm yard. They usually charged by the stack and just gripped about the size of the stack but you still got it moved for the same price. Anyway my Uncle Frank was in the stack. His job was to keep the edges of the stack vertical and packed to highest point possible or to the height the farmhand could reach. The last item of business to complete the stack was to top it off so that the middle of the stack was higher and moisture would drain off the stack and not into the stack. Frank had been in the stacks all day. The day was hot and I ‘m sure Frank was tired. It was the last stack of the day. Lorenzo Anderson running the farmhand hoisted the hay up to the center top of the stack. There was a push off on the farmhand that pushed the hay off the end of the tines onto the center of the stack. This action also happened to push my uncle off the stack. He came sliding and tumbling to the ground with his fork in his hand. Bud and I were sitting in the pickup watching and waiting for them to finish up saw all of this happen. Bud couldn’t contain himself and begin laughing. My Uncle Frank was glaring at him with pitch fork in hand. Then Bud knowing Frank was a bachelor said the wrost possible thing he could think of, at that instant. He said, Frank you almost made your wife a widow, and just howled with laughter. Its a good thing old Bud had that pickup in gear and fast with his foot on the accelerator, otherwise he would of been wearing a pitch fork for a tale. Bud always liked to tease Uncle Frank about his wife. As I remember Bud. He stood about 6ft.5in. and always had a smile on his face and always found something to laugh about. I bet Carroll had some good times with old Bud Anderson?

Larry

Question from Lois Tweten: Helena, MT

Neola Kofoid Garbe’s reply in Red: Minot & Bottineau, ND

Hi Gary,

You certainly have a lot of wonderful information! Thanks to you and Bev Morinville Azure for adding me to your list/blog even tho I don’t know many folk.

But…I do have a question. In the 40’s 1942-49 when I lived on Ohmer street – a block North on the East side of the hospital…two houses to the North, on the corner, Johnnie and I played with Smallie Houle…Do you know who that is now? Maybe you do Neola? Hi Lois, Smallie/Smollie (Raymond Houle) lived three houses north from the corner. I THINK the Monson family had moved their house to the corner of the block (straight west from our house) when your family still lived in Bottineau. Monson’s house was on the corner, someone named Nordmark–maybe Marlyn, was next. Then it was Houle’s house. I think the Lyle Mahler family lived in this house later. Smallie/Smollie was one of the bunch who chased each other around the neighborhood after school on May 1. I’m sure you remember “May Day ” was BIG day in our neighbor. As you know May baskets were delivered, usually after school, and that’s when the chasing/fun started. I can still remember running after/from the other kids. You/Johnnie delivered your baskets in the morning (When we got up in the morning, baskets from you/Johnnie were already hanging on our doors. It would have been a big surprise/disappointment if they hadn’t been there.), so you could sit back and relax while the rest of us were running. I think Smollie/Raymond passed away a few years ago. I thought I had his obituary, but I can’t locate it. Eileen, did I send it to you?

We played with Dennis Langehoud Dennis Langehaug lived on Bennett St. He/my brother, Jim, were good friends in high school. Dennis is a fun-loving fellow. Did you see the picture of Dennis/your brother, Johnnie/me that was taken at the Class of ’58’s 50-year reunion? If not, I’ll send it to you–I think Johnnie has it, too., Billy Sauscer (spelling is all wrong). But after my Dad, Kenneth Tweten died, and Mom married Harold Skjervem we moved away and then I’ve lost touch with so many until this Dunseith blog.

Thanks for any information…

An old Bottineau classmate until 1949, in my 4th grade. Lois Tweten

Neola

Allen, I am reposting this from several days ago. I did not realize I had forgotten to identify it was from you until I noticed it with the last group that I send these daily messages to. Gary

From Allen Richard (65): Midland, MI

In August Nathan and Kristina were inn ND while he was on furlough fro his position in Homeland Security in Alaska. They didn’t have time to make it to MI and I couldn’t make it to ND. We met in the Minneapple for a fun couple days.

To make an adventure of it by taking the old Charger. Yeah — I still have it. Some of you may remember it as “Dakota Midnight” in CB radio days.

I want to dispel any rumors that my trip caused gas prices to go up — although i could have created a temporary shortage of premium in a couple places —- I re did it mechanically — and watering 450 horses takes a considerable amount of fluid. Yeah–its “baditude” is much worse than ever. (13 MPG on premium–saving up for an overdrive transmission — should get close to 20 mpg then)

The trip was event free and I managed to shave nearly two hours off my usual time from Midland to the Minneapple — partly buy using a GPS and finding a great route. Alaina and I made it in 12.5 hours out and 12 flat back — of course it rained most of the way back mand Ol’ Midnight will create a “religious experience” in a split second on wet pavement.

There is a “MOPAR Power Tour” every year and so far I’ve not been able to participate. So this summer we did one of our own. In the next few years I’d like to drive back to Dunseith for a Peace Garden car show. The Charger hasn’t been there for nearly 25 years. Dick — keep me posted OK? In respect to our old friend Jack Smith — I’ll drive — not haul it.

Anyway here are a few pictures —

Nathan, Kristina and Alaina — only 5 min from the Mall of America–but she still didn’t find a dress for homecoming.

OK — so I always have to get in the picture–must be a throw back to political days

About my T-shirt—The Great Lakes Loons is the name of our minor league baseball team — Clayton Kershaw went straight to the Dodgers from Midland MI.

Message/Pictures from Cheryl Larson Dakin (71): cheryl.dakin@yahoo.com BEDFORD, TX

Hi Gary

I’m attaching a couple more pictures I thought might be of interest to those Larsons and Hansons out there. I can’t identify the grandchildren in the picture with Kjersten, but her greatgrandchildren on the blog might know. The other picture is of my dad’s 7th birthday party (it would have been 1932). He’s in the center of the photo, and Frances Morinville is behind him. She’s very easy to recognize. My Uncle Dick (Richard Larson married my mom’s sister Jerrine Richard) is in the little blond boy in the front. (Hi Uncle Dick!)

Thanks Gary!

Cheryl Larson

Cheryl, I did not realize that Jerrine Richard (49) is your mom’s sister let alone married to your dad’s brother Dick. She is another one I did not have on the master email list either, however she is and has been on our daily distribution list. Gary

1932:
Norman Larson’s 7th birthday with brother Dick (little blond boy in front) and Frances Hansen Morinville (center back)

Kjersten Adriensen age 90 with grandkids

Reply to Picture
From Bob Hosmer (’56):   Lynnwood, WA.

The Westerman girl in the picture Dick Johnson sent is Bertha Westerman.  I believe she’s the younger of the two sisters.  They had a younger sister, Imogene, who lived with my wife and me for a short time when I was in seminary.   Bob Hosmer

Turtle Mountain Home
Posting from Vickie Metcalfe (’70):  Bottineau, ND

Gary and friends,

Wintering in ND returns me to fond Turtle Mountain  memories.

Recollecting early memories of going to my Turtle Mountain Home; was the journey by rear wheel drive car  or the black Ford pickup driven by my dad.  Rain, shine, or freezing cold, Dad always kept his window rolled down and his elbow  folded over the door.  Mom sat in the passenger seat, my sister and I either stood on the ‘bump’ or sat on the seat between them.

Old Highway Number 3 wound around lakes, sloughs and creeks, up, down, and over the tree covered hills  about 10 miles North of Dunseith

Finally, we’d see the Oliver Handeland farm to the right; Dad would say,  ‘Here go up the ‘Jim Smith Hill’.”

Then we were on the flat  homestead meadow.  Slowing, Dad stuck his arm out to signal right.

The car turned at  ‘Snoose’ Box Junction.  A mile East in the distance one could see another Oak hill, the  road curved by  the Carlson Farm  sitting  across the road from the Seim Farm.  I’d look to see if  Kingfra (aka Art) and Fafa’s (aka Eva’) windmill was turning, or if it was later in the day  watch to see their warm twinkling lights. It was always a warm welcoming neighborly feeling.

Another mile, another curve, over a coulee, east well, and up the ‘big’ hill to the mail box.

Nestled  turning south, down under a hill among the trees and hazel brush; Oak, Poplar, Bam, American Elm, Paper Birch, Pin cherry, Chokecherry, Juneberry  and brush which dominated, protected and sheltered our humble dwelling from the North winds.

We were told, it was a cold winter day, a short few years before,leaving mom and my sister snug with his in-laws; Dad had walked  south cross country south from Grandpa and Grandma Lamb’s on highway #43; through  the woods in three foot deep snow. They used their savings accumulated by dad’s plastering in Washington, to buy the little farmstead from Bill Childs who had purchased it from John Randon. (I believe Bill Childs wife was related to Lude Peterson. Lude and Lily for a time lived across the road before moving to Spokane.)   Mom, Dad and my sister lived the spring and summer in one of the little houses by Kelvin Store before Bill Childs and his son moved out. Of course, Dad knew all these people previously whilst living with the Seim family.

A small one bedroom house  covered with brick tarpaper with homemade wood rain gutters, faced south with an entry room attached on the east. The entry room housed a big wood box beside steep stairs that led down below the kitchen to the cellar. Under a mirror sat a white enamel water basin on the dry sink.

Over the wood box on a shelf stood a water bucket and a communal dipper. It did not have indoor plumbing.  One day I climbing up over the wood in the box for a drink, I pulled the whole cold water bucket over me. Along with  the shock of cold water wakeup call I also got a swift spank on my behind!

Around a corner, into the small kitchen was an Admiral fridge and combination wood-electric stove, On the east wall over another brick chimney hung a Murphy table. Mom would pull that table down to prepare food and  for meals. The floor covering was linoleum.

Mom, only used ‘Dakota Maid’ flour  purchased at  Hosmer Store or Lucien and Hannah  Bedard’s Red Owl in Dunseith. Mom used egg money to buy staples for the little pantry behind the Murphy table. One chore for us as children was washing the eggs and putting into the crate. Sometimes she sold the eggs at Kelvin.

The dining room/living room were kept cozy with a parlor oil burner, foldout couch, farm table and chairs, all the furniture came with the house when it was purchased.

Between the living room and  the one bedroom hung a huge floor to ceiling mirror backed by closets and shelves. Whenever our cousins came we had fun with antics and that mirror!

My sister , I,  and Prince Albert  became expert cigarette makers using a cigarette maker which  given to Dad who smoked heavily after WWII.

The house was not equipped with a hot water heater but,  lots of firewood cut in deep winter by dad  and Barney and brought home by  the team of  Prince and Corky.

The wood sat and dried out to cure until late summer. Then long lengths of wood would be pushed and cut into smaller pieces by several  neighbor fellows through a saw mounted on the front of a  ?B John Deere. Early September brought a hard working pair; the Gunville brothers  who split all the wood in a  timely manner, a huge mountain of split firewood.

Mom using a wringer washing machine washed clothes usually early in the week I seem to think it was Monday, that was the day she’d bake 14 loaves of bread.

It seemed the job of washing clothes took the greater part of a day.  Mom heated water on the combination wood electric stove

We girls loved to push the clothes carefully through the wringer flattening  the clothes and  pushed out excess water .

Mom carried the laundry out the back door to the clothesline which was hitched between two oak trees.

How I loved cold winter days when there was fresh warm bread, butter, chokecherry jelly and cocoa or eggnog made by us girls.

My sister and I beat the mixture, turning a hand beater; eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk  aroma smelled delish!  Yummy  eggnog!   Mom would make us take turns. When it was my  turn, mom would place  the bowl on a kitchen chair,  I’d  be  on my tippy toes, cracking eggs,  reaching  and turning that beater.  My sister was forever hollering, “Mom, she did not  beat the egg’s enough!  “Mom! Egg shells!

…….  Well maybe the eggnog  was kinda, sorta slimy, but I was determined to have my turn and I thought I was good at beating eggs.

Later in the day, before evening milking chores,  mom would gather and bring clothes in from the line. We girls felt it was especially funny watching her carry under her arm  quite stiff, long, and  frozen  dad’s big union suit!  The  frozen sheets of laundry smelling so wondrously fresh and clean was set to be ironed or hung to dry further.

I know, I will never be as tough as my parents or those of the Greatest Generation. Too much,  I enjoy my front wheel drive, indoor plumbing, electric heat, laundry room etc.

Long gone are those days  of yesteryear. I will continue to keep memories close to keep me warm on these cold N.D. winter days.

Until Later.
Vickie Metcalfe

Stuck in the 50’s
http://safeshare.tv/w/FEDEwZHZXu

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Blog (536) posted on August 31, 2009

Posted on August 31, 2009