09/10/2009 | Dunseith Alumni

Folks, A former Dunseith teacher, Jim Kamphenkel, discovered our WEB site and has sent me a picture of the 1976 Dunseith American Legion base ball team. I will be posting that picture tomorrow. Gary

Jim Kamphenkel’s reply:

I taught in Dunseith from 1975 to 1978. Lived in an apartment on the second story of Elmer Espe’s home

Condolences to the Boardman Family from Betty Watschke Cooley (45): Redmond, Wa

I was sorry to learn of the passing of Bob Boardman. My sympathies are extended to his family. He graduated from DHS a year ahead of me, but we ended up at NDSU in Fargo at the same time. And he had a car (rare in those days) so I accompanied him home to Dunseith at several vacation or holiday times and delighted in the long conversations along the time. Our paths haven’t crossed in years, but I’ll always remember his kindnesses at those times.

Betty Watschke Cooley

Condolences to the Casavant family from Lynn Halvorson Otto (75): Seoul, Korea

Hi, my condolences to the Cassavant family. I graduated with Carolee, 75. I also enjoyed the picture of the Willow Lake road looking south over the beautiful Turtle Mountains. It’s so green there this summer. My boys and I had a great visit there this past summer with my parents, Lester and Dorothy Halvorson.

Bev and Stephanie, you both are in our prayers. Keep up the fight and we pray you win the battle.

Lynn Halvorson Otto (75).

Condolences to the Casavant and Whetter Families from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND

Gary and Friends,

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Janice Casavant. Our
condolences to Gerald and the extended Casavant and Whetter families.

Dick

Reply from Margaret Seim Lawston (54): Citrus Heights, CA

Hi Gary and All, I look at the blog with great interest and have
a few comments. Dick your remarks about the Seim well was right on,
the underground tank, etc. When I came home nearly every summer from
Calif. I could not drink enough . It tasted so good! As a child my
heart always did a flip when I watched Dad climb to the top of
windmill to oil { or what ever he did}. Yes and we all drank out off
the same dipper from the pail!!!!! So much for
germs !!

Don Aird I was glad to see your name. I was a great friend of your
Grandma Christine. As soon as I got a drivers licence we were a team.
I”m sure I gave her a few scares. She suffered so much from
arthritis that when the mailman came I picked up the Carlson mail
and took it to her and she always had something delicious coming out
of the oven. She was a great lady. My Dad always spoke so
highly of Pete and said he was a great
neighbor.

I remember my mom talking about a student named Larry Liere.. Yes she
taught in a one room school near the farm before she taught in
Dunseith. She taught my brother Edwin, my sister Marion and myself.
Not fun and we got the lowest grades we every received from
her. She started her teaching in about 1929 at a school near the
Earl Myer farm. She lived at the Myer home. Some of her students
were the children of Jenny and Steve Cook {Kelvin Store} and
Arnold Zeiler. Sorry I can’t recall any more names.

My Dad would not tolerate any negative comments about N.D. but
shortly before his death at 96 years of age he finally said, yes the
winters were about 3 months too long!!!!!

Reply from Judy LaCroix McGuire (59): LITCHFIELD, MN

Thank you for the picture of the Willow Lake road from your ND home. We lived farther north where Fauske’s now live for 2 years and I remember walking home from summer school many times up that hill. I enjoy reading your blog and finding out all the ND news. Hello to everyone! Judy (LaCroix) McGuire MN class of 59 Can that really be 50 years ago~!!

Judy, I remember well when your family (Ernest &Lydia LaCroix) lived up on the Johnny Hiatt farm. You guys were very close friends of my folks. They were back and forth a lot in those days. We were your closest neighbors. You guys moved from there to your place on the prairie in about 1953. That is the year I started school. That was the last year of summer school at Ackworth too. I think Donna Went one year to Ackworth too. I remember well your dad having a turning knob on the steering wheel of his car. I think that knob may have been the cause of you guys having a roll over on the Willow Lake road when it got caught in clothes? I was only 5 years old at the time, but I remember all this stuff pretty well.

Ernest (deceased) & Lydia (Fauske) LaCroix family 3/8/08:

L to R: Joan, Judy, Lydia & Donna

Reply from Neola Kofoid Garbe: Minot & Bottineau, ND.

Hi Gary,

I enjoyed seeing (again) the pictures of your yard/south from your farm.

Neola

Thelma (Scotty) Thompson Passed away:

Posted by Neola Kofoid Garbe: Minot & Bottineau, ND.

Thelma Carlson Thompson passed away. Thelma was married to Clarence “Scotty” Thompson (page 624 in Centennial Book; Scotty and his first wife’s info is on the same page. Thelma’s parents are on page 114.) Thelma/Scotty performed great music for many years.

THELMA died Sunday in a Bottineau nursing home. Funeral Friday, 2 p.m., in Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau. Visitation Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., in the funeral home.

Neola

Folks, Scotty & Thelma have been mentioned several times with these daily blogs along with Ole Bursinger and others for their music. I am so sorry to hear of Thelma’s passing. I last saw Thelma, in Bottineau in 2004, when my brother Bud (Darrel) and I were out for a walk and we walked past her house in the Skating rink area of Bottineau. She was outside and recognized us so we stopped and chatted.

Dwight Lang (61)

First Cousins Gary Metcalfe (57) & Randy Hiatt – July 2009

Peace Garden Pictures from Brenda Hoffman (68): Greenville, SC

Dear Gary,

My sister Cindy received these Peace Garden photos taken by Evon Lagerquist. I thought others would find them as beautiful as I do.

Brenda – class of 68

Connie Peterson Lagerquist (74) is the Head Gardener at the Peace Garden.

Connie, you sure have things looking really nice. These pictures are beautiful! Gary