I see a promising new generation of children soon to make their first communion here at St. Brendan Parish and thought the “old” pictures I treasure might interest several of your readers. The first picture is of Mary Fontaine [1941-1949] and I. We had been selected as guardians for the group of 1947. Naturally it was a happy day for me when the Joe and Theresa Fontaine moved into Grandma Masse’s home about 1945, diagonal from the Gottbrehts. Victor and Mary became close playmates and Granmere Masse looked after us. Mary taught me “London Bridge” and “Ring Around the Rosie” in French, the only language Grandma Masse spoke. I had my first french fry there which I think Theresa must have sent from Rosie’s Cafe. Mary liked them with mustard and I can still hear her requesting “avec mutard, Granmere”. We may look angelic in our picture together, but Emma Masse knew better. We were fascinated by the Masse rabbit warren in the barn out back and often chased the poor critters to exhaustion; Joe had to make the barn off limits.

We made our first communion the following year, and you will notice that Ernestine Dailly and maybe Linda Evans were our guardians. Wish I could identify everyone. Maybe Ron Link and James Robillard; a Picard? I can see the top of Connie Bedard head and Helen Boguslawski is another tall one in back. Mary Fontaine an unknown, Sharron, more blonds, then the poised Shirley LaRocque up front. Great of Shirley and she is most welcome to a copy. I hope Shirley and Connie sign up for the Seattle reunion, I plan to be there.

Mom had taken us to pick raspberries at her brother, Hector Boucher’s farm the Sunday Mary and Victor Fontaine died. We heard the explosion there some three miles away. Mom hurried us home passing the small plane wreck just east of hwy 3 opposite the air field. I wonder if my next school year of confusion at the academy in Willow City was not arranged in view of the Fontaine tragedy. Some scars remain for certain. I had the good fortune of working with the talented Theresa Fontaine countless times at Dale’s for at least 4 years and use her Sour Cream Raisin Pie recipe today.

Sharron