Allen Richard’s (65) reply after asking if we had located Emerson Murry (42): 

Emerson and I got to be good friends when I was in the legislature.  We shared the honor of being the only two graduates to come back and give the commencement addresses to the Unset graduating classes.  I still don’t know if we are still the only two.  I need to thank Ben Grossman for my speaking/debating/drama skills.  I don’t know where Emerson got his, but he was certainly no pushover!

As to Susan’s cancer issues — she is doing very well with an excellent prognosis.  We went the aggressive route with double mastectomy and reconstruction plastic surgery due in large part to her family history.  Of her three aunts, three uncles two parents and one sister—only two have NOT had some type of cancer — do the math.  With that in mind she decided to go with chemotherapy even though half the doctors thought she didn’t need it and the other half was moderately in favor of it.  Thankfully no radiation was involved.

It has been a roller coaster for quite some time for more reasons than cancer.  We are in the middle of a multiyear era of difficulty that overshadows anything we have encountered in our 21 year relationship — including 2001 and 2002 when both of our fathers passed away.

But we will make it.  What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.  I was borderline suicidal before I met her — so I don’t complain much.

Allen Richard’s (65) Reply to the KC’s Picture: 

KC’s class of 1960– I think that is the year my father joined, but I’m not sure.  I think I have their “class picture” at home.  the problem with identifying people in the pictures stems from the fact that in those days the Dunseith KC’s were almost regional in scope–members in the picture you have could have been from Dunseith, Rolette, Rolla. Bottineau, Rugby and everywhere in between—maybe more.

Correction from Diane Larson Sjol (70):

Everyone,

First of all, I want to thank those of you who have donated on my
behalf to the Breast Cancer 3 Day walk I will be participating in on
Sept. 19-21 in the Twin Cities.  I will be walking 60 miles over the
course of three days to raise awareness on the fight towards curing
breast cancer.  I want to make a correction to the website if any of
you want to make a donation.  There was a word left out of the website
and if you went to the one I listed, you were probably wondering why
you were reading about window blinds.  So, the correct website is:
http://www.the3day.org/  Go there and click on “Donate Now”. then type
in Diane Sjol and ND and hit enter.  My name will come up.  Click on
that and then you will be taken to another page with directions.  If
you choose to send a check, please make it to Breast Cancer 3 Day and
mail it to Diane Sjol at 712 South Main St. Minot, ND 58701.  Please
submit a name with you donation and I will put that name on my shirt
and walk for that person.  The person you choose can be battling any
kind of cancer, be a survivor, or be deceased….it doesn’t matter.
Remember, no donation is too small. It all adds up and my goak in
order to be able to participate is $2200.  So far I have raised about
$700.00.  Thank you in advance and I am sorry for giving you the wrong
information.

Randy Flynn’s (70) reply to Vickie Metcalfe (70): 

OK Vickie.  You can keep the memories going.  You have done the DHS class of 1970 proud.  Your story of Carroll Carlson has surpassed all Dick Johnson and Larry Hackman stories.  Not that theirs were not good, you just kept me wanting to learn more.  Please share all of those memories when you have time.

A question for Vickie and Dick about Carroll Carlson.  Vickie mentioned Carroll had cousins in Canada.  Do either of you or anyone for that matter, know the connection between the Turtle Mountain Homesteaders and those who moved to Alberta.  Was it the second generation looking for farm land of their own, was it a religious connection, or did it occur in the 30s.  I was told Carroll had relatives in North Central Alberta, one lady was named Hazel, I believe.  She was married to a gentleman with the last name of Sather but I do not know if he was from the Turtle Mt area.

Vickie Metcalfe’s (70) reply:  

Vickie, this is another great message of yours, that I have chosen to share.  Gary

Randy, Gary, Dick,

I believe it was a second generation of homesteaders.  My dad’s  Aunt
Anne (Metcalfe) Eccles ,daughter Jim &Mae (Eccles) Smith ( no
relation to Wayne)  moved up to Medicine Hat area in the early 1900′s
also. It was soemtime, after the tragic  time of my aunt Lillian’s
murder which happened on the Eccles place.

Picture this  in your minds eye….. Old High Way #3. You’re driving
north on the old highway #3, around the lakes close to the old Oliver
Handeland place ( their great granddughter Pam (Anderson) Defender
lives there now) going up a steep  hill then the Seim/Metcalfe
meadow….ya got it pictured ?  Well that big hill was called by my
dad and old timers”the Jim Smith Hill” .  I believe Mae Smith sold
that piece of land to Pete Carlson in the 30′s while she was living
in Alberta.  George Cota’s brother used to pass through that area of
Alberta to visit former Turtle Mtn folks.  I believe his name was
Alfred.  Old Mrs. Cota was a sister to Randolph Keeler who was
married to one of my dad’s cousins on the Metcalfe side.. He was
about muy Uncle Luckys age. …..Enough pondering back to work I ‘ll
do some more thinkin over the weekend.

Gary, Is there any interest..in me to just send pieces of CARROLL’s
TRAVELING YEARS so you can just fwd  installmentss on through your
blog?

Til the weekend. Vickie

Message/pictures from Dick Johnson (68): 

Gary and Friends,

Carroll Carlson had cousins at Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Their last
name was Halvorson, if I remember correctly. I believe they were all
women and were his first cousins. Some of them were here not too many
years ago and Carroll brought them over for me to meet. I just can’t
remember their married names. My Grandmother Cynthia Strietzel Johnson,
had an uncle that left the Turtle Mountains to homestead at Crane
Valley, SK. He stayed there nearly all his life, but moved to California
when he was quite old and lived out his life there.I think there was
good land available on the prairies in Saskatchewan. Here in the hills
it was a big job to clear trees and brush, so many folks headed north.
Grandma’s old uncle was a character. He was a scrounger and a pack rat.
We called him ‘Uncle Herman’ and when he came to visit, his old 51
Pontiac was so full of junk he only had a place to sit to drive. Once
when he was here at the farm, he gave me an old double barrel shotgun
with a homemade latch to keep it shut when you fired it. I was really
proud ( I was about 12 ). I showed my prize to my dad after Uncle Herman
left. Dad saw the lock contraption and said, ” Don’t ever shoot that,
you’ll blow your head off”! For once I listened, or I probably wouldn’t
be typing this email! I’m attaching two pictures of Herman Strietzel.
The first is of him in front of his ‘claim shack’ at Crane Valley, SK.
and the second is of he and my grandmother, Cynthia Strietzel Johnson,
taken at our farm in 1952. He was down visiting family on one of his
excursions. When Randy Flynn asked if people went to Saskatchewan for
religious reasons, I thought of Uncle Herman! He didn’t go there for
religious reasons, not the way I remember him! He taught himself to read
and write, and then found an old typewriter and wrote his life history,
of which I have a copy. He said he was born in a log house and was
delivered by a neighbor woman (midwife). To this he remarked, “I spent
my first seconds here on Earth in the arms of another man’s wife”! The
rest of his ‘manuscript’ is equally interesting! He spelled words the
way they sound and this makes the reading hilarious! Thanks Gary!

Dick

From Ele Dietrich Slyter (69): 

Obituary provided by Neola Kofoid Garbe: 

FLOYD W PRITCHARD

6 BIRCHWOOD HEIGHTS RD S

Bottineau, ND58318-8020

(701) 263-4964

Provide by Neola Kofoid Garbe:
Arliss is married to Kevin Fugere (76):