Dan Morgan former principle in hospice care: Edgeley, ND

From Ardys Bakken Horner (Teacher): Detroit Lakes, MN.

Gary what a beautiful office to work from….continue to enjoy the news, esp like photo of Orvin Hagen…a dear man.
We heard that Dan Morgan former principal and instructor at DHS is on Hospice care, he and Judy read your blog. Ardys Bakken Horner

Alice Vandal Leonard’s reply to the football picture: Minot, ND

From Neola Kofoid Garbe: Minot & Bottineau, ND.

Hi Gary,

I sent the “football” picture to Alice Leonard. Here is her reply: Thanks, Neola: My brother-in-law is Duane Woodford, #3, also in the front with bro Lowell Leonard. Duane is married to my sister Grace and they live in Winston-Salem, NC. All is well here and we’re keeping warm. Alice

Iver Loe and Softball memories:

From Kenny Nerpel (65): Rugby, ND.

Gary,

In post 694 Larry Liere asked about Iver Lo. He at one time owned the
Gambles Store in Dunseith. In the early 1940’s my Mom worked there. They
had a hardware department and I think they also sold furniture. She worked
there briefly before she traveled to Portland, Oregon to work as a welder
during the war. Later, I think the store was owned by the Anderson family.
The photo of Dunseith’s south main street cleared up some the fog for me
about the businesses there. I knew that there was a barber shop and a
restaurant on that end of town but I couldn’t remember much about them. How
could I forget Hank the Barber and the Gateway Café. Every two weeks,
whether it was needed or not, I stopped in at Hank’s for a haircut and if
I’m not mistaken Mrs. Hackman worked at the Gateway.

Larry Hackman’s softball memories also brought back some memories for me. I
played on a team in the late sixties that also traveled to Canada to play
some of the fast pitch teams there. I remember most of the players. The
infield was Bill Grimme at first base, Allen Houle at second, and Jim Berube
third. I was the weak link at shortstop. The catcher was Eddie McCloud and
the pitcher was the legendary Leonard McCloud. We made at least two trips
to Canada and although we had some pretty good hitters I don’t think we got
a hit in any of the games we played there. We were used to the slow pitch
stuff and some of the pitchers in fast pitch softball can throw the ball
underhanded as fast as baseball pitchers and they are about 30 ft closer.
Not too many of us managed to get the bats off of our shoulders.

The highlight of those years was the tournament in Rolla. The final game was
played under the lights and one year we advanced to the finals and played
the Dunseith J.C. team for the championship. The only player I remember for
sure that played on that team was John Morgan. I remember him because I
happened to overhear some trash talking between him and Jim Berube. He was
telling Jim that all they had to do to beat us was to hit the ball hard at
the shortstop. Jim made a halfhearted attempt to defend me, but that is
basically what happened. I don’t know if it was the playing under the
lights or if the trash talking had the intended effect. I was getting hard
shots hit at me all night and Jim couldn’t pick up enough of the ricochets
to bail me out. Social activities (banquets and such) for the team
generally took place at the country home of Garrett Myers, located somewhere
along the gravel pit road north of town. I think we were much more adept at
partying than we were at softball. Great memories!

Kenny

Ole Bursinger:

Reply from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND

Gary and Friends,

Thanks to Gary Metcalfe for the insight on Ole Bursinger’s life. He
was quite a guy. I can still hear him playing ‘Rubber Dolly’ on his
fiddle and singing ‘Little Footprints in the Snow’. You mentioned how he
liked Hank Williams. He also liked old Jimmy Rogers songs. Ole was
really lost after Glenice (Granny) passed away. He spent hours every day
just driving around in his pickup for no reason. It was sad to see. He
was pretty much one of a kind. Thanks to BOTH Garys !

Dick

Wrong Randy Davis:

Correction from Evon Lagerquist (77): Dunseith, ND.

Gary, I don’t think that this is the Randy Davis from our class of ’77 in Dunseith. Seems a little bit older than the rest of us and I don’t believe those were his parent’s names. I know his mom’s name is Joyce…..

Evon

Evon, I for sure didn’t do the math with this one. The Randy Davis from your class would be about 8 years younger. Thank you so much for this correction. Gary

School Memorabilia:

Reply from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND

Gary and Friends,

During all my school years, I had John Boguslawski for a constant
pal and cohort. We were at each others places nearly every day and he
and I were always doing mechanical things with cars and motorcycles.
John came along to the farm and worked with me when I needed help.
Another thing that we did was help his dad, Eddie Boguslawski, do things
at the school. We hauled out discarded junk and piled coal and other
jobs. One time we were told to clean out the storage area under the old
concrete bleachers in the old gym. To many of you, this was the area
under the temporary typing room that was built over the bleachers. In
the boxes we were hauling out, I found the old leather football helmets
we just saw in the picture of the ’55 football team. There was also a
box of basketball jerseys and trunks that Dad said were from the
independent basketball team that was from Dunseith in the late ’40s and
early ’50s. The jerseys were red and white and had a name on them. I
have tried to remember that team name for years, but can’t come up with
it. I was wondering if Mona Dionne Johnson or ANYONE else can remember
the name of this team? I think Virgil Vanorny and Chuck Johnson were
both on the team. The name wasn’t the ‘Dragons’ and that’s what puzzled
me when I opened the box. We hauled nearly everything up to the old dump
ground and gave it a toss. Also included in the haul were the band
uniforms we saw in the band picture from 1956. I kept one band cap, one
football helmet, and a box full of old papers and letters dated back to
the ’20s. Everything else got buried in the trash. This was in the mid
’60s and I still have all the stuff! There was also many feet of steam
pipes under the bleachers and they were wrapped with asbestos. The
system was changed so they told us to clean up the pipes and then take
them out. John and I cut the wrap off with linoleum knives and ripped
the covering off with our bare hands. It was so dusty from the asbestos
and dust that we could hardly see each other with the light on! They
always talk about Mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos! If that’s the
case—we didn’t even have a mask and would cough until we gagged, but
never quit until we were done. Wouldn’t OSHA and the EPA love this
deal?? Thanks Gary!

Dick

Dick, You are right. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer caused by exposure to Asbestos. It’s an abdominal cancer that is virtually 100% fatal within a few months of detection. Asbestos was very prevalent in the insulation materials aboard the naval ships I worked on. Until 1970, there were few controls. Following my apprenticeship in the Pipe covering and insulation trade in 1974, I became an instructor in the Shipyard for asbestos controls. With my knowledge of the asbestos trade and controls, I was hired into the Production Scheduling department of the shipyard in 1978. I was a supervisor in the Scheduling department when I retired in December 2003. Prior to being inducted into the Service, from Feb 1967 to June 1968, I worked in the asbestos trade with few controls. When I returned to the Shipyard following my active duty service in 1971, there were many controls. I have minimal plural thickening of the lungs as a result of having been exposed to asbestos. I have never smoked, so my chances are 85% greater than those that smoked, for not having asbestos related problems. Gary

Allen Richard (65) birthday:

Reply from Nathan Richard (2000): Fort Greeley, AK

Gary,

In regards to my fathers birthday. Some may know about his illustrious ’74
Dodge charger. This summer we went home to North Dakota and met with dad in
Minneapolis. He drove the old car to see us as we spent a couple days in
town. I had the great opportunity to take a few pictures of all of us
together. The best part however, became a gift I gave him for his birthday
this year. All in all the picture turned out great in the form of a 24″ x
36″ print. I am attaching a small sampling.

Nathan A. Richard

Ulysses & Clara Stokes Thompson

Photo from Mary Eurich Knutson (62):

Folks, I received 7 old photo’s from Mary Eurich Knutson. Karen Larson at Spectrum scanned them for her and sent them to me with a note not to publish until Mary gets in touch with me. Since this one is labeled and I know the picture, I will post this one today and wait for Mary’s reply before posting the rest.

Clara Stokes Thompson was my great Aunt. Ulysses and Clara were the parents of Ella (Eldon) Pladson, Esther (Edmar) Tangen & Lillian Bergstrom. Lillian is living Wisconsin. Ella and Esther are deceased.

Mary Eurich’s grandmother, Ida Pritchard, was a sister to Ulysses Thompson.

Ulysses & Clara Stokes Thompson homesteaded about a mile or so north of the Ackworth Cemetery on the east side of the road. When you turn west into Fauske’s from the Willow Lake road, I believe the Ulysses Thompson homestead was to the east of that turn? If not, it was in that general area.

Mary, These are some great pictures. This is the first picture I have ever seen of Ulysses & Clara Thompson. Their names were mentioned many times in my growing up years too. If Lillian does not have a copy of this, I’m sure she’d love to have a one. I’m sure Keith Pladson or John Tangen can touch base with her on this and get a copy to her.

Thank you Mary. I’m excited to see the labeling on the rest of the photo’s you sent too. Gary.

From:

Ivy Eller Robert (74): Everett, WA

Susan Malaterre Johnson (69): Alvarado, TX

Hi Gary…….

I got this from Susan Malaterre Johnson, who lives in Texas. I though it would be great to share it with others that have experienced the great North Dakota weather…………

Ivy Robert

COLD IS A RELATIVE THING

65 ABOVE ZERO:

Floridians turn on the heat.

People in North Dakota plant gardens.

60 ABOVE ZERO:

Californians shiver uncontrollably.

People in North Dakota sunbathe.

50 ABOVE ZERO:

Italian & English cars won’t start.

People in North Dakota drive with the windows down.

40 ABOVE ZERO:

Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, and wool hats.

People in North Dakota throw on a flannel shirt.

35 ABOVE ZERO:

New Yorklandlords finally turn up the heat.

People in North Dakota have the last cookout before it gets cold.

20 ABOVE ZERO:

People in Miami all die.

North Dakotans close the windows.

ZERO:

Californians fly away to Mexico .

People in North Dakota start looking for their winter coats.

10 BELOW ZERO:

Hollywooddisintegrates.

The Girl Scouts in North Dakota are selling cookies door to door.

20 BELOW ZERO:

WashingtonDC runs out of hot air.

People in North Dakota let the dogs sleep indoors.

30 BELOW ZERO:

Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.

North Dakotans get upset because they can’t start the snowmobile.

40 BELOW ZERO:

ALL atomic motion stops.

People in North Dakota start saying”Cold enough fer ya?”

50 BELOW ZERO:

Hell freezes over.

North Dakota public schools will open 2 hours late.