Folks, Yesterday’s message should have been 490 not 480. I seem to be having trouble keeping up with the numbers. Gary
Raffle Pass Word:
Folks, Bill Grimme also saved the reunion dinner, password protected, raffle file to a 2003 Excel version that he sent to me that I have attached along with the 2007 Excel version we posted yesterday. For some of you that were not able to open the 2007 version, you may be able to open the 2003 version.
The password is all lower case: reunionalaska
Once you open the file please note the 3 folder tabs at the lower bottom left of your screen.
The 3 folders are: Raw Raffle Data, Chicken Draw & Beef Draw. The winner listed in the Chicken draw folder is number 29. The winner listed in the Beef Draw (Steak) is number 21. I will copy and paste these two files at the bottom of tomorrows message highlighting the winners.
Bill put all the names into these files and let the computer mix them all up. Then he numbered them in the order the computer laid them out. He then asked Bernadette and me to select one number for each of the draws before releasing the password to anyone. He wanted the file sent out before we gave him our number choices of which we did yesterday. Now he has given us the password to see who the winners are. Leave it to Bill to devise a fool proof system of this nature that really works.
Thanks again Bill, for your generosity in doing this raffle.
Gary
From Debbie Wenstad Slyter (72): Dunseith, ND
Gary, I had to comment on Vickie’s Metcalf’s message regarding the story of hands. Mom in her later years was always looking at her hands and commenting about how wrinkled and blue they looked, I would always see her looking at them. Well I wrote a poem put it a frame and gave it to her one day and she was so proud she had to show everyone. Last year Mom passed and they read the poem at her funeral, my tears started flowing from remembering how proud she was upon receiving it. Anyway I thought I would share it:
Debbie’s Mother Elberta:
Elberta Wenstad
DUNSEITH – Elberta Mariah Wenstad, 81, Dunseith, died Wednesday, May 21, 2008, in a Rolla hospital.
She was born Aug. 15, 1926, to John and Mildred Anderson in White Earth. She married Oscar Wenstad Jan. 18, 1945, in Dunseith.
Survivors: daughters, Connie Turner, Boissevain, Man., Bobbi Wenstad, Minot, Deborah Slyter, Dunseith, Donna Wenstad, Amado, Ariz., Pamela Lane, Stoughton, Wis.; sons, Arlan, Lansford, Donald, Overly, Curtis, Rolette; 13 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; brother, Milton, Palo Cedro, Calif.
Funeral: Thursday, 10 a.m., Peace Lutheran Church, Dunseith.
Burial: Later in Rendahl Cemetery, rural Dunseith.
Visitation: Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau, ND)
Reply from Mona Dionne Johnson (48): Lake Metigoshe, ND
Gary: Yes, my son Brian C. Johnson, works at State Bank of Bottineau,
and is married to Lynette Geiszler. They have two sons.
Our family moved to Bottineau in Aug. ’65.
Mona Dionne Johnson ’48
Reply from Cheryl Larson Dakin (71): BEDFORD, TX
Congratulations to all the Awalt couples. What a great picture and how lucky to all be able to get together. Also, I love the picture of the Dennis and Mary Striker family in front of their log cabin.
And to Vickie Metcalf, what a lovely and moving story. Thank you.
Cheryl Larson Dakin
Reply from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND
Gary and Friends,
Mark Schimetz is right, Garrett Myer had a red ’60 Pontiac
convertible. The one in the parade is a ’61 however and after pondering
today, I think it belonged to Marty Spriggs, our history teacher. I’m
pretty sure it was his. He was one cool teacher! He never raised his
voice but there was no question in my mind that he was there to teach
and we were there to learn. The only way we could get him off the
subject matter was to ask a question about something to do with Viet
Nam. He had just returned from a tour of duty before he came to teach in
Dunseith and it was still fresh in his mind. I think he is on the
mailing list for this Alumni site so maybe he can tell us if it was his
car. I have one short story about Garrett’s ’60 Pontiac convertible. Dad
sent me to town with a truck load of wheat in the fall of 1963. It was
late one night in about September and the highway north of Dunseith had
just been rebuilt and was still gravel until it could be paved the next
spring. Anyway, as I was coming down the San Hill at dusk, I could see a
cloud of dust and two cars racing north out of town, side by side. They
got closer and closer and neither was backing off! I just put the old
’51 GMC in the middle of the road and one went past on each side!
Garrett in his Pontiac convertible and big Russell Pigeon in his new
silver blue ’63 Ford convertible. To say the very least, those guys
scared the living daylights out of me. I was just 13 years old and had a
full load of wheat on the truck on one of my first trips to town, to the
elevator. Quite a maiden voyage and one not easily forgotten! Thanks Gary!
Dick
Reply from Lois Tweten: Helena MT
Folks, Lois, originally from the Rolette area, is the lady that Bev Morinville Azure met at the Log House in Dunseith several weeks ago. When Bev told her about us, she requested to be on our distribution list. Lois, it’s a pleasure adding you to our list and thank you so much for this reply. I’m sure that many of our readers will remember your family and you too. Gary
Hi Gary & Bev,
Bev it was so nice to meet you. As I said before you’re the perfect
person to work there as you are so friendly and gracious and made me
feel like I was coming home! And to think your folks remembered the
accident.
Gary, thanks for the blogs. I had planned on visiting with Neola
Kofoid at the 125th.
I did go to Botno to the museum, but my time was limited. What an
awesome place. My brother Ken (or in ND, called Johnnie) Tweten (he’s
not related to the Johnnie Tweten from Willow) and I put together a
frame with a picture of my dad, Kenneth William Tweten, with articles
of the jalopy accident that killed him on
10-3-48 at the Botno fairgrounds. We were there, as were Bev’s parents.
We had both planned on, and had motel reservations, to go to Botno
this weekend for the 125th celebration but other plans came up and we
are not able too. Johnnie did go back for the 50th high school reunion
last year. I graduated in 1959 from Hillcrest Lutheran Academy in
Fergus Falls MN.
No I’m not the Lois from Grand Forks….I’m Lois Ann Tweten (returned
to my maiden name some years back), 907 N Washington St in Helena MT.
I have lived here for 30 years and retired from the MT State Health
Dept as an accountant for the Special Children’s Services five years
ago. So since then I enjoy traveling around, thus the trip to ND with
my brother. Carol Sletto Johnson, 5 miles S of Overly is my lst
cousin and I stayed with her. Also the Tweten Hereford Ranch was 2
miles S of Rolette that my Aunt Eleanor Tweten Mattson lives on now.
So it’s the Mattson, Follansbee, Martinson’s that are my clan in the
Rolette area. Many of my Mom’s (Ann Shjerve Tweten Skjervem-now
deceased), relatives are in the Rugby/Barton area.
Will chat later, in “coming home” friendship, Lois Tweten
Lois, you mention Carol Sletto Johnson being you cousin. We had a teacher at the Ackworth country school in the hills, Mrs. Floyd Phelps, who’s maiden name was Johnson originally from the Overly area. She was our teacher for 4 years. Her brother who’s name I believe was Kenneth used to visit her during school hours and would always bring treats for us kids. I believe they had another brother that lived in the Overly area too. Which Johnson family does Carol belong too?
Replies from Aggie Casavant (69): Fort Mill, SC
To Roddy Hiatt, Hey you mentioned your Bottineau Reunion,and that Ronald Reke, Marlys Zorn,you and Brian Johnson attending…be sure to get lotza pictures and post them…Gotta love those pictures.
I’m happy that theirs at least one Hiatt out there that has good memories of me, Boy Rhonda really tore me up like I was Mrs.Freddy Krueger…LOL. But not all. is lost, my sister Kathy just e-mailed me and she thoughts Rhondas story was halairious . She said,she was laughing so hard her husband Larry had to come and see what was going on…So I’m all for a good laugh….. Thanks Gary
Hey Rhonda,It had to of been the same night you and I are talking about cuz I only cooked one night. I remember the thing about American Fries,but the knife things a bit baffling as I have a major phobia about knives, to this day I don’t keep them in the house. I hate looking at them or handling,they just totally creep me out…Who knows maybe I’ll end up on Dr. Phil on his next phobia show..LOL. Well It was good hearing from you…..”CHEESY RIDER”…… God Bless& Take Care…. Aggie
Tribute to Andrew LaVallie from Mark Schimetz (70): Rolette, ND
Hello, Gary,
A bit of History has been posted for Andrew C. LaVallie, I remember first meeting Andrew, it was on his return from Viet Nam. Dennis, Dallas and I would go over to his house on the east side of Main street to bug him, just for something to do. One day we caught him tilling the garden, he didn’t hear us call him so I sneaked up on him and grabbed his leg just above the boots and growled like a mad dog. Man! was that a mistake, He went into a defensive mode, legs and arms flying all over the place, while I was scratching dirt with all fours trying to get away from that whirlwind… Dallas and Dennis laughing their heads off, and Andrew, after shouting a few expletives after me as I was doing my best to escape the onslaught, Started laughing himself. I was patiently warned never to do that again. I was 14 at the time. After I had gotten to know Andrew better and he shared with us some of the crap that he was in, we learned to respect the space of homecoming soldiers.
Andrew LaVallie was a dear friend, a brother at arms, and is sorely missed, and so it will remain for the rest of my life.
I am sure this will remain true, for his family, friends and fellow soldiers who had shared their lives with this Honest, Honorable and Patriotic man.
Andrew did not quit serving his country when he left Vietnam, nor did he stop helping fellow Soldiers. Andrew belonged to the American Legion in Dunseith and the VFW in Belcourt. He was active in both Veteran Organizations, until the day he faded away.
Farewell My Friend, Farewell My Brother,
Reply from Bonnie Awalt Houle (56): Becker, MN
Bobby Hosmer,
I am slow to answer Bob’s picture from our 1st grade class. Great picture Bob and I do know some of these people.
Row 1: Elaine Watkins, (?) Bonnie Awalt, Lois Hiatt, Janice Leonard,
Row 2: Bob Hosmer, (?), (?), (?) Arline Lamoureux, Ann Lamoureux, (?), (?), Gayl Bedard, (?)
Back : (?), ( Bruce Poeppel ?) (?), Kenneth Hill, (?) Wallace Hiatt, (?) (?) Raynor Lilleby, Barry Shelver, Miss Egge
.
Thanks Bob for sending in the pictures……… Hope to see you in South Dakota in August. Bring the pictures!
Bonnie Awalt Houle
Bonnie, I’ll bet we’ve got some folks that can identify some of the others too. I see lots of familiar names with those you listed. Gary
Back : (?), ( Bruce Poeppel ?) (?), Kenneth Hill, (?) Wallace Hiatt, (?) (?) Raynor Lilleby, Barry Shelver, Miss Egge
Row 2: Bob Hosmer, (?), (?), (?) Arline Lamoureux, Ann Lamoureux, (?), (?), Gayl Bedard, (?)
Row 1: Elaine Watkins, (?) Bonnie Awalt, Lois Hiatt, Janice Leonard
Bottineau Q-Centennial parade route posted by Neola Kofoid Garbe: Minot & Bottineau, ND
Hi Everyone,
This is the parade route for Saturday (starts at 10:30).
As you can see, the parade starts at the “fairground corner”. The first “jog” to the west is the street where, in the OLD days, Vikan/Haugerud Garage was on one corner; Cosette’s Texaco (I think it was Texaco.) gas station was on the corner across the street. As you can see, the parade proceeds west for two blocks, then turns south for one block, then back to Main Street. This jog “takes” the parade in front of St. Andrews Hospital. The parade then proceeds to Highway 5, turns east, crosses the railroad tracks, turns north on Nichol St. (Novodorsky’s Electric is on the north corner.) for one block, then turns east again. When it turns east, it will pass by the front of Good Samaritan Nursing Home. It ends at the city park, where there will be a picnic at noon. If you have registered for the celebration, the picnic is included in your registration.
Neola
