Happy Birthday Rod Parrill (DHS ’73): Bottineau, ND
Larry Liere (55) Devils Lake, ND & Mesa, AZ
Hi Natalie; I remember your Dad and even your Granddad very well because I spent a lot of my Summers in Rolette with my Grandparents Tom Leonard in grade school and my Uncle James Leonard in High School, when I was old enough to work on a farm. I am a charter member of the Devils Lake Elks Community Band. That means I have been playing in the Elks Band for 53 years less the time I spent in the Army. After High School, the State Elks Conventions was the next place I got to see your Dad a lot. Just about every city in North Dakota that had a Elks Club had a Elks Band. There were Elks Bands in Wahpeton, Fargo, Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Bismarck, Minot, Dickinson, Williston, and I think even Valley City all had a band for a while. We would all go to the State Elks Convention every year to do concerts and play in the State Elks Parade. Your Dad played with the Minot Elks Band for many years and I would always make a point to have a visit with him at these conventions. He was not only a great Band Master but he was also very good at playing his instrument in the Elks Band and if I remember right he also played in the State American Legion Band. I was very happy to read the article you had in Gary’s BLOG about Don. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Natalie,
I apologize for listing your dad’s name as Ron instead of Don with yesterday’s posting. I used to work with a Ron Darling at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, WA. He was on my mind when I posted your dad’s name.
Gary
Dakota Hotel Pictures
From Dick Johnson (’68): Dunseith, ND
Gary and Friends,
Susan asked for pictures of the Dakota Hotel and I found a couple
from around the early ’50s which is when Junior and Viola Mellmer took
over operations of the Hotel. I think the history book said they came
to Dunseith with their little girl, Connie, in about ’51-’52. Too
tired to look it up right now, sorry. Susan would make a good
detective and I wouldn’t want her investigating me! She already knows
too much about our escapades so I have to be real careful or she might
tell the general population some of the stuff I’ve kept quiet about for
50+ years or so. Susan, if you don’t tell—I won’t tell. Thanks Gary!
Dick
Clarification to poster posted yesterday
From Neola Kofoid Garbe: Bottineau & Minot, ND
Hi Gary,
I apologize for not being more clear when I sent this poster. I’m not selling caramels at this sale; I only sell at Tracy’s fall craft sale–sorry about this.
I just read this newsletter now, or I would have sent a clarification sooner. I forward your newsletters from my Bottineau inbox (online) and read them on this computer (Minot), as they are easier to read. It’s no problem to do this, so just continue to send your newsletter to the address you usually use. 
I really like the picture of you/Bernadette/Bernie/Grandkids.
I’m in my “stay in the condo” mode again, but that’s OK.
Neola
Neola,
I should have read your message a bit closer before posting. Your message was very clear, it was just me not reading it correctly.
Gary
Joke of the day
From Dick Johnson (’68): Dunseith, ND
Gary and Friends,
Brenda Hoffman’s comparison between ‘Finished’ and ‘Complete’ and
their meanings reminded me of a similar (even though a bit off color)
question of comparison between two other words. I was only about 16
years old and was fishing on Lake Upsilon one winter day when old Bob
Haas asked me if I knew the difference between the ‘runs’ and the
‘sh*ts’? I said I didn’t and he said when you really really gotta get
there– that’s the runs. When you don’t quite get there–that’s the
sh*ts! I guess there is some truth to that.
Dick
