Bill, how do I say thank you for the kindness you have always shown to my whole family. For you people out there that think you know Bill and for those who don’t know him, you have not been as blessed as I have. This man has been not only been a friend to my sister Debbie and brother Duane but to myself he has been like another brother . Once you get to know the real Bill he is the kind of friend that is there to support you in the hard times and laugh with you in the good ones. There were many evenings he spent helping me make supper and doing the dishes cause Mom was so sick and he helped me though those long days Lyle Olson my other brother was also there to help. What a blessing you both have been. When Bill found out I had cancer he sent me a text message and a picture where he had cut all his hair off and I said to him WHY did you do that Bill? his response was If my friend is going to be bald so am I. What a wonderful way to show someone how much you care and love them,Only thing was I wasn’t going to lose my hair. It touched my heart like nothing else in the world . Bill is that kinda true friend. He is there not only in the good time to share your joys but stands by you when you are going though the hard ones also. Thank You Bill for being my friend always.

When we lived in KY Bill would get runs to come there and always stopped to see us this was another blessing to see someone and such a good friend from home after not seeing family or friends for years. This is where my kids learned to love him and has became Uncle Bill to them. We have all been blessed to have Bill in our lives and I want to thank him for being a true friend to me. Bev GOD BLESS YOU …………BEV

To Aggie

You have the ability to tell a story like I have not heard since your old neighbors. When we were younger, Orville Grenier and Elmer Boucher could keep you in stitches with their stories of common happenings. But, I am almost sure you did it without a couple beers like we had! The trait that I admire most I think, is respect for the common man, like what you said about New Orleans.

The Prairie Past and Mountain Memories has 500 pages of great local history. Page 334 has some interest for me, two brothers Pete and Ben Lajimodiere and Axel Johnson lost their wives to the flu of 1918, also Cpl. Bennie C. Johnson was laid to rest in a cemetary 7 miles north of Dunseith. Dick maybe you can figure who Bennie C.. Johnson way.

Bill Krause, I guess I will just second what Gary Stokes replied to you.

Aga-nus, you surely have put to good use what someone like Don Johnson did for you at the right time of your life. Be prepared to live forever because anyone who can laugh at themself, not take yourself too seriously gains lots of years to your life. My mentor, Ole Bersinger said the worst trait you can have is too self important, I think they call it pride. Ole and Rhubarb , Ole’s name for Bob Rivard and I were building a cabin for Harold Artz at Lake Metigoshe, we were on the roof, we looked out on the lake to see a 14 ft. boat coming fast. It was Wayne Light coming to work. The next day Wayne pulls up with his pickup, jumps out and the plugs the leak in his tire with a wood screw. He was a hoot!

I knew Bud Miller from working with Dale Gottbrecht. Bud, who was blind, had a Native American driver who took Bud all around the reservation buying posts. I watched him deal with Dale, as you know Dale wasn’t easy, but Bud could hold his own. Against his better judgement, my uncle Cliff consented to go to a workshop for the blind in Bud’s hometown for a couple of weeks. Bud Miller lived about two blocks from the bar. One day Cliff asked Bud, “where were you yesterday?” because Bud had not gone to the workshop. Bud said, “You know I have lived in that house for 20 years and no one will ever know how many times I have walked to that same bar.” Cliff said…”yah”…. Bud said, “Somebody dug a basement and I was still sitting in it in the morning.” Of course they all laughed out loud.. I am sure that Bud Miller had a lot to do with Cliff being able to take those books on tape and sit down, after working two full time jobs all of his life. Gary Metcalfe

Dear Gary,

How many of you remember the Sisters of St. Joseph that were living in Dunseith? I remember when I first received my drivers license and for the very first time was able to use the car to run up to the San Haven. I was instructed to drive up and directly back “No Side Trips”. On my way to the San I noticed two of the Sisters walking in that direction so I pulled over and offered them a lift. They crawled in, Sister Agnes sat in the front seat and immediately began giving me driving directions. She wanted to go to St. Mary’s Church. I said, “okay” because it was only a little further then I was headed. When we arrived at the Church she said, “Wait, we will be right out”. So I waited and true to her word she came right out, arms loaded with things. As soon as she was in the car she began giving directions again. This time she directed me down a dirt road in the foot hills to visit some Native Americans, and from one home to the next she just kept me going. I explained that I needed to get the car home; but she would hear none of that. She took me on roads that had grass growing down the center, and I was not a good driver, I told her I could not back up. Nothing swayed Sister Agnes from her path. She explained that “God had sent me to help her today so everything would be just fine”. Who was I to argue with God! I don’t know how long we drove through the foothills with Sister Agnes giving the directions, and me doing my best to stay on those dirt roads. I wanted Sister Agnes to come home with me to explain to my Dad why I was so late but she said he would understand, I was not as positive as she was, infact I figured I would never be allowed to use the car again. When I got home my Dad was furious! And when I started to explain he started to laugh, and told me he too had given Sister Agnes a lift one day that ended up in a tour of the foothills. Has anyone else ever taken such a tour?

The Sisters must have walked every inch of those hills ministering to anyone and everyone. What a wonderful dedicated group of Nuns.

Bonnie Awalt Houle 56