Marie Parrill, My Godmother (Gary Stokes), Passed away.
Posting from LeaRae Parrill Espe (’67): Bottineau, ND

Gary, a very sad note: Marie Parrill passed away this morning around 7AM at Trinity in Minot.  She had a very bad heart attack yesterday morning at her home in Bottineau. She called her son Clayton that she was having pains around 5AM.  She was taken by ambulance to Minot and they did put in a couple of stints, but her heart was badly damaged.  She was doing fine the night before when Clayton and Linda had helped her put some things out on the curb for cleanup weekend.

My mom and Marie were so close, they were 18 months apart, but ended up in the same grade.  Marie was born June 13, 1924 and mom (Mildred) was born Dec 6, 1925. I know she was your godmother also.

Funeral Services are set for Saturday at 2PM at Bottineau First Lutheran.  I am sure it will be on the Nero sight in a day or so.  LeaRae

Gary Stokes’ Comments.
I am so saddened to hear of Marie’s passing. In my younger days our families were very close. Dad and Thurman were in the veteran classes together that were taught by Manford Cain and Virgil Vandewalle in the Bottineau school agricultural building. We kids and our mother would stay with Marie and family while Dad and Thurman attended classes. Darrel (Bud) was a baby in those days. Actually he wasn’t born yet when they started attending these classes. Thurman and Marie were my god parents. Marie always reminded me of that too. I visited Marie, in 2015 when I was there. Linda and Janet were there too. It was so nice seeing them again too. We had a nice visit. Marie most certainly didn’t show her age of 91 years old either. She was so alert and mobile. She was very loving and kind. She will be missed. We extend our condolences to all of her family.

Reply to Thunderbird airplane ejection question
From Bill Hosmer (’48): Tucson, AZ

In answer to a question by Allen Richard in the 2627 issue, I did  eject from an F-100 while I was on the Thunderbird Team.  We were just arriving at a Navy base in Rhode Island about three weeks after we had flown the first show at Minot AFB in 1961.   My engine flamed out and would not restart and I was not high enough to make a landing at the base.  I ejected and the plane crashed in an open field just across the highway from the Navy Base.  I landed in a tree right next to a busy road with a lot of car traffic. The traffic stopped, people gathered around the tree that I was in about 20 feet off the ground. Took awhile to climb down, but made it with no injury.  Flew the spare airplane  for the rest of my time on the team, which I left in 1963.  .Bill

San Haven Picture
Comments from Duane (Dewey) Morinville (’72):  Dunseith, ND

I think #11 is our mom Francis Morrinville. Not sure looking at it on a smart ph so the pic isn’t large. But it sure looks like mom

Gary’s Comment.
Thanks, Dewey
Folks, all we need is Number 3. I’m very sure one of you can ID him.
Thanks, Gary

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Blog (703) posted on February 2, 2010

Gary Cota (56): Dickinson, ND From Neola Kofoid Garbe: Minot & Bottineau, ND. Gary, Awhile ago, I sent the four 8 X 10 family pictures of Gary/Darla Cota’s family (same picture, four of them) to Gary. I received a very nice thank you note from them. I’m not sure who wrote the note, as it’s signed Gary & Darla. I think you said Gary’s vision isn’t good, so maybe Darla wrote it–doesn’t matter. Whoever wrote the note said they have four grandchildren, so each grandchild will receive one of the pictures. I didn’t ask for postage, but there was a $5 bill in the envelope. I’m sure that much more than it cost to mail the pictures–very nice of them. I hope things settle down soon so I can get back to the pictures from the courthouse. I’ve decided I’m going to address the envelopes I have and mail them with whatever pictures are in them–not wait to see if I locate more pictures before I mail them. I think the people will be happy to receive the envelope–I’ll feel GREAT to know I have mailed them I probably have at least 25 envelopes, so it will be good to get them mailed. If I locate more pictures of any of these people, I’ll send them in a separate envelope. Peace of mind will out-weigh what it costs me to mail them.  Neola Bruce Hill (80): Bruce, Thank so much for your reply. I have added you to our distribution list. For our records, where are you living now? Gary Update from DeAnn Gottbreht Posted on her CarringBridge site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/deanngottbreht Hello everyone. I wanted to write as soon as I felt up to it to let you know just how well I am doing! Other than some tightness in my chest and arm I am feeling good. Very little pain. I was released from the hospital on Saturday afternoon and we made it home to Mom’s last night about 9.I went into surgery about 11 on Friday and it took about 2 hours. My surgeon called Patrick right after I was out to let him know how great it all went. The cancer looks to be completely contained in the breast and looks to be DCIS, which is non-invasive. They took four sentinel lymph nodes as well which all came back negative so at this time it looks as though the cancer has not spread at all! The news couldn’t hardly be any better! The baby doctors monitored the baby before and after the surgery and he came through it all great! All of our prayers were truly answered! Thank you all for your love and prayers. I will need a few weeks of recovery now before we start chemo again. Keep in touch everyone. I enjoy hearing from you all. Rabbits on the north side of the Commercial Hotel Reply from Colette Hosmer (64): Santa Fe, NM I think I can solve the rabbit droppings mystery. My uncle Art (?) Richard raised rabbits over there. I was young … maybe it was ’54 or ’55. I had a pet rabbit named Pinky. I nailed some chicken wire across the top of an orange crate and kept her in that. She ate everything I could haul home from the store and soon outgrew her cage so Mom talked me into giving her to Uncle Art across the street. I was very sad about it but he told me I could visit Pinky whenever I wanted to. I did — often — and soon lost count of all the baby rabbits she produced. I also remember a lot of rabbit dinners during that time Building on the north side of the Commercial Hotel Reply from Floyd Dion (45): Dunseith, ND. Gary I knew of a man that lived north of the Commercial Hotel, but I would not say that is the building he lived in , His name was Emil Hack and he lived in a small shack. Luella says she walked by his place when she went to school, her parents lived on the spot where Roland Mongeon lives now. I don’t know where he came from, maybe drifted in town He lived there I know in the late forties maybe in the early fifties. Who knows maybe he had rabbits. He died in his shack. Floyd Building on the north side of the Commercial Hotel Reply from Lloyd Awalt (44): Bottineau, ND. Hi Gary. Reading about the commercial hotel maybe I can you in . First off the picture of Marshall and Dave was taken in our front yard when we lived in Tom Cassetys house. The hotel we are looking at the back. Charles Watkins managed the hotel in the 30s later on sold to Grassman’s. Grassman’s had the rabbits for awhile. The storage area was for wood & coal . My dad had the dray at that time and we hauled everything. I shoveled many a ton of coal in there. I believe grassman’s sold to Grimme’s Melba Grassman Marsaa married to Ben Marsaa was a school teacher in Dunseith this is from 1930 to 1941. Winifred Pritchard stayed at our place while she went to high school. When that picture was taken they were problem courting. Lloyd Awalt Reply from Dick Johnson: 68): Dunseith, ND. Gary and Friends,Marshall Awalt’s pictures of Dave Eurich and himself and of Eleanor, Marshall, and an unknown girl look as though they would have been taken in the front yard of Tom Cassidy’s place. Marshall, is this correct and what connection would there be with your family and this place? The other girl looks to possibly be of Native American descent, at least to me. I think Tom Cassidy lived in the house until the mid 50s and I believe he moved to Rolla and spent the rest his life there. I don’t know if he had children who could have been this age but thought it might help in her identification. Thanks Gary! Dick Posted by Neola Kofoid Garbe: Minot & Bottineau, ND. Carol LaVallie (September 18, 1950 – February 1, 2010)  Sign Guest Book | Send Private Condolences Send Flowers CAROL LAVALLIE Carol LaVallie, age 59 of Dunseith, died Monday, February 01, 2010 in her home. Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 8, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. in the St. Michael’s Catholic Church. Burial will be in St. Louis Cemetery also of Dunseith. A wake will be held on Sunday beginning at 4:00 P.M. in the church, with a prayer service at 8:00 P.M. Arrangements are with the Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau. Alice Stokes Thompson, not Clara Stokes Thompson: Correction From Keith Pladson (66): Stafford, VA Gary, Just a quick correction. In the photo with several of my family ancestors in your 700 blog, you correctly identify my Grandmother as Alice Stokes Thompson. However, in the photo of my Grandmother and Grandfather in your 698 blog, they are identified as Ulysses and “Clara” Thompson. I’m not sure where the name Clara came from, but I’m pretty certain she was never known as or called Clara. I should have caught this earlier, but somehow it just slipped past me until my sister Tina sent me an email to point it out. I would appreciate it if you could correct the photo to say “Ulysses and Alice Thompson.” Thanks, Gary. Keith Reply From Mary Eurich Knutson (62): Dunseith, ND. Gary/Keith That is my error – the lady’s name is Alice on the wedding picture. Yes the little boys name is Jim Cain (Cane). He was born November 1938 so this picture must be summer of 1939. The Frank Stokes vs William Stokes issue is kind of a mystery to me. It is very possible some of the pictures may have errors. I’m sure we’ll get them hashed out. There is a Clara Rose Thompson that is a sister to the homesteaders in the hills but she never came this far as far as I know. She lived in Minnesota and was married to a man named Graham. Remember the picture of that old car with the people sitting in it. That is labeled Graham’s with friends. And , yes, Keith you are right about the year of the storm when you stayed at our place. In 64 and 65 my kids wouldn’t have been big enough to ride the sled behind the snowmobile. I am definitely not good with remembering dates. Will dig out more information after I finish working my income tax. Take care. I love the information and will be making a scrapbook from pictures and articles I laminate from your info. Mary K. Mary, I have reposted this picture of Ulysses and Alice Stokes Thompson and the William Stokes Picture too. I’ll bet that whoever was labeling those pictures had Frank on their mind knowing it was William Stokes when they labeled that photo. With this picture being taking in 1939, It has to be William Stokes, because Frank died in December 1932. This picture resembles William Stokes that I’ve seen in other pictures too. Thank you Mary, Gary Ulysses & Alice Stokes Thompson Standing L to R: William Stokes, Esther Thompson Tangen, Ulysses Thompson, Rebecca Stokes Rendahl, Lillian Thompson Cain, Ella Thompson Pladson & Lester Cain Sitting in Wheel chair: Alice Stokes Thompson holding Jimmy Cain