Son’s of Norway Banquet – Music provided by the Highway 43 Band
Message from Connie Zorn Landsverk: Bottineau, ND
Hi tentatively planning to attend Stella’s 80th b,day party tomorrow. She looks wonderful for 80 huh!
Lastnite I attended the Son’s of Norway Banquet @ the Botno Senior Citizens. Ron Hett, Brenda & Dick Johnson provided the entertainment. The entertainment was awesome The music was very relaxing. Dick told a few Norwegian jokes which brought laughter to all. It was a fun night. Thanks again Brenda, Dick & Ron!!!
Wesley & Ovidia Schneider
Message/Picture from Vickie Metcalfe (70): Dunseith, ND
Gary,
Karen Larson at the Spectrum is sending todays photo of Wes
and Buie. My friend Ovidia is ever so camera shy. She is a
self-effacing sweetheart of a lady. She encourages Wes as we
collaborate on stories. It brings her great joy to see him happy and
laughing when he listens to what I and other folks like Dwight Lang
have written from the Gary Stokes and Friends Dunseith Blog.
Of course I respect Ovidia’s wishes when she says to me,
“Just write about Wes, folks know him.” Gary, It makes my heart
glad to be in the company with such a pair. Today the pair of them
shared stories of “Dear Heart Lodge and the Kochevars”.
By the way does any one know, where did the Kochevars get
the name “Dear Heart Lodge?”
were they, the Kochevars; Lillie and Jake, “Dear hearts and gentle people”?
I told Ovidia and Wes, “I will write what they…..hem…Wes
recalls and ask them to edit before i send off to you.”
Haste Ye Back, Vic
Wesley looks great!!!! and your Buie too Vickie. Wesley worked 50 plus years at the Bottineau Co-op Creamery. How well I remember Wesley, Floyd Dion, Joe Houle, Lloyd Jelleberg, Scotty Thompson and others working there from the days of Dad’s cream hauling days. Following Roger Bond’s retirement, Lloyd Jelleberg became the plant manager. Gary
Follow up message from Vickie:
Gary and Friends,
The end of September brought me the beginnings of a head
cold. I was out of school for a couple days and the neighborhood
circulation for a bit.
Tonight, I’d just came home from dining out at the local
Chinese diner. I thought. “I best take the dogs out.” As I walked
outdoors on this calm clear fall eve, I looked across the street to a
glowing welcoming light, and asked the boys “Shall we go see Wes and
Ovidia?” Excitedly, Buie pulled on his lead, dashed straight across
to the north. Thor and I regained our footing and scrambled hastily
behind.
The dogs got to the Schneider door with me wound in tangles
of white fur, red and blue leashes. The door opened, Ovidia had
heard us coming…I should say, me yelping.
They just finished their supper. Buie skidded across the
vinyl floor and came to a prompt stop by his friend Wes. Thor, more
shyly, ever the gentleman waited for “Wes treats.” I’ve told Wes
only one. But Wes, Thor and Buie tonight are like a recalcitrant
kids having fun! They were stopped at two. I the stern school
teacher.
Buie clearly the dog of the hour, enjoyed Wes’ attention,
gentle ear scratches and wandering ….clearly snooping in the
sitting room. Ovidia washed up the dishes, Thor stretched out at my
feet while I sat lazy as could be. Ahh, what a night.
We talked about…”winter comin on”. Wes recalled days long
since gone by. Days with the Boguslowski’ neighbor children, about
six to eight of them, who rode the bus.
And he and Warren betting who could run around the longest,
in their bare feet in the snow. Wes said, “The first time they
tried it was shockingly painful.” “Then, they’d get used to the
cold. With the out side sub zero,their feet, going round and round,
making tracks in the snow , then dashed to the house.” “Ouch! ouch!
Oh, boy did the feet hurt when the warm air hit! ” They hopped from
foot to foot, danced around, looked out the window to see their
father come out of the barn with the horses. He stopped, scratched
his head and looked, then followed the foot steps in the snow, gave
up and hooked the team to the school bus.”
Starting school, Wes told me, he didn’t know much English.
His mother didn’t read or write. His father, who could read and
write German, later learned to also read and write English had many
friends among the town folk. At that time, Dunseith,had lots of
different ethnic groups, many first generation nationalities. Mr.
Schneider the elder had many Syrian friends.
Wes said, “His older sister took him to school and signed him
into first grade.” His teacher was very stern, very scary!,
Looking at Ovidia’s orange , gold leaf print place mates on the
table, Wes said, that teacher’s face kind of looked like this,
pointing to an “ugly pointy shape”…….. He had her again for
second grade.”
Wes told me his father would put the team in the barn stable
at the Bergs during the day, go to the pool hall or stores to visit
and pass the time. It sounds like Mr. Schnieder, the elder enjoyed
a good visit.
And Wes, well just a few times… kind of got sick…. Ah
hem, left the school, going to the school bus, put a few pieces of
wood in the stove and curled up and relaxed…….a took a nap until
he…..his dad found him.
Then, Wes recalled a crisp fall day, jumping off the bus with
the Boguslowski children and picking crab apples in their yard. He
said, Eddie would say, as night drew near, “You best get on home
now, the gypsies have come around and they might get you.” Wes said
he’d scurry home, cause he didn’t want the gypsies to get him!
In parting tonight, my boys got final pats from Wes and Ovida
who walked us out to plug in the jack-o-lantern light which glowed us
back across the street. Good night. good night friends.
Vickie Metcalfe
