Happy Birthday Geri Metcalfe Munro (’59): Fargo, ND
Happy Birthday (8/9) Mick Kester (’59): Fargo, ND
Happy Birthday (8/10) Janice LaCroix Kester: Fargo, ND
Reunion in Bottineau with my First cousin Randy Woodward.
Randy lives in Omaha, NB. Randy’s dad and my mother were siblings. I had not seen Randy since my folks 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1991. Randy was able to spend several days with us in Bottineau when I was there. It was so nice being able to see him again too.
Randy is an Orthopedic Surgeon, specializing in backs/spines. Randy is a good friend of Dr. Uthus in Minot. They were roommates in Med School. Over the years, Dr. Uthus has done many hip transplants for lots and lots of the Bottineau folks including my mother and my Uncle Emil Petterson all with great success.
Gary
First cousins – Randy Woodward & Gary Stokes
Dick Johnson’s Birthday, July 20th
Posting/pictures from Brenda Johnson: Dunseith, ND
Hi Gary
I’m a little late, but thought I should forward you a picture of Dick’s 65th birthday. We celebrated at the lake with some friends and family a couple of weeks ago. Probably more of interest to blog readers would be the second picture of his 57 Chevy restoration project. A car he found in the weeds and will keep him busy for some time! We enjoyed having pizza with you and Trish and reminiscing about old times. Thanks Trish for the treat.
Brenda
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Blog (329) posted on January 5, 2009
Leo Eller passed away – Posted by Ivy Eller Robert (74):
Hi Gary & Dunseith Alumni,
I hope you will post this:
My half-brother Leo Eller, died Friday morning January 2 at 10:30am, of lung cancer. He had several heart attacks in the past 15 years or so. He also had a kidney removed a couple of years ago, it was full of cancer. He had been in and out of the hospital, more in than out, for the last couple of years.
I don’t know his exact age, but I think he was in his late 60’s. He did not graduate in Dunseith, but lived around there as a kid and is related to several folks in the Dunsieth and surrounding areas. He had moved out of the house when he was a teenager, and lived a brief period with my grandfather George Albert. Then moved out to California, and eventually moved to the Seattle Washington area. He went to work for the Boeing Company when is was pretty young and ended up work for Boeing for 48 or 49 years. His heath was not good enough to reach the 50 year mark. Him and his family lived in the Marysville/Everett area most of the time until he retired from Boeing, 3 or 4 years ago. They bought a place in the country, about 20 miles north of Portland Organ in a town called Battle Ground Washington.
Not growing up with him, I didn’t really know him as my brother, but when I moved to the Seattle area in 1986, I really got to know him. I must say, you could not have found a more layed back, mischievous, and “full of the Devil”, gentle soul as Leo. He was the best and will be missed very much.
I know he thought very fondly of a lot of people from his home town (Dunseith) and I didn’t know how else to let those people know of his passing. Anyone wishing to contact his wife can at,
Billie Joy Eller
360-667-0223
Thanks again Gary for all that you do…….
Ivy Robert
Ivy, we are saddened to hear of the death of your brother. I’m sure there are some of our alumni that do remember him. Our condolences are with you and his family. Gary
Map reply from Bill Hosmer (48):
Gary and Doreen, Thank you for presenting the display in this mailing. Doreen has picked up on Vance Bailey’s penetrating interest and actions regarding the history of our fair community. Doreen, I thank you for sending the display. Surely there are those among us who can build on this offering. It looks like a whole wall with enlarged maps and homesteads, etc could handle the challenge. I’ll keep encouraging ideas like Doreen’s and try to figure out the ways and means. Cheers, Bill Hosmer
Reply from Bill Hosmer (48):
Gary, Another tremendous collection of good reading. I’ve got a couple of things to say. One is that I’m old enough to have met all four of the Gottbreht gentlemen in the 4 generation picture that Evie gifted us with. There is a picture of George and my Dad, Jack Hosmer in the Centennial Book, when they were in Kansas City trying to get a baseball team to come to play for Dunseith. They were the all black team who used to play all comers, including The House Of David team which was all caucasion, and all with full beards. They played on Sundays at the ball field west of the Dunseith City Park The gentleman holding the youngest of that clan, William Gottbreht was still operating the mill at the site now owned by Jim Evans. One day when we were young and wreckless Joe Evans and I were running around doing what kids do, and we picked up alot of mud and other barn yard materials on our shoes just before we ran across a whole stack of newly sacked
flour which had not been delivered to the stores in town.
We left ugly tracks on those beautiful white sacks of flour. William, who was a friend of my grandfather, Will Hosmer (Jack’s Dad) came around the corner while Joe and I were trying to disappear into thin air and said, ” I know who you are, Hosmer, and I’m going to tell your grandpa about this, Now, GET HOME. I got home. The word never got out and I could start breathing again after about a week of agonizing suspense. Dale was always friendly toward us young guys running around the place, and Alma was everyone’s friend especially if they were Dunseith Kids. That family certainly gave our town alot of the character we still take pride in. And George and Ernie are still maintaining the watch.
The second thing I wanted to say is that the Leader of the Thunderbirds who took us down main street in 1961 died yesterday here in Tucson from a fall. It took the wind out of me, because, since those days, we have had alot of togetherness on the social arena. He was a very giving person who was also a great leader in the business of formation acrobatics. He was also a fighter Ace from the Korean War. He shot down 6 MIGs during that war and is a member of the Arizona Aviation Hall Of Fame, along with other notables like Barry Goldwater, Frank Borman(astronaut). I guess I just felt like letting the readership know that it happened. No one in my experience had the fortitude to break all the rules and give our town a salute like he did. So, in the fighter pilot world we have an expression about these things. “Hoot Gibson has gone West”. So it is.I will miss him and remember him. Bill Hosmer
Bill, is this the picture your are referring to? Gary
Minnie Flynn’s Birthday pictures posted by Mark Schimetz (70):
Here are the photos that I want to share with you. Gary These are from Minnie Flynns 80th Birthday Party at Peace Lutheran Church in Dunseith. This adobe method is new to me so here goes, anyway it was a great turn out but was a nasty day outside and the weather has not improved. Later Mark.
Mark, Thank you so much for sharing these pictures. I had no idea they had a birthday party planned for Minnie. Now we will have to ask you or someone to identify everyone. I recognize for sure Minnie and I think Jack and also Randy, but from there I’m lost. Randy, is that by chance you and your family with your parents in the 2nd picture? Who are the 3 ladies in the bottom picture? I don’t see any of them in the group picture. When I get the names, I will repost these pictures. Randy, K & Jill, do you guys realize it’s been nearly 44 years since I’ve seen you and I don’t think I’m alone in that department either. I used to see your mother some up at the Peace Garden over the years. She has not changed from the way I remember her back in our school days. Gary
From Mike & Sandra (62) Zeiler Vandal:
This is “GREAT!” Tells it like it is……
“If You’re Gonna Play in Fargo” (ya better have a shovel in the Van) . . . It’s pretty funny.
Click on Play when you get to the site.
From Cheryl Larson Dakin (71):
Happy New Year All! To Diane….we (I) still sing the North Dakota song when we hit the North Dakota border, and our kids still roll their eyes . Between that, stamping white horses, and making them get out of the car to take a picture every time we got to the Geographical Center of North America at Rugby, I know they think I’m half nuts. With all the plays we would put on, and the singing we would do, how did our kids get to be so quiet and conservative?
Cheryl
Email address change for Sybil Johnson:
Good morning Gary! Just a note to let you know of my new address–
Because of the change, I have missed the last 4 emails, so, you can send future ones to this
address. Thanks and HAPPY NEW YEAR! Sybil Johnson
Message & Pictures posted by Susan Fassett Martin (65):
Gary, with all the back and forth on service men, I thought some might be interested in this page from my Dad’s history book. Gottfred “Fritz” Eurich was the son of David and Eva (Kraft) Eurich. He had served at Guadalcanal and several years overseas. Then he contracted thyphus while in Burma and died there. He was a first cousin to my dad and his sister Bette Nerpel was just here visiting. If anyone wants to know history of Dunseith, go visit Bette in Bottineau. She has an amazing memory and loves to tell stories.
Happy New Year to all. Hugs and prayers, Susan
Susan, I recognize Clarence Hagen. That’s him. I did not realize that Dave Jr. and Betty had a brother that died in the war. Speaking of the Eurich’s, today for you guys and yesterday for me they celebrated Winifred’s (Mrs. Dave) 90th and Dorothy Pritchard’s 96th Birthdays at Saint Andrews hospital in Bottineau. Gary.
