Folks, Bernadette and I attended a nice wedding yesterday. The couple is from our bowling league. He is from Norway and of coarse she from here, Cebu, PI. This couple has been living together nearly two years now. They had a baby several months ago. There is a little age difference in this couple though. He is 59 and she just had her 22nd birthday. In spite of the age difference, they are a nice looking couple. Of coarse with him being Norwegian, they couldn’t be anything else but. Those Norwegian accents sure bring back some good memories of my dad’s relatives. The demeanors of the Norwegian’s that we have met here, so resembles that of the Norwegian’s I was raised around.

Another point of interest. Last week I posted the activity of our Website with a comment that the visits have been steadily increasing. Brenda Hoffman replied with a personal message that she feels there are folks following our messages that have just stumbled upon us browsing the Net. I never gave that any thought, but she may be right. It’s wonderful if there are. We’d like to hear from some of you folks that have found us with your browsing. Gary

Reply to Larry Shirk (58):

From Jim Robillard (58): WILLISTON, ND

Hi Larry good hearing from you. That is a great picture of our football team. The best dang team on both sides of Willow Creek.

I also enjoyed seeing the picture of Dunseith main street with all the old cars parked on the street. Its pretty near how I remember Dunseith.

A note to Gary Stokes; Gary I would like to thank you for this great service you provide for the Dunseith Alumni I read this Blog every day and enjoy The stories.

Snowplane reply:

From Floyd Dion (45): Dunseith, ND.

Hi Gary

Dick was saying that the Pigeon’s had a Volkswaagen body for a snowplane, Harvey Halvorson had one with a French Renault coupe body , it had a door in the roof so we could shoot out of it, but it was too heavy too, Curt Halvorson and I built one for Harvey, and we had a lot of fun with it. I remember someone (don’t remember who) had a leaky gas tank and took it out to Jim Coleman’s to have it welded, they emtyed the tank and Jim put a hose in the gas tank and the other end on the car exhaust pipe and started the car and begin to weld the tank,ant it did not blow up.

Those snowplanes were a lot of fun

Floyd

Reply from Gary Metcalfe (57): Forsyth, MO

Reply to Larry Hackman

That is a good story about Egbert, Larry. That is what I called him too, his dad called him Donerd. I am sure most people thought I was being funny when I said that Ade was a man amongst men when he was young. That is what my dad called him, Ade. According to Ade, he was a ladies man to the highest degree, so I guess Donald had a real hard act to follow. You should read Ade’s history in the BIG BOOK.

I have given a lot of thought about what made those old pioneers stand taller than those who came later. I realize they were much more wise to the world having come from cities and towns out east and overseas.

I was thinking about Charles and Marvin Lindberg. I thought they lived near Rose Lake somewhere. Ethel Dubois is their sister. So I looked up their parents’ story, Pete Lindberg was a twin to Ben Lindberg. Cooney McKay’s father-in-law. I loved the way Ben handled the situation when a fellow came into their house party with a gun threatening to shoot everybody. Ben took him outside, straightened him out, then had him come back in for the evening festivities. With people like that they could get by with only one cop in the area those earlier years.

I got off the track. Pete was known as a singer and a man who could keep up to two binders shocking grain. The man that had enough crop to warrant two binders working was my great grandfather, Hans Svingen down at Overly. He was my Grandma Evans father. Hans had two brothers who were pastors and one of them performed the wedding for Ben Lindberg. There was also evidence that Ben met his wife at the home of Andrew Bergen up on the Canadian border.

I have a couple things I would like to find out about the Hillside area, one is who Alcide’s mother was???

Denise tells me that old Modeste Lajimodeir had 21 kids and three wives. I think the “e” on the end of his first name changed the meaning of it. I think he was the most prolific of the whole area. His quarter of land sat between Vance Bailey’s home place and Louis Bergan’s, give or take.

I guarantee Donald was a good worker. He worked for Cliff Gilles.

I am sure when Denise finds time to research that large addition to Rolette County it could prove interesting. I am pretty sure it was one of her relatives that was prominent in Manitoba politics. Most have heard of Louis Riel and Julie Lajimodeir was his mother. Louis was well educated and charismatic.

Gary Metcalfe

Message from DeAnn Gottbreht. DeAnn’s parents are Ernie Gottbreht and Brenda Hill.

Posted on her CarringBridge Website:http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/deanngottbreht

We had a excellent turnout for my benefit up in Portal yesterday! I want to thank all of the great people who brought soup, sandwiches, dessert, and everyone who worked so hard putting it on. It was sure nice to have so much family there. Patrick parents came over along with Grandma, Mom and Bryant, My Dad and Cheryl, and Blake and Michelle. Lots of people came over from work along with some of the people that work up on the Canadian side and local friends as well. I am so thankful for all the people who donated money there and by mail. Thank You all for your generous support! Patrick and I sure appreciate it. Just saying thank you seems like hardly enough but it is the best I can do for now.

We are leaving for Mayo Tuesday morning. It is snowing steady right now with 4-5 inches by morning and a blizzard by Sunday so I pray that the weather man is right and that the storm will end by some time Monday. I will see my Oncologist, my Surgeon, Baby Doctor, and a few others on Wednesday and Thursday with surgery tentatively scheduled for Friday the 29th as long as all my appointments go well. And before you ask YES this is safe for the baby as long as I am monitored and my blood pressure and oxygen stay normal. I would not choose to do something I know would hurt my baby! Please keep us both in your prayers as we take this next step. It is pretty scary for me but necessary and I am comforted having it done in a place as excellent as the Mayo Clinic. Take care everyone. I will try to keep you updated on my progress.

Alex Pedie:

From Neola Kofoid Garbe: Bottineau & Minot, ND

Hi,

I think you/someone asked who Alex Pedie is. He’s the husband of Dianne Pedie, who taught school in Dunseith.

Neola

Art Rude Sr. recovering.

From Art Rude (71): Bismarck, ND

Gary,

Great job as always! I thought I should fill you in, and I know you will share it with the group. Dad (Art Rude Sr.) has had a real tough fall and winter. Late August he fell off his bike (age 86) and had to be taken to the hospital. I don’t think it was the fall. I understand in talking to him, and a couple of other people who saw him that day, he had been quite upset, and I think he had a mini stroke. The reason I say that is, although they gave him a series of tests, and said he didn’t qualify as a “stroke”, it sure seems as if he lost oxygen to the brain for a while, because Dad has never been so confused.

After a couple of days in the hospital, he went to the Dunseith Community Nursing home for 3 weeks. As he was doing much better, he was out living in his apartment, but we had to move him to a situation where he wouldn’t be alone. Anyway, December 18th I called as usual on the way to work, and Dad wasn’t there, he had been hauled away by ambulance shortly before I called. He was eventually hauled to Minot, where they opened him up to clean out a “hematoma” (I think that’s the appropriate term) around his defibrilator, and they said they cleaned out enough blood clot to make a softball. He had to have fallen
or taken quite a blow for that to happen. Dad has had a defibrilator for almost 20 years, and a pacemaker as well.

So now he is in the Dunseith home. He has lost a lot of his mobility (Dad always walked, and liked to walk with a very vigorous step, so it was difficult to see him walk like Tim Conway) although he is making improvements. I just talked to him on the phone, and Eldon Moors (our neighbor from the hills, who moved in since many of you have left. He bought the Lawrence Wenstad place on the county line.) had stopped in, and he kept saying how much he enjoyed the visit. So that’s the point Gary, I know there are many people still in Dunseith, and around Dunseith who remember Dad, so stop in and say hi, I’m sure he would appreciate it. You probably remember how he likes to visit, and catch up with people, so if you are in town with a few extra minutes . . .

I’ll enclose a picture we took at Christmas break, when more of the family could make it up to enjoy the hills, and see Dad. I spent most of the semester break up in the cabin, so I got to see Dad almost everyday, but he sleeps a lot now.

Thanks Gary.

Art Rude

Bismarck

PS. In the picture, from left to right, is my daughter Hannah, her fiance Brad Wickie, Dad, my wife Grace with grandson Gavin, and myself. I’d appreciate it if you refer to Dad as Art Sr. which is a title of respect. By the way Gary, I like being Art Rude, but hated being called “Junior” (I think that’s why Pete Mellmer left town). That’s one of the things I like about Bismarck, I don’t have to be junior any more, you would think at age 56 you could leave that childhood moniker behind.

Peace and Power, Art Thanks for checking out Art Rude Productions, webpage address: www.artrude.com call and leave a message anytime at 800-XRT-RUDE

Art, Thank you so much for this update and info about your dad. I am glad to here that he is recovering well. Please keep us posted. This is a great photo of all of you. Gary

L To R: Hannah Rude, Brad Wickie, Art Rude Sr., Grace Rude W/Gavin & Art Rude.

Mel Kuhn (70):

Reply from Larry Hackman (66): Bismarck, ND

Gary

Just a few items that I have rolling around inside the old cranium that I thought I would put out there. Maybe someone has a answer or two.

I wish I would have known about old Mel having problems? I would have went up and hooked him up to a trickle charger. We could have probably saved him some gas money. Glad to here you are is doing fine Mel. Hang in there old buddy, there is life to be lived.

Larry

Folks, I neglected to include Larry’s Attachment when I posted his message several days ago. I hate it when that happens. Larry, I apologize. I have pasted your attachment below. Gary

Rambling Rumblings

Does anyone have pictures to post of the swimming area at the east end of Lake Shutte that show the sand beach, dock, and diving board that was built and used during the 50s? Remember how we use to go catch mud-puppies with our bare hands, in the northeast corner of the lake.We would carry the mud-puppies back to the beach and throw them at the girls to make them run and scream? The good old days.

Anyone remember the cook that use to make them scaloped potatoes that were served to us about once a week ( or maybe it was once every two weeks – it was often) in the lunch rooms in the basement of the old wood two story school house in Dunseith?If I remember correctly; when she retired, her and her husband sold their home in Dunseith and moved back to Norway.Jim Enno, who had a auto body repair shop on the south edge of town, bought their home?I remember them scaloped potatoes and would like a copy of the recipe if anyone has it and could post that.Remember when you came down the stairs into the basement, you had your lunch ticket punched, then you had to make a sharp right or left turn, went around either corner, picked up your tray and selected your butter, or peanut butter sandwich; (take as many as you want) from the plastic baskets with the towel over the top of the sandwichs.Next stop was the window to the kitchen where they handed you your plate or brown bowl of scaloped potatoes.You had to develope a taste for them scaloped potatoes.I guess I did cuz I would like to taste them again.Anyone have the recipe?

Did Kenny Nerpel move to Rugby?

A while back I wrote about some of the happenings that happened to some of the old people in our lives.I tried to make them entertaining and funny.I thought we should laugh at some of these situations now, because as we all know, we will be encountering some of these type happenings.So, be prepared to laugh when it happens to you, cuz it an’t gonna do much good to cry!The reason I brought this up again I thought a few would write about some of the happenings in their lives.Which a few have! Thank You.

There were a couple of particular stories I knew of, that happened to a mother-in-law and brother-in-law of a (65er) class member, that I was sure would write and give us the scoop.So Joe, “Joe is kind of a generic name so I don’t think anyone is going to figure out who I’m talking about. Joe this lady told me she was up-town in Rugby doing some shopping.She was driving home from shopping, thinking about her garden.Her and her husband always grow a beautiful, productive garden.Joe, I’m sure you have eaten a lot of vegetables from that garden?Your mother-in-law says she is coming down the street from up-town, hits the button for the garage door to open.She pulls into the driveway, the garage door is almost all the way open, and then she don’t remember anything until she opens her eyes.There she is sitting in her car, in the back yard looking at her beautiful garden.She said, she remembers driving along thinking about her garden before she entered the garage, but she never intended to drive directly through the back wall of her garage to get there.She does not remember going through the wall.Funny?You be the judge.

Joe, It always seemed to me that if something happened in high school that was funny, it usually involved a member of your family, and I don’t think it had anything to do with the amount of you guys roaming the halls.It always seemed that your family was happy and always ready to have some fun.This story is about your brother-in-law Joey.I know there are a million stories about Joey.I’m just going to tell just one.you can tell the other stories if you want too.According to Joey’s mother, Joey parked his antique auto on the street.Now you have to think about this.What some people consider to be an antique, other people consider to be an eye-sore or junk.The decision is purely in the eye of the beholder.Now this car is sitting there, and hadn’t been moved for months.Someone finally made up a sign and placed it on the antique car.The sign said one word, (FREE).A couple boys came along from Devils Lake and saw this sign.They thought they struck gold (a free old corvette).They went up to the door, rang the door bell, and asked Joey’s mom if it was OK for them to take the car.She said, you can’t take that car, it’s an antique, and belongs to my son Joey.They explained about the free sign on the car.She told them, that it is worth a lot of money and was not free.Poor boys!

A few days later somone had moved the vehicle and parked it in the alley behind the house, the sign had been removed.Joe I hope you don’t end up sleeping on the couch because of this story?

I and my wife were over visiting my brother Henry (65er) and was telling him and his wife about the above story.We were sitting in his living room.His wife jumps up and points across the street at an antique auto.Apparently the conversation had struck a nerve?She didn’t actually call it a antique.She was basiclly telling my brother to make up a sign and put it on that car.Henry being a calm guy said, why don’t we just call the police dept. and see what they do firstHe said, they made the call, explained that the car had been sitting there forever, and the next day it was towed.So simple!Personally I preferred the sign method.

The old building, located behind the building that was used as, Richards Variety Store, or Berg’s Electric and TV repair, or Sutton’s Used Auto Parts Store, or Morinvilles Grocery Store, which was located across the street from the Crystal Cafe? Does anyone remember what it was used for originally?I remember Orvile Sutton using it as a auto repair shop, and I think it was torn down after that.Itlooked like it could of been someones house at one time?

Bill (65er) do you remember the guy who kept rabbits in the building or garages located just at the north end of the Commercial Hotel.I know when we first moved to town we had a lot of pet rabbits that we brought with us from the farm.We didn’t bring them all but just what we had cages for. The rest we just released on the farm.Anyway this gentleman came over and offered to buy them rabbits. Us kids knowing about all that candy in them stores up-town, immediately sold the rabbits to him.Then when we ran out of money convinced Dad to take us back up to the farm to recapture the rest.It took a couple of trips but I think we got most of them.Did that fellow keep and sell rabbits for pets or for food or both?I remember he had a lot of rabbits.

My sympathy to all thoughs that have lost loved!

I hope and pray that you are doing well!

Remember; Laugh and the whole world laughs with you!

Larry

Football Photo ID’s:

From Karen Woodford Olson (59): Marana, Az & Bemidji, Mn

The folks in the football picture are as follows:

Back row Coach Ray Stark, Marvin Aamodt, James Robillard, Vince Kalk, David Lo, Gerald Anderson, Larry Shirk and Coach Lincoln Jerstad. Middle row Lowell Williams, DuWayne Lang, Dennis Espe, Don Conroy, Ray? Pigeon, Bob Pigeon. Front row Val Bott, Bob Lagerquist, Lowell Leonard, Curt Halvorson, Mick Kester, Duane Woodford.

Hope my memory is correct. Thank you for all of your work. Karen Woodford Olson

Back: Coach Ray Stark, Marvin Aamodt, James Robillard, Vince Kalk, David Lo, Gerald Anderson, Larry Shirk and Coach Lincoln Jerstad.
Middle: Lowell Williams, DuWayne Lang, Dennis Espe, Don Conroy, Ray? Pigeon, Bob Pigeon.
Front: Val Bott, Bob Lagerquist, Lowell Leonard, Curt Halvorson, Mick Kester, Duane Woodford.

Main Street Photo:

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

Gary,

With the posting of Bernard Morin/ Rod Armentrout’s postcard of Dunseith’s Main street, there are a couple things shown that I never in my life expected to see again. First, the car on the right is the old Nash belonging to Hank Johnson, the barber. It’s the one Marvin Kalk bought for $25. that I told about in blog message 156. The next car is a ’57 Chevy. John Wurgler had one like it and so did Zike Boguslawski. The car in front of the Althea theater is Leonard Cote’s ’59 Merc four door hard top. Eddie Bogus bought the Merc from Leonard and big John Bogus and I made a few wild trips to Rugby and Bottineau in that sled! The old Merc had a monster engine and really flew. It also had a fuel pump on top of the front part of the engine and if it got hot it ‘vapor locked’ and the car died. We had an old rag wrapped around the fuel pump and when it started having it’s fits, we would open the hood and poor cold water (or beer–what a waste) on the rag and away we went! My guess of the year the picture was taken is around 1963-64. I think Marvin bought Hank’s Nash in about ’64-’65. Hank still owned it when the picture was taken, obviously, as it’s still sitting in front of the barber shop. Thanks Bernard, Rod, and Gary!

Dick

——– Original Message posted with message 156 ——–

Gary and Friends, There was a barber in Dunseith by the name of Hank Johnson. We called him ‘Hank the Barber’, and he had a shop two doors south of the Althea theater. This is not the Hank Johnson from Willow Lake, but another guy. Anyway, for years he drove an old 1950 Nash four door car that resembled an inverted bathtub! It was dark green and ugly, real ugly. In those days Nash thought it was cool to be able to lay the front seat down and make the car into a bed, maybe for camping, who knows! Hank decided to sell his old Nash and buy a newer car so Marvin Kalk went down and bought it for $25, if I remember right. It didn’t like to start real well but he seemed to get it going most of the time, one way or another! One night a bunch of us were cruising town in Marvin’s Nash and we noticed he had a stick holding the rear of the driver’s seat up! Someone asked what it was for and Marvin said the latch was broken so the seat fell back to the bed position. He dropped us off by Fortune Berube’s house and we were standing by the car talking to Marvin, who was still in his car. Bill Berube had tied a rope to the stick that was holding the seat up and had secretly dropped it out the rear window. We asked Marvin if he could make the old Nash burn rubber? He revved it up and dropped the clutch and sure enough it squealed the tires and took off to the east! Billy gave the rope a pull and poor Marvin fell over backward in the seat and lost his grip on the steering wheel! The car veered to the left and jumped the curb, heading for Knute Landsverk’s garage! Marvin sat back up just in time to turn the wheel and miss the garage, but instead of hitting the brakes he just kept going and drove clear across the vacant lot south of Landsverk’s and then bounced back over that curb and drove off like nothing happened! We went from being scared to laughing hysterically in just a few seconds! I remember thinking, if he would have hit that garage we would have all been in BIG trouble! But we pulled off another one! Thanks Gary! Dick

Reply from Keith Pladson (66): thepladsons@hotmail.com Stafford, VA

Gary,
I found this interesting.

But, first a little background. My neighbor, Dave Humphrey, four houses down the street, asked me a few years ago if I would be interested in helping to collect food for the needy. Since I was retired and had the time, I said yes. So now every Tuesday, he and I (and in the summertime two other retired neighbors also) collect food from several grocery markets. (This consists of things that are reaching there shelf life or the containers are damaged, etc., and that would otherwise be thrown in the garbage – cereals, canned goods, breads, pies, milk, eggs, meats, etc.) The operation was set up several years ago by a guy who had made quite a bit of money in life and wanted to give back so he rented a warehouse and bought a truck and got a local pastor to run the warehouse. It’s called Warehouse Ministries. So on Tuesdays, we drive down from where we live to Fredericksburg, VA to get the big truck and then go from store to store to collect before returning to the warehouse to off load. This also gives us a lot of time to just talk about anything and everything of interest.

Anyway, this past Tuesday I was driving and Dave pulled something out of a folder he had brought with him. He then asked me if I wanted to hear something funny and he started reading what he’d pulled out of his folder: “Dear Sirs: We’re writing this letter to you today because we want to help you get your money out of your Model T. It’s still as good a car…”

Does that ring a bell? Remember your 681 posting?

Dave is originally from the Boston, Mass. area and knows nothing about Bottineau or Maxbass, ND. But through the wonders of the information highway, e.g. the internet, he had somehow gotten a copy of that same post card you posted. Do we live in a small world or what?

Thanks Gary for what you do.
Keith (66)

Keith, This is so interesting. This card, pasted below, has to be on the internet somewhere. I first received it from Sharron Gottbreht Shen that I posted with message 387, I then received it from Bill Hosmer posted with message 404. Then several weeks ago Allen Richard sent it to me again that I posted with message 681.

This card is for sure making it’s rounds all thru the whole country. Last week, out of the blue, a friend of mine originally from Bremerton, WA sent this card out to 50 plus folks that he sends forwards to everyday. I am on his list. He has no idea that I am from ND, Let alone Dunseith/Bottineau. Do any of you know who actually has this card?

This story even gets better with this friend of mines daily forwards. Last week one of his forwards was of the deer feeding on the Snow mobile trail near Lake Metigoshe. I remembered seeing that same picture in the Bottineau paper last year. My friend sent it as a joke with the message folks couldn’t ride their snow mobiles because of the deer. This guy had no clue where this picture was taken. I did a ‘reply all’ to that picture too, explaining the picture and where it was taken. The next day I got a message from Jerry Olson, originally from Souris, letting me know he recognized that photo too. My reply to that picture had been forwarded him. He could not believe his eyes. Jerry is currently living in Bremerton, WA. His sister is Nadine Little, also known as the “Cake Lady” in Bottineau. His family owned the John Deere dealership in Bottineau. Gary