Dear Dunseith Alumni and Friends,
Just incase I don’t get another blog posted before the end of the year, We want to wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Angel and I are going to Taipa Taiwan, with a couple and several gal friends, for New Years. We’ll leave on the 28th and return New Years day. Taipa is located about 800 miles NNW of us. This will be Angel’s first trip out of the Philippines. We are looking forward to an exciting trip.
Greetings from our former Teacher
Dianne Leier Fichter: , Summerfield, Florida
Nice to see pictures of you and Dennis Dubois (’63) as well as of your lovely bride.
Greetings from your former teacher, now living in Florida.
Dianne Leier Fichter.
Gary’s Reply,
Yes, Dennis was here the whole month of November. This was his 4th trip here to visit us. We truly enjoyed his time visiting with us too. Dennis has taken a special liking to our Three helpers and their families. They have become like family to him.
Dianne, we remember you well too, from the one semester you taught at DHS. I think that was 1963?
Posted by Vickie Metcalfe (70): Bottineau, ND
Beatty Faine Norman DHS ‘1964
Betty Ann Norman, age 74 of Dunseith, died Sunday at a Minot hospital. Her funeral will be held on Friday, October 4, 2019 at 10:00 am at the Ascend Church in Bottineau.
Betty Ann Norman, a daughter of August and Alice (LeDeaux) Faine, was born on March 10, 1945 at Belcourt. She was raised at Dunseith and graduated from Dunseith High School. She then attended college in Sacramento, CA. She married Duane Norman. Betty worked at Rolette County Social Service in Rolla. She later worked at Dunseith Public Schools as a secretary and a librarian.
Betty passed away on Sunday, September 29, 2019 at a Minot hospital.
She is survived by he sisters, Patty Lozensky and Alice Christopherson of Dunseith; brothers, Linus and John Faine of Dunseith and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Duane; her parents, August and Alice; sisters, Margaret and Delores; brothers-in-law, Jesse Christopherson and Daniel Lozensky: a niece, Wendy and nephew, Linus.
Arrangements were with Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.
Reply to Ginger LaRocque Poitra (’64) – Betty Faine
From Vickie Metcalfe (70): Bottineau, ND
Hey Ginger,
Yes, I would see the Larocque girls with Betty.
Lifelong friends too!
Also, Mabel Roussin’s son Lee Roussin frequently drove her to Walmart and Bottineau
Lee’s mom, Mabel was in my 4th grade class with Mrs. Conroy.
When I came to work in Bottineau yrs. ago, Lee was in High School and would help the cooks wash dishes in the kitchen.
Lee became known by many for his work ethic!
Lee worked at Family Bakery, and Walmart oft times at the same time for years.
When Wal mart cut back this fall.
Lee applied for a janitor position at Bottineau school.He now works at the school full time and continues with another part time job .I think his mom too, must feel very proud of her son.’
Later, Vickie.
Sunday, November 27, 2022
Dear Ginger.
Thanks for writing me about your neighborhood lifelong friend, Betty Faine.
Betty Faine Norman was among my favorite school secretaries through my 46 education career.
I was blessed to know and work with many wonderful and excellent support staff through the years.
I truly liked and formed mutual respect with custodial staff and secretaries in various school districts in and out of ND.
Betty was a genuine, joyful person to work with.
Thank you Ginger for sharing I am not alone in my opinion.
I was correct in how she felt about Elvis, the ” King of Rock”.
Betty was not fickle ;
She never looked for or found fault.
She valued each student, each friend, and staff members she worked with.
She did not ask about latest gossip or negatively contributed when hearing about others.
Betty cared for things or another person she was 100%.
Duane was her “Prince”. She’d smile, light up and get all sparkley speaking of him.
Those who saw the 2 of them witnessed a sharing of a committed mighty LOVE.
My mother lived across the hall from Duane whist at a long term facility, here in Bottineau
Betty made frequent trips to be with him.
She mourned when he passed.
I truly believe throughout the years of knowing her.
Betty Faine had a committed depth of faith.
Vickie
Winter Memories (Skidoo)
Posted by Vickie Metcalfe (70): Bottineau, ND
Hello Gary and Dunseith friends,
https://youtu.be/JFGzGHHO-XA
Winter memories
My dad bought a skidoo in late 60s.
We girls used it each Saturday to haul hay and straw bales to the red barn for the next week, filling milk cows mangers.
Dad took it every Sunday after dinner to drive the miles South to visit the Anthonys’.
The team of horse ‘s were retired.
Except 1. She kept her job pulling the barn stone boat.
Byrd and I were the barn cleaning crew.
I pitched she pulled. I had watched and l learned dad’s trick how to get the stone boat
out the barn door and dumped on a sharp hilly curve.
I liked cleaning barn with Byrd. I always treasured Uncle Emil’s complement.
One day , I was pitching, scooping, as Byrd on command pulled ahead
I heard the big door pull open.
I looked up to see Uncle Emil’s broad shoulders, blue twinkling eyes and smiling face.
He stood in the doorway, grinned saying “You really know how to clean a barn!”
Yes, I thought, I’d rather be at the barn than scrub the bathroom kitchen tiles’ which were my
Saturday house chores that still need to be done.
It sure feels like winter here in ND. But the calendar says it is, 5 of December.
Vickie L.Metcalfe
12/5/2022
Skidoo “Our Byrd” reply to Vickie Metcalfe (70)
From Geri Metcalfe Munro (’59): Fargo, ND
Vickie, I love this story about “our Byrd” and you. I didn’t realize at that time that Byrd had moved from our farm to yours and later Scotty went to your farm, too! I have such precious memories of Jim & Dewey, Byrd and Doll, Lassie, Shep, etc. I suppose our family was older than yours, so your family could continue to have them.
Much love,
Geri
Sheep and Dogs
Posted by Vickie Metcalfe (70): Bottineau, ND
Gary and Dunseith friends.
Anyone else, watching movies worry about the dog?
I grew up with herding dogs.
SHEEP DOGS
Whilst in Montana. years ago a highly regarded substitute teacher shared her plight. She told me she and her husband, area sheep ranchers were losing sheep to coyotes.
It was a battle for sheep survival, and their live hood against mean, nasty sneakin coyotes! She and her husband did not detour from the goal of protecting their sheep.
They researched and inquired. Soon they purchased….imported from Europe, THREE young dogs. They were coached to place the dogs OUT among the flock.
They did.
Amazingly, the herding dogs by instinct, worked out their own work system.
Two circled the flock all night long ;
1 moving counter clock wise, the second clockwise. During day light, two rested.
The third dog, who slept at night took over and was on duty circling for the day.
The dogs were provided dog food. But, they ate, worked and rested among “their flock” throughout the seasons,
I was quite taken with this family. I respected them.
i empathized with her. I grew up with sheep on our Turtle Mountain family farm. My family loved our sheep,
We 3 sister’s evening job throughout the summer months was rounding up the flock scattered throughout the sheep pasture.
Located east of our house, Dad and Uncle Bill Metcalfe used woven wire fence to surround, enclose, and secure a pasture.
The sheep pasture was in thickets of hazel brush, copse of birch, wild berries, and oak, rocky hill, and a cool dark lush meadow (with wild strawberries).
Each evening, after supper, our family would begin the trek of bringing the flock home to the sheep yard.
First listen… sound of sheep bells. Each of us covered ground accompanied by a border collie or blue heeler.
Throughout the walk we inhaled the sweet summer smells.
Usually the task was accomplished, as we fought off blood thirsty marauding mosquitoes. The sun slowly gliding beyond an oak hill.
Once in the sheep yard the ewes were counted and our job was to see the ewes and their errant lambs were accounted for.
We dared not to leave any out to the elements…over concerns of caught in a fence. on their back or a likely,( coyotes).
I truly empathized with the dog in the Pyreennes and his owner in this attached story.
Is December, and I am fondly dreaming of the past years summer solstice and sheep.
As ever Vickie L. Metcalfe
Read more on Stacked up against pack of coyotes, herd dog kills 8 to save sheep at
https://www.wbtv.com/2022/12/02/stacked-up-against-pack-coyotes-herd-dog-kills-8-save-sheep/