Happy New year everyone. For most of you it’s an hour or so yet until the new year. We have been into the new year for 13 hours now here in the PI. Gary

Helen Metcafle Barden (62) passed away:

From Geri Metcalfe Munro (59): Fargo, ND.

Gary–I will send on to you Lanny’s notice to our siblings of Helen Metcalfe Barden’s passing to new life. Can you please post this to the blog–and MANY THANKS to you, Gary, for all you do for all of us.
Love and peace,
Geri Metcalfe Munro

From: 
Subject: It is over!!!
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:06:39 -0600

You may be aware already through Geri or Margaret that Helen has finished her struggle!!! She slipped from us about 7:30 PM tonight surrounded by a ring of praying friends and relatives…

Her passing was painless and peaceful after a day of smiles and beams for people stopping in to say goodbye.. Geri, parish nurse Barb Hanson and associate pastor Becky Lee all got big smiles and warm eyes in a wordless greeting.. Dear friends Joyce Snyder and Cheryl Ableman came a bit later and the smile had faded a little but the prayer ring brought peace..

The quickness with which it came was a surprise but I feel it was exactly the way she wanted to go… No long lingering but a swift and dignified exit for her trip “home”!!!

I am a little numb but happy she is to be where she really wanted to be and God told her He would take her.. Rejoice with her in her triumph!!!

Love and warm memories, Lanny

Helen M. Barden, 65, of Fargo, ND, died Tuesday, December 29, 2009, at MeritCare Palliative Care, Fargo, under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Helen Marie Metcalfe was born April 27, 1944, in Seattle, Washington, daughter of James and Ella Marie (Evans) Metcalfe. She attended country school and graduated from Dunseith High School in 1962.

Helen attended the North Dakota School of Forestry and Junior College at Bottineau for two years. She graduated from Minot State University with a Bachelors Degree.

She married Lance Barden in Bottineau in 1968.

Helen taught at Anamoose, North Dakota and Holdingford, Minnesota.

She was active in Atonement Lutheran Church and Women’s AGLOW ever since she came to Fargo. She worked for 30 years as a legal secretary and also worked as a receptionist for Access RRV.

Helen is survived by her husband, Lance, Fargo, ND; two brothers, James (Yolanda) Metcalfe, Kingman, AZ; and Gary (Sue) Metcalfe, Hollister, MO; four sisters, Geri (Charles) Munro, Fargo, ND; Margaret Leonard, Rolette, ND; Patty (Jack) Woods, Dunseith, ND; and Lola (Jay) Vanorny, Dunseith, ND; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers-in-law, Duane Coleman and Charles Leonard.

Memorial Service: Saturday, January 2, 2010, at 1:00 PM at Atonement Lutheran Church, Fargo, ND.

Visitation: Friday, January 1, 2010, from 4-6 PM, at the church.

Prayer Service: Friday, January 1, 2010, at 6 PM, at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Atonement Lutheran Church or Hospice of the Red River Valley.

http://hansonrunsvold.com/obituaries.asp?ID=710

To Helen’s family and the Metcalfe’s: It’s so sad hearing of Helen’s passing. I remember her as being such a kind hearted sweet loving person full of personality and life. Those are my memories of Helen riding our bus and in school my freshman year. She was 3 years ahead of me. Those memories were reinforced years later with the email messages Helen and I have exchanged the past couple of years. I know she was prepared for this knowing her time was near, but it’s still very hard for family members. My condolences are with you with her passing. Gary

Reply from Diane Wenstad Weibe (69): Portage La Prairie, MB Canada

Hi Gary
I knew Pam would correct you and the picture; as who would like to own that picture. Yes you wanted to be my friend on Face Book and that is where that picture came from. I went to Manitoba, Canada in 1969, married and raised two childred;have been in Canada for 40 years.
Well while I am on the blog, thanks for news, work and information you send to all of us.
Would you add Melvin Wenstad and Arliss Spline to the May 22 reunion? Thanks and keep up the good work.
Diane

Carmen Leonard Richard

Selling Lanette Beachler Richard’s (82) book:

Picture posted by Neola Kofoid Garbe: Bottineau & Minot, ND.

Hi,

As you can see, this is a picture of Carmen Richard selling her daughter-in-law’s book. It was taken at the Craft Sale in Bottineau on November 14, 2009.

Neola

Carmen, who is the lady with you in this picture? She looks so familiar. Gary

Carmen Richard in red.

Reply to Mary’s pictures:

From Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND.

Gary and Friends,

Thanks to Mary Eurich Knutson for the pictures of some of our
relatives. Amanda Berg is the daughter of Albert and Clara Berg and is
my mother’s first cousin. A few years ago I asked Mary if I could walk
over to the old place where Bergs lived, which is now on her property.
It was amazing to see the old houses that were still standing. The
original house was log and then they either moved in or built a frame
house but never tore down the old one. I hadn’t been to the old Berg
place since the mid 50s when we would go to visit with Clara and Albert.
It was still the same except the buildings were becoming victims of
nature. It may have been quite a few years ago and they might not even
still be standing—time flies! The picture of Amanda Berg and Maurice
Johnson is interesting. Maurice would have been Amanda’s first cousin
and the son of Johnnie and Stella Johnson. He would have been Glen
Johnson’s and Loretta Johnson’s brother and an uncle to Denise and
Darlene Quillinan (63). I had never seen a picture of him at any age and
as far as I can remember, have never seen him in person although we were
at Johnnie and Stella’s many times as I was growing up. I think he left
the area and lived out his life around Seattle or that area.I’ll send a
couple pictures of the Berg Family. The first is Probably the wedding
picture of Albert and Clara and the other is their family a few years
later. Thanks Gary!

Dick

Dick’s quick reply:

Gary,

I don’t know if Amanda is still living. We never heard from them
after Mom died and now that Snookie is gone I don’t know who might know.
I have a couple more pictures of the Berg kids–Amanda and Alvin or
Martin–from when they were young adults, I can send later. The boy in
yesterdays picture might be the other Maurice Johnson, Lester’s brother
too. Maybe someone will know.

Dick

Folks, We need some help Identifing which Maurice Johnson is in yesterday’s posting. Comparing the family phote of the James Johnson family on page 194 of the Bottineau book, this looks like it could be Lester’s brother Maurice? If there was a way Lester could see this photo, I’ll bet he could give us a possitive identification. His sister Ina would know too. She just celebrated her 90th Birthday.

Ron Bergman, is Lester still working for you at your J.C. Penny store in Bottineau?

Dick, I just assumed that was Maurice Johnson, son of James & Annie and brother to Lester in the photo posted yesterday. I did not realize there was another Maurice Johnson. I am learning new history with all these postings. It’s great being able to put everyone’s piece of the puzzle/history together to get the whole picture. Until the past several days, I did realize the close knit community relationships of the Berg’s, Bergan’s, Bjornseth’s, Pritchard’s, Thompson’s, Pederson’s, Johnson’s etc. There were many more families of our ancestors that were in this circle of folks too. The Hiatt’s were one of the larger families of the community as were the Lindberg’s and Hagen’s. The Lagerquist’s were in that mix too.

This all brings to mind Lillian Thompson Bergstrom (36). Her parents were Ulysses & Alice Thompson. She is an aunt to the Pladson siblings. Lillian graduated in 1936, so she must have been born in about 1918. She must be about 91 or 92 years young now. Lillian lives with her daughter in Superior Wisconsin. She is a pretty sharp lady. She was rather surprised to get my phone call when I called her a year or so ago putting together her class list. She left the community before I was born, but she sure knew my family and the history of the community from her days. Her mother was a Stokes, so we are related. Near the end of our 1 1/2 hour conversation, she was telling me her daughter and family were very curious as to who she was talking to. I have pasted Lillian’s phone number below. I know Lillian would be delighted to hear from any of you. She may be able to fill in a few of the missing pieces to our puzzle too. Gary

Albert & Clara Berg Albert/Clara Berg Family

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