Josephine Poitra’s Family – 392 total Grandkids with all the Great Grandkids.
Postings from Ginger LaRocque Poitra (’65):
Belcourt, ND.
Josephine Poitra leaves behind quite the family.
At the age of 105, Josephine Poitra has quite the family tree she now leaves behind.
Fourteen children, 54 grandchildren, 152 great-grandchildren, 172 great-great-grandchildren and four great-great-great-grandchildren.
Josephine was known for her gardening and donut making, and sharp mind.
Remembering the names of 392 children, their kids, their kids, their kids and their kids.
And when Josephine turned 100, she got the attention of the President Obama. He sent her a birthday letter.
Gary’s comments
Ginger, How impressive. From Margaret Metcalfe Leonard Casavant’s posting with the last blog, she was a remarkable woman. You can be proud to be part of her family. Just think if you were to have a family reunion inclusive of all the spouses. You’d have 700 plus folks.
Gary,
Today it was the funeral for my mother- in-law.
WDAY NEWS had a of tribute to her life today.
I thought that was pretty cool. My granddaughter saw it and sent it to me. It was on FB
What do you do for a matriarch who lives to be only 2 months shy of being 106.
Also with all her 14 children grandchildren great grandchildren, etc, etc . she was amazing!
Ginger
This was an earlier picture of Josephine. This is how she looked the lighting wasn’t so great on the parade picture I sent with my info. This is how she looked so young, light complexion no wrinkles hardly.
Ginger
Glenda Mae Bergan
September 03, 1943 – October 25, 2016
GLENDA MAE BERGAN
Glenda Mae Bergan, age 73 of Dunseith, died Tuesday, October 25, 2016 in a Rolla hospital. A Memorial service will be held on Friday, October 28, 2016 at 10:00 A.M. in the Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau. There will be no visitation, cremation has taken place. Burial will be at a later date.
Glenda Mae Bergan, a daughter of Arol and Norma (Handeland) Anderson, was born on September 3, 1943, at Bottineau, ND. She was reared and educated in the area. On May 24, 1962, she was married to David Bergan at Dunseith. Glenda began working at San Haven as a cook. Later she worked in the Sewing Department until San Haven closed. Glenda then worked at home with David helping on the farm. They have continued to make Dunseith their home.
Glenda loved taking care of her cattle, making hay, fixing fence, dancing, working her garden and canning and baking. In her younger years she played softball with the Diamond Demons and practiced Taekwondo. She taught her girls to be independent and take the bull by the horns and get things done. She enjoyed her horses, her donkey and her dogs.
She is survived by her husband David at home, daughters, Vicky (Terry) Bergan-Dietz of Princeton, MN, Gale (Troy) Coleman and Melissa Peach both of Minot; 3 grandchildren; a brother, Lorenzo Anderson of Bottineau.
Glenda was preceded in death by her parents, a grandson, Troy James Coleman; two brothers, Gerald and Gene and one nephew, Gene Anderson, Jr.
SERVICES
Memorial Service
Friday, October 28, 2016
10:00 AM
Nero Funeral Home
402 Sinclair St
Bottineau, North Dakota 58318
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Blog (512) posted on July 15, 2009
Posted on July 15, 2009
Request from Sharron Gottbreht Shen (59): Everett, WA.
Ernie Gottbreht and Cheryl Baily have email!
Please add them to your mailing list. Thanks Gary.
Sharron
Reply from Sharon Zorn Gerdes (62): Windsor, CO
Gary, I just want to mention another heart of gold in Dorothy Pritchards case. Mary Knutson has gone into town at least once a week for years to get Dorothys groceries, run errands and visit with her when she was at Oak Manor. She will shoot me for mentioning this, but I think she is pretty special too. And Dorothy is loved by everyone at Oak Manor. thanks. Sharon Gerdes.
Folks, For everyone’s info to fill in the blanks, Mary Eurich Knutson’s mother was Winifred Pritchard Eurich, sister to Robert Pritchard, Deceased, Dorothy’s husband.
Reply from Bill Pritchard: Bottineau, ND.
Gary –
I really appreciate getting these messages from you. Although I don’t know most of these people, I print these out for my mother, Doris Pritchard (who just turned 80 by the way). She enjoys reading about the people she grew up with and remembers most of the names mentioned in your newsletter. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
Bill Pritchard
Bill, Like I mentioned in a personal message, I have now added you to our daily distribution. It’s wonderful that you are able to share these daily messages with your mother. Many of our readers remember your mother and her family, the Winthrop Smith family, well
Folks, Bill’s Dad, Corbin Pritchard, deceased, was also a brother to Robert and Winifred Eurich. I know most of you remember Pritchard’s shoe store in Bottineau. That was Corbin & Doris’ store. Doris, Bill’s mother is Doris Smith Pritchard from the class of 1946. Bill’s sister, Cheryl, is an RN at the Good Samaritan home in Bottineau. Gary
Reply from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND.
Gary and Friends,
With Neola’s posting of the article on the Community Christmas
Program, I have to change the year from what I guessed–’65. It most
likely would have to have been 1964 because Alan Boguslawski and Bill
Grimme played a horn duet and they would have been out of school by
Christmas ’65. They were off at college but I suppose they could have
been home for Christmas. Bill, do you remember? I would like to write
the year on the pictures. It also said that a trio of Myra, Gail, and
Alan ‘Boguslawski’ sang a song. It should have been ‘Henning’. Thanks!
Dick
Reply from Paula Fassett (71): North Branch, MN
After seeing the newspaper clipping of the Dunseith Community Choir, I googled calendars and if the concert was December 20th and on a Sunday, that would make the 1964, I believe! Mrs. Elsie Schneider was the accompanist for the choir – and she also taught piano. I started lessons when I was in the 3rd grade, which would have been about 1962. Loraine and Loretta, Eleanor Dietrich, Diana Honsey must have been some of her piano students also. I’m sure she ‘encouraged’ us all to participate in the program! I was not usually a soloist – I only remember being the accompanist. Mrs. Schneider was a great lady and a talented pianist – and, I might add, a very patient teacher!!! She never scolded Crystal or I when we showed up Saturday morning for our piano lessons and had written in HOURS of practice time in our books when, in fact, we probably hadn’t even opened the books since the week before, and I’m sure the lack of practice showed! I think Dick Johnson was one of her piano student at one time, too – I remember a piano recital when Dick played something really lively….what was it, Dick?
Paula Fassett
Dick & Paula, I have reposted that article from yesterday for everyone’s reference. Gary
Pictures from Wayne (61) & Rosemary Smith: Bottineau, ND.
Gary:
Wayne & I, plus Wayne’s cousins, have been looking at Audrey & Alfred Smith’s many pictures. The last blog/email had a clipping from Kelvin. Here are a couple of pictures of the Kelvin Homemakers. They were dressed in “funny clothes” for one of their meetings. We think we have identified all the ladies except one. Maybe someone out there can identify the unknown lady and confirm the identities of the others. We have lots of pictures of interest and will post them periodically on the blog. Have a good Alaskan trip!
Wayne (’61) & Rosemary Smith
(Gary: The dashes in the second attachment is for the middle unknown lady. Also, Eva & Clara’s last names are spelled correctly — differently)
Effie Espe, Eva Seim, Jessie Millang? (with big hat), Christine Carlson & Martha Handeland
Clara Sime, Pat Myer, ??, Hannah Kirkwold, Dorothy Lamb
Posted by Neoa Kofoid Garbe: Minot & Bottineau, ND.
