Ardys Bakken Horner (former English teacher): 

Hi Gary, I continue to enjoy your daily blog and want to wish everyone a blessed Christmas, we are struggling with too much snow and numbing cold in Northern Minnesota, at least it will be white for Christmas, and the fish house is on the lake for our  kids and grand kids to fish in
during their visit.  Because of your efforts some of my former students have been in touch with me which has been a lot of fun.
Thanks for all you do. Ardys Bakken Horner (former English teacher)

From Ivy Eller Robert (74):

Hi Gary……..

I read the story Dick Johnson told about the gun & Bill Peterson. It triggered (no pun intended) a memory about Bill Peterson & his brothers, Duane & Jack! My folks built a new house in Dunseith in 1971 and hired Bill as the contractor to build it. Of course, being the ‘Tom Boy’ I was and Dad’s helper……I was there at the construction site every day, from helping Dad clear the lots, to the digging of the basement to the framing and everything in between to helping Loraine Peterson paint the exterior.
Well, one day Dad had to go to Belcourt for something, and the attic needed to be insulated with bats of fiber glass insulation. I didn’t know anything about insulation at that time, so when no one wanted to get into the attic to do it, I said I would, since I wasn’t very big and could get around in the attic better than the full grown men. (I’m pretty sure Bill wasn’t around that day, I only remember Duane & Jack being there) So they were eager to let me do that job. Well, I found out fast why they were so eager to let me, I swear I itched for days from it. But before I got the entire attic done, my foot slipped off one of the rafters over the tub in the bathroom, broke through the sheet rock and nearly fell threw and would have landed in the bathtub. I know I yelled for help and Jack & Duane helped me get out of that predicament. They told me, maybe I shouldn’t tell Mom or Dad especially Dad what had happened and promptly fixed the damage I had done to the ceiling. They finished the insulation in the attic themselves. And I had one huge scratch & “black & blue” mark that went from my ‘backside to the back of my knee on my left leg. I never told Mom & Dad or Bill for that fact………..I never did know why, only speculated that maybe they weren’t suppose to have me doing something like that.
I have fond memories of the Peterson Brothers building our house. They were quit the joke-sters………..

Ivy Eller Robert

Ivy, That is a great story.  Thank you so much for sharing. My dad and Jack Peterson were always good friends, but became especially close in the years before Jack’s death.  They’d talk on the phone several times each day. They both loved to tell stories.  Jack was married to Nettie Hiatt.  Jack did not let his terminal cancer get him down. He lived a normal life, knowing he had terminal cancer, pretty much right up to the end. He was a remarkable man and I remember him being well loved by the Lagerquist family and the rest of his family members too.  Leola Lagerquist and Nettie are sisters.

From Rhonda Hiatt (75): 

Hi Gary,

I thought I would pass this on (Video). You can send it out if you want. I thought it was a very nice video. You will need to turn your volume up.

Merry Christmas to you, your family and to everyone else on the list.

Thanks

Rhonda Hiatt (75)

Ronda, That was truly a great Video. We can really count our blessings. This Video is a bit large to be sending out with a group message, however, I encourage folks to request a copy from you.

Folks, This is a great Video, especially for those of us that often times feel we have been neglected of the worldly goods.  Please contact Rhonda for an electronic copy.  Gary

From Ele Dietrich Slyter (69):

I had forgotten about the screech/whine of the sleigh runners — thank you for the reminder.  I also remember the horses blowing big white clouds as they trotted along.  The sound of the harness creaking will also stay with me all my life.  What wonderful sounds..I don’t think I will try to freeze whiskey tho..that sounds a bit TOO cold for me. Yes Mel, we also have removed a few inches of snow (several times) from this last little blow.  The county snow plow came in our driveway and for some strange reason slid sideways and got sort of stuck.  I really don’t understand that as there were only about 2 to 3 foot drifts on that hill.  Maybe it was one of those drifts you can walk on tho..packed hard from the wind and frozen also…we seem to have quite a number of those around here. Merry Christmas All

From Lyle Olson (75):

Gary and all:

I went to a college basketball game the other night and was fascinated at how angry the coach was with his players.  Witnessing that event got me thinking about some of the coaches we had at Dunseith.  I was fortunate to play under some great coaches.  My first coach was Rich Campbell.  I was in the 5th grade and he coached basketball in the old grade school gym.  We had just moved to Dunseith from Minnesota where the only sport that mattered was hockey, which I was actually quite good at given my size.  In fact, it was the only sport that I can say I was better at than my siblings.  In any event, Rich Campbell was then a star basketball player for the varsity and he was an excellent coach.  I particularly remember him trying to teach me which leg to go off when attempting a lay-up.  I struggled with that for several years!  They would often match teams and let the 5th and 6th graders play a 15-minute scrimmage between helf-time at the Varsity games.  I wonder if they still do that in Dunseith?  I hope so because it sure was exciting to play in the big gym in front of all those people.

Summer came along and it seems we were either coached by one of the Berube brothers (Tom, Jim and Billy-Boo) or one of the Martinson brothers (Terry and Tim).  In the early to mid-70′s Dunseith fielded great baseball teams.  I remember playing in the State Babe Ruth Tournament in Fargo and then leaving that tournament to go the State Legion tournament in Carrington.  We always seemed to be going to State back in those days.  I also remember Jim Berube letting me drive his car to Babe Ruth baseball games.  I was told to wear glasses early in the summer but vanity prevented me from doing so.  Driving to a game in Rolla, I hit this board on the road simply because I did not see it in time to swerve.  Jim was quite upset that I didn’t seem to see the road hazard and I reluctantly told him that I was supposed to wear glasses when driving.  Without missing a beat upon receiving such information, he told me that perhaps that was the reason I struck out so often!!!

The Berube and Martinson brothers knew baseball inside and out, and they taught the game with patience and humor.  Tom Berube would entertain us with back flips when he went out to the 3rd base coaching box.  Bill Berube was perhaps the best all around baseball player I have ever seen.  He could field, hit and run the bases.  I remember watching him steal home one time and he literally jumped over the catcher’s head to touch home plate – that memory is burned in my mind.  He was a great coach as well.  So, too, were Tim and Terry Martinson.

Football coaches in Dunseith in my era were a different cat.  Gene Hepper was the varsity coach and I remember he used to dress up like Vince Lombardi – long coat and hat – on those cold fall nights.  Dennis Espe was the Junior High Coach.  I remember being an 8th grader in 1971.  The varsity wanted to run a full scrimmage so Coach Espe “volunteered” Sam Tooke, David Hagel, Stanley Thompson, Forrest Parisien and myself to “practice” with the varsity.  Well, needless to say the varsity took no mercy on the young punks.  I remember having nightmares about Puggy Azure, Curt Hagel and Don Olson coming right at me with one taking me low, the other taking the mid section and the other taking the head.  These were the three horseman to be sure, with the fourth – Greg Evans – serving as running back looking to spike whatever remains were left over.  I would like to say for the record that I stood my ground but that was more out of pure stupidity and fear than courage.  Sam Tooke laughed so hard at what remained on the ground that I think he peed his pants!!  Thank you, Coach Espe, for a memorable experience!!

I was lucky enough to make the varsity basketball team in 1972.  The head coach was Larry Haugen and his assistant was Richard Becker.  We used to call Coach Becker “crooked” but I forget why?  He was a rough and tumble fellow to be sure.  He used to open the gym for us on Sundays and he would play right along with us, elbows and all.  He was not the best of basketball players but he taught us toughness and to never quit.  What was amazing about him was his willingness to share his free time with a bunch of young kids.  He did not need to open the gym everytime someone called him, but he did for some reason.  It kept a lot of kids out of trouble and it also honed the skills of many a basketball player.  I often wonder what happened to him.  I saw him once at a Class B tournament but was not able to talk to him and thank him for those hard fought Sunday games.

Coach Haugen was a great basketball coach.  Unfortunately, he is remembered as the coach of the 1972 team that lost the opening game of the State tournament after the team had built a 13 or 16-point lead. I, however, remember him as the coach who led his team to 25 victories that season.  He was smart and he knew how to motivate kids. He never lost his temper and he took that loss harder than most imagine.  He also would not tolerate anyone blaming the players for the loss.  He continued to coach in Dunseith but left after the 1973 school year.  He benched me for the last part of the season that year.  I do not know why to this day, but I never questioned him on it as I respected him as a coach.  He came to my mother’s funeral and we talked for quite some time.  Needless to say, I did not enjoy that day but I sure enjoyed seeing him again.

In closing, it sure would be nice if every kid could have coaches like we did in Dunseith in the early 1970′s.  The coaches we had taught life lessons without our knowledge and they made sports fun.

Here is hoping that everyone has a Merry Christmas!!!

Lyle

Message/Pictures from Ginger LaRocque Poitra (65): 

Gary,

This is a picture of my first communion class.  I do not remember all the students, I do know a few, the ones I think I know are…

Front row from left Helen Rivard,…Allard, might be Margaret Faine,….don’t know, ginger LaRocque Poitra, ..don’t know,…don’t know, directly behind me I’m sure is Ronnie Longie,and to the right of him is Mark Anderson, Alan Boguslawski is two to the right of Mark, I see Alfreda Patnaude to the left of Evie, Evie Gottbreht who is directly behind Allard.  we have Sister Gabrial and Father Lorchid. Need help in identifying, I think Allen Richard and some Evans Boys are in there as well. This was taken in the St. Louis Catholic Church, in Dunseith in 1955.

I Have included our wedding picture as well, that was in 1965, June 5th. My dress and veil was made by my sister JoAnn I carried red baby roses and wore my mother’s pearls.

Ginger LaRocque Poitra.

Ginger, We’ve got lots of folks, many of whom are included in this picture, that will be able to help identify some of the folks in this photo.  I am sure that is Ron Longie standing behind you.  He has not changed.  Gary

Ginger’s first communion class – St. Louis Catholic Church in Dunseith.

Ginger, you were a very pretty bride. You’ve got a handsomeguy too, with a stylish 57 Chev. Gary

Ginger LaRocque & Tony Poitra – June 5, 1965