8/29/2008 (209) | Dunseith Alumni

Folks, As I’m getting ready to send this message, I got a surprise picture from Neola that will have to wait until tomorrow. We’ve got lots of stuff with some new folks in today’s message. It’s wonderful! Gary

From Erling Landsverk (44):

HI GARY!

AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE E MAIL MASS COMMUNICATION THAT YOU HAVE MAGICALLY CONJURED UP, I AM STRUCK BY THE CONTINUING INTEREST.

I PROBABLY SHOULDN’T BE SURPRISED SINCE I KNOW HOW NORTH DAKOTA PEOPLE ARE. I REALLY DON’T WANT TO SOUND PATRONIZING, BUT THE FOLKS AT THE DUNSEITH, TURTLE MOUNTAIN REGION ARE A SPECIAL BREED. THEY ARE VERY CARING, SENTIMENTAL, SUPPORTIVE OF EACH OTHER, AND A PROUD, AND STRONG PEOPLE. I MUST SAY THAT I FEEL VERY PRIVELEDGED TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THESE GREAT FOLKS, EVEN IF IT WAS ONLY FOR THE SHORT, BUT GREAT 16 YEARS THAT I LIVED THERE.

I WANT TO ECHO THE APPRECIATION THAT SO MANY HAVE EXTENDED TO YOU. YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE STRENGTHENING OF TIES AMONG THE CITIZENS OF THIS REGION IS REMARKABLE!

YOU HAVE RENEWED THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT THAT EVOLVED AFTER THE CRASH IN “29″, THE ENSUING DROUGHT, DEPRESSION, AND WORLD WAR II, WHEN EVERYONE DEPENDED ON EACH OTHER FOR SURVIVAL. THAT SPIRIT HAS APPARENTLY CONTINUED RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT TIME. THANK YOU GARY FOR YOUR FINE WORK, AND I SALUTE ALL OF YOU FOLK . IN THE TURTLE MOUNTAIN, DUNSEITH AREA.

ERLING LANDSVERKS

From Matha Lamb Schepp (68):

Hi Gary,

I am home starting my 4th week since rotator cuff surgery. I had to

practice a bit with my left hand and the mouse, but I really wanted to
get into your site and keep up on the journals. Being a lefty isn’t so
bad especially when I get read a little home town history. You do a
great job keeping everything in order. Thanks!

Martha Lamb Schepp

Martha, I’ve been a lefty for over 61 years. It’s not so bad.

Dwight Lang, your mother, Charlotte, tried to make me right handed in first grade, but she was unsuccessful. Gary

Message from Marlene Henderson from Rolla:

Gloria Plante (45) was married to Everett Henderson of Rolla, ND. I am married to Everett’s youngest brother Alfred (Fritz) though I was married to Fritz before Gloria and Everett married.

I also have a brother, Clinton, who must have also attended Dunseith School.

I do remember some Casavants, Berubes, Barbots and Vandals from Dunseith.

Request from Dave Shelver (63):

Hi Gary,

Thank-you for doing such a great job of sending out the e-mails each day, I truly enjoy reading them.

I have a favor to ask of you, could you add my son to your e-mail list? His name Jeff Skjelver and e-mail is

Yes, the last name is spelled correct. He changed it back to the Old Norwegian spelling.

Thank you,

Dave

Quick Reply from Jeff Skjelver(Dave Shelver’s son):

I look forward to Dunseith news. A very good friend of mine, Tom Hepper, comes from there before his family moved to Rugby.

Question Jeff: Is Tom Hepper’s father Gene (Deceased) the former teacher from Dunseith that many of us remember so well?

Pamela Pritchard Smith’pamela_ reply to My message pasted below her reply. Gary:

Gary – Thank you so much for your kind message. We have been reading your messages and following the condolences that you have forwarded – everyone has been so kind. Thank you so much for passing them along. I will share this and the other messages with dad and my sisters. Thank you again, Pamela

From: Gary Stokes
Subject: Condolences for your mother Ann
To: “Smith, Pamela (Pritchard)”

Hello Pam,

I know this has been a really tough time for you and your family with the loss of you mother. You guys were right there with your mother the whole time she was struggling for her life following her lung transplant. She was probably more conscience than you realize, even though they had her heavily sedated. I did not know your mother, however, I remember your dad well, from my younger days visiting the Eurich’s. I was born and raised up in the Ackworth community and that is where the Pritchard’s are from. I have always know that you folks had the Birchwood. Your mother got in touch with me a few months ago and asked if she and your dad could be included with the Daily distribution of the Alumni email that I have been sending out. We exchanged several nice messages. I had no idea she medical problems until I got your message.

I wanted to let you know that many folks on the Dunseith Alumni distribution list were following the daily progress of your mother. Needless to say, they were deeply sadden by her departure. I’m not sure how much you followed the messages after her death, but many folks expressed their condolences. Condolences came in for a number days following her death. I tried to place them at the front of each daily message. If you did not see them and no longer have access to them, I can go back through and forward them all to you if you’d like.

Again, your family has my sincere condolences for the untimely death of your mother.

Gary Stokes

Reply to yesterday’s message from Joe Johnson (77):

Gary,

Almost everyone called our Dad by his middle name of Warren. Dad passed away in July of 1992 of lung cancer. I can’t remember the exact day but I’m sure my sister Linda Juntunen could recall the date.

Thanks for all your work on the Alumni news letter. You are performing a great service for so many, when one day you are greeted in heaven may God greatly reward your service to others.

Joe

Class of 42

Jean Braaten

Warren Johnson – Joseph Warren Johnson

June McDermott

Margaret Ann Myhre

Barbara Nelson

Reply to yesterday’s message from Karen Loeb Mhyre (65):

Note: Karen’s father was Dr. Lobe (Deceased), former Supt. of San Haven. Her mother is Hanna Higgins Lobe from Dunseith. Karen/Hanna live in Bellevue WA.

Hi Gary,

I talked to my mom today and she said that the name Ursell Carlson Grand Pre would have been the youngest of the 6 children of Pete and Christine (Olson) Carson. Christine was the oldest sister of Alida Olson Higgins, my maternal grandmother. They were from Trail County near Grand Forks. The Carlson’s farmed north of the San on the east side of the highway. Caroll Carlson (never married) farmed that farm for many years after his parents passed. He lived in the Dunseith Nursing Home a long time but has died now. I don’t know who owns the farm now. The only Carlson still alive would be Ursella. Mom believes she lives in North or South Carolina. She does not know anything else about her. We would always watch for the big red barn visible in the trees when we were driving to the lake shortly before we turned left to take the gravel road through the hills to the lake instead of going through Bottineau. Many of us kids had trouble with “car sickness” along that road!!

The Carlson siblings were Melba, born in 1921; Leonard, Alpha – married a Le Moureix (?), Clarissa – married to someone named Don;Carroll; and Ursella.

I so enjoy the daily emails you send. I loved the picture of the wedding reception with Evie in the punch line. We were all so adorable in the late sixties. Thank goodness time has been kind to most of us!!

Hope to see you when you gather here in Seattle for your cruise to Alaska! We should have a pre- function for the many Seattle/Washington/Dunseith residents who are unable to join you on the cruise! The cruisers would be welcome as well!! Jim and I did this same trip last summer to celebrate our 60th birthday! What a wonderful trip!

We would be happy to host the gathering!

Take care and hello to Bernadette!

Karen Loeb Mhyre

Karen, Your pre-cruise gathering sounds like a great idea. Could we include the many Dunseith folks living in Western Washington that are not going on the Cruise? This could turn out to be a good size gathering/reunion. Gary

Reply to yesterday’s message from Evon Lagerquist (77):

Gary, Joyce Martinson from the class of ’45 was married to my brother Kenneth Lagerquist. They lived in Spokane, WA.
She was born on April 2, 1928, and passed away on Nov. 21, 1990.

Evon

Bev Morinville Azure’s (72): reply to the men’s group picture posted yesterday:

Gary, the only man i know is my dad Joe Morinville top left so i would say maybe something to do with the Knights of Columbus.
GOD BLESS YOU …………BEV

Rod Hiatt’s (69) reply to Kathy Bunce’s picture posted by Neola:

Good morning, afternoon or whatever it may be in your part of the world.

Kathy Bunce and her husband Don ran a sporting goods store in the old
Stone Hotel on the north east corner of
main street in Bottineau. It was either in the late 70′s or early 80′s
as I had the Western Shop across the street and little to the
south. She had that smile on her face all the time and was always very
friendly and quite bubbly gal.
I believe that she was Cliff Paynes daughter from Towner. Cliff was old
cowboy turned into an insurance salesman for I am not sure what company.
If Howard was still with us, he could give me the whole family history
and which ones were good and which weren’t
worth their salt. He sometimes was considered to be somewhat out spoken
if you know what I mean.
Anyway back to the Bunce’s sporting good store,They weren’t open to long
as one Saturday morning someone was looking at a rifle and accidentally
shot a woman. The details are somewhat foggy, but I believe that it was
the guys wife and I think she died. I may be wrong, but I’m sure that
Dick Johnson can program his mind back to that time zone and come up
pretty much the exact details. Dick you either have an excellent memory
or you have 95% of us baffled with BullS&^%^&. Which is it Dick?

Kathy Bunce