01/08/2008

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Story from Larry Hackman (66):
 
Snake Pit Bowling

 
The Snake Pit Bar and Bowling Alley, located near the South end of main street across the street from Joe’s Grocery, and between Kofoid’s Garage and the [5-10 Red and White Store 5-10] operated by K. C. Sine and his wife also contained a four lane bowling alley and a lunch counter. The Snake Pit was owned and operated by Harold Woodford and Oscar Stadium. It was a rough place as the nickname indicates. Actually, I don’t remember any other name for the place. I observed many a fight that had started in the bar and then would spill out on Main Street. I observed the part that was on the street. I learned from observing a lot of these fights, to never fall to the ground. The people that would get knocked down usually got kicked in the head. It made a horrible sound, something like a clunk. The sound of a ax splitting a block of wood. I can still hear it today. Remember all the kids that grew up sitting in the vehicles on main, waiting for their folks to come out of the bars? In the evening there always seemed to be vehicles parked in front bars with kids hanging out the windows and some running up and down the street, some in their diapers, some without, some in need of a diaper change. Thank heaven you don’t see much of that any more. We seem to be advancing as a civilization.
The Bowling Alley was attached to the West end of the Snake Pit. There were two entrances to the bowling alley, one through the Snake Pit, another through the lunch counter, just north of the Snake Pit entrance. Mrs. Earl Myer (Bertha)a very nice lady, ran the lunch counter. She made the best hamburgers in the world using Snow White Bakery buns. Just 25 cents each. They were delicious. I don’t know what she did, that was any different then anybody else that makes up a good hamburger,
but as I said, they were delicious. Maybe it was the way she toasted her buns?
My brothers Tony (class of 64) and Henry (class of 65)worked in the bowling area of the building as pin setters. They got paid 10 cents a game and each took care of two lanes. I think they inherited this job from the Johnson Boys, Auggie and ? Tony and Henry’s job was to pick up the knocked down pins and place them in the setter and put the ball on the return, then jump into the next alley pit and do the same thing. When the bowler completed their frame you would pull the setter down replacing the ten pins on the alley and return their ball. Never return the ball before picking up the pins as you might end up eating it, if you have a bowler in a hurry or not paying attention to the pin setter. I was a tag-along or a wanna-be at that time. It was a very dangerous place to work and the people that ran the place would chase me out from behind the pin pits.. You never knew where a pin was going to fly. To get hit in the head or some other part of your body was not uncommon. In the head, hurt like hell. However, since my brothers worked there, I usually hung around there too. When one would decide to take a break, then they would let me take over until they came back. They liked to set pins for the league bowlers as they would get into a rhythm, it was safer, and everything including the time would pass fast. It was usually on Friday and Saturday nights, (open bowling) is when it got really dangerous. Some of the young fellows would get a few drinks in them and they would try to throw the ball down the alley so hard that it never touched the lane floor. They were either trying to kill the pin setter or the pins.
In the next lane you might have someone like Charlie Anderson who was a finesse bowler. He would bowl from the left side of the approach. The ball rolled and rolled curving way to the right side of the alley, kissing the edge of the right gutter and then start curving back to the left right into the pocket. Usually he got a strike. His ball came down the alley so slow you wanted to jump out from behind the pin setter and help it. Back to the rhythm thing, if you have balls coming down both alleys at the same time, The pin boy really did not have any place to go. There was this big beam that held up these huge pads behind the pin pits that stopped the balls from going through the wall. The pin setter would have to jump up onto this beam to escape getting killed. You did not want to miss getting up there. This is about time in my life that I missed a growth spurt and everybody else got one, and I got stuck with the nick name, Half Pint. Its probably a good thing they built and opened the Garden Lanes before I became big enough to become a pin setter. I think Tony Samsky was the first manager of the new Bowling Alley? The new bowling alley made pin setting boys obsolete as they closed down the bowling alley at the Snake Pit and the new bowling alley had mechanical pin setting.
larry
 
 
Bobbie Slyter’s (70) Reply to LeaRae Parrill Espe (67):
 
Regarding LeaRea’s message I did not know that Leroy Birkland had moved back to Bottineau he was married to my aunt Delores Hiatt (Freddie Hiatt’s sister) when they lived in Washington state before she passed away, sure is a small world, maybe she can answer a question for me how is Leroy related to Jim Birkland, saw Jim and his wife at the family reunion this past July up at Richard’s place
 
I too have tried the jukebox music. Its fantastic. I have it on when I am working in the office. Brings back a lot of memories of the high school days.
 
 
 
Trish Larson’s (73) Reply to Gary Stokes’ (65) Question: Trish, This being part of a conversation we had back and forth, I hope you don’t mind me sharing this with the rest. Folks, Trish sent me some beautiful pictures to forward onto another Alumni member. That’s how I was able to see the pictures that I make reference to. Trish, we’d love to see the photo too. Gary
 
Gary,
 
Thanks for the compliment. I won Ms. Congeniality that year, which I thought was the best prize of all. The winner of the pageant won everything else – talent, swimsuit, and the title. We all hated her (lol). I entered the pageant for the $50.00 and enjoyed performing with the mix of gals from Dunseith and Bottineau. It was a good experience. Somewhere I still have a photo…
 
I believe Cheri Metcalfe was another participant….
 
Trish
 
 
Gary’s Question to Trish:
Trish,
 
How did you do in the 1974 Bottineau Pageant? Seeing that picture of you on the horse and those other pictures recently, I’m assuming that you probably did quite well.
 
Gary
 
 
Message from Gary Stokes:
Folks, PLease forward these messages on to Dunseith Alumni folks that you think may not be on this distribution and encourage them to get in touch with me so I can get them into the system. I get folks into the system with the contacts that I make putting class lists together and with referrals from you guys. I will be sending the class list our for the class of 70 shortly. I’m nearly finished with the class of 71 and I’m working with the class of 58. Next I’ll be working on the classes of 57 & 72. I’ve completed class lists for the classes of 59 thru 70. This has proven to be a really fun hobby. Gary

01/07/2008

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Reply from Bonnie Awalt (56):
Good Morning Gary,
In regard to the mention of the Lake Sisters of Dunseith. They were Esther and Dolly Lake, fabulous cooks, they babysat for us when our Mother had surgery. Esther could be kind of gruff but had a heart of gold. The Lake Sisters made a point of coming over to Grandma Anderson’s every Wednesday afternoon for coffee along with Mrs. Grimmie and Irene Stickland. Grandma so looked forward to Wednesdays. Grandma Anderson still had the wood stove for cooking and was getting along in age and had trouble cooking on the wood stove so My Mother (Gertrude Awalt) would bake every Wednesday Morning so Grandma would have fresh treats when the Ladies came for coffee.
My Dad (John Awalt) decided that Grandma Anderson needed running water, and a gas stove for cooking in her home. He went over to start the job and Grandma stopped him at the door. There was no way she was going to allow him to have water running through her wall and gas into her house. She claimed she would never get a good nights sleep again if he put that stuff in her home. No matter how much my parents talked Grandma would not give in, so until the day she passed on she had the wood stove and no running water in the house.
Bonnie Awalt Houle (56)
Message from Peggy Wurgler Axtman (71): Peggy is Joan & Dave’s younger sister. Peggy lives in Kent Washington.
What a nice surprise to talk with you by phone. Thanks for including me on the list and thanks for doing all the work! I will look through my things I’ve saved from my Dunseith years and see if there is anything ‘worthy’ of sharing with others. Have a good 2008!
Warm Regards from the Pacific NW,
Peggy
Reply from LeaRae Parrill Espe (67):
All my friends think around Bottineau think I know all the family connections around here, but I am becoming so much more enlighted by these emails. My brother Clark’s widow is Nora Birkland Parrill. Nora is the daughter of Ena Hiatt and Norman Birkland. Jimmy Birkland and Eleanor Birkland Dubois are siblings of Norman. Recently LeRoy Birkland has moved back to Bottineau and has a lovely home across from the Catholic Church. Until the recent death of Mrs. Berg, I didn’t realize the connection of Lynette Hamel Dubois and Neola and Jim Kofoid. (Cousin’s to Lynette’s mother, right?) I had Lynette in school and enjoyed her working as a student librarian for me. She married my sister -in- law Nora Birkland Parrill’s cousin, Wade Birkland. So these family tree branches go around and around. Thankfully, no one prunes family trees!
Nora’s mother is the second youngest Hiatt in the family of Nettie Peterson (Jack) and Leola Lagerquist-I think that is the George and Eva Hiatt branch. There about 10 children in that family, but most of them moved from the Dunseith area.
LeaRae Espe
LeaRae, I’d like to add that Dennis Dubois (63) is Wade’s uncle. I think most of us from the classes of the early to mid 60’s remember Dennis and he being the great basket ball player that he was. I talked to Dennis several weeks ago. He lives in Minneapolis. He does not have email, but he sure loves to hear about all this Dunseith stuff. I suggested he should get email and he did not disagree. His phone number is 763-755-4144. He’s still the same friendly Dennis with lots of conversation. I know Dennis would dearly love to hear from any of you. Gary Stokes (65)
Memories from Gary Metcalfe (56):
My first recollection of Dunseith was in 1946 when my family returned to ND from Seattle, after the war. We came in on old hwy. 5 north of town, very hot day, flies buzzing in the barber shop, screen doors squeeking. My dad, Jim Metcalfe talking to the barber about old times, Ed Leonard sitting on the end stool in the restraunt he and Edna had. I think it was called the Peace Garden Cafe. Up the street in front of the Red Owl store, Native American Elders sitting on the sidewalk, and the only name I remember is Long Shanks Talking about the old Indians, Joe Morinville had the corner on humor with the Indian ladies. I do not know what he told them in their language, but they would laugh until tears came down their their face.. They absolutely loved Joe. Across the street old Casey Sime had everybody laughing on that side.
By the way, an add on to the ice cream story,,when soft ice cream first came out, I heard one Indian lady say to another, “just because we are Indians, they give it to us cold”.
Reply from Sandy Lopez (64): Sandy is one of the folks that came from Cuba.
Gary:

I found the e-mail that you referenced and pasted a portion of it below:

….Does anyone remember the Cubans that came to Dunseith during the 60’s We had a girl in our class named Angelina Parlady. Her Dad was a doctor up and the San, I think. Would be nice to find them, too

Deb Morinville Marmon ’70

Unfortunately, I don’t have any information about Angelina and I don’t really remember her.

Although I don’t have much recollection of most of these commentaries on the e-mails, I have continued to read them for any thread of connection with my Dunseith experiences. You are continuing to do a great job with this very time demanding mission. Thank you and I hope that all of you have a great 2008.

Sandy

Email address change for Brenda Hoffman (68): Please update your files with Brenda’s new email address.
Should be the final change today! Am moving from MSN account to Gmail. Same long address but end piece is now gmail.com:NEW EMAIL

Bill Grimme (65), This is a wonderful link. I’ve added it to my favorites. I’m currently playing songs from 1965 and when Bernadette heard them, she said, “Where did you get those nice songs”. Of coarse she wanted this link on her computer too. Gary Stokes (65)
Gary,
This is a really neat website. Check it out. May be a candidate for a class share sometime in the future.
Bill
This is a Jukebox; but it is no ordinary jukebox. It will play all of your favorite songs from 1951 through 1982. Each year has a scroll or drop down box that shows all the great songs for that year. Most years have over 40 songs. There is even a section at the bottom that allows you to listen to show tunes, TV show themes, Doo Wop and several others. This is pretty neat….and it is free. Read the rest of this and then click on the site at the bottom. Once you click on a song it will play and when it finishes it automatically plays the next song in the list and continues until it has played all the songs. ; This is really cool!!! It has a volume control which you should use in conjunction with your computers volume control.One of the best features is that it will play in the background. That means you can be doing other computer work on a different screen.

http://www.tropicalglen.com/

01/06/2008

Posted on by
Folks, It was brought to my attention that the first publications of the 1982 Dunseith centennial books did not have indexes. For those of you that have those books and need an index, please let know and I can forward one to you. Gary
 
 
Message from Gary Metcalfe (56):
Thank you for getting me included on your list Gary. It will be interesting to read these stories, thank you also for being the one that does the work of getting them out for us to enjoy.
My wife and I both remember your parents and went to church with them at the Christian Center. Bob was always ready with a smile. Elaine worked with the residents from San Haven with us too, as did Bob. We had a program that they would bring a few ambulatory residents once a week for the day. Good memories.
 
We have had several visits with Harvey Hiatt in Arizona and got caught up on some information on all the people in the Ackworth community. Will send you some stories about some the older amazing people in Dunseith later.
Oh this story comes to mind so will continue it tonight.
High school days, to make spending money, I set pins in the bowling alley. It was about 100 degrees in the pin setting area and nearly freezing in the Lake Sisters upstair apartment. This was in January. Get into bed and have so many blankets that I could not even turn over. My 10 cents a line for setting pins did not go far especially with Mrs. Hoopman and Bertha Myer teaching me how to play Smear, but at a high cost. Everyone knew that Bertha was not only sharp, she was very lucky. It seems that Bertha had, “high, low, jic, jack and game” quite often. Fun memories.
 
 
 
Message from anonymous:
I don’t want my name mentioned but the ice cream server Clarice is remembering is Mrs. Rodney Armentrout, not Lagerquist – “I remember them selling soft serve ice cream out of a window of the hardware next to the Beauty Shop. Mrs., Rodney Lagerquest (Marlene Kraft) made and sold the ice cream.
 
 
Error message from Larry Hackman (66): lmhackman@bis.midco.net
Gary
We made a error on that last message. The girl that use to serve the soft seve ice cream out of the window is now Mrs. Rodney Armentrout, Marlene Kraft. Sorry about that Marlene. Dementia must be starting to settle in somewhere.
larry
 
 
 
Message from Rhonda Hiatt (75):
Gary,
 
With all the responses to your e-mails, do you get a chance to sleep? Did you ever think it would snowball like this? It’s been fun reading though.
 
Bev,
I forgot about bony fingers. ha Today that is the look. I was trying to start the trend, it’s just taken this long for everyone else to catch up. ha ha
On the Doobie Brothers, I thought we were in Bismarck. lmao I think we need to get GiGi’s input on this. (Question, who is GiGi? Gary)
 
Rhonda (75)
 
 
 
Message/Picture from Neola Kofoid Garbe (Gary Stokes’ cousin):
Note: Bert Hanson was a brother to Frances Morinville. Bert was married to my Dad’s sister Olga. Their children, Audrey and Jean, are cousins to both me and Toni, Deb, Bev & Duane Morinville. Mel, you will have to show this one to Ruby. It’s been more than 50 years since I’ve seen Jim & Ruby Birkland. When they were newly married they lived on the Johnny Hiatt farm, now the Fauske farm. We were their closest neighbors. I remember them well. Gary
 
 
Hi Gary,
 
Ruby was mentioned in an email not long ago. Here’s a picture of her when she was young.
 
I hadn’t seen Ruby since they moved from the house by Bert Hanson’s (Bennett street in Bottineau) until Wade/Lynette Hamel DuBois’ wedding. She was one of the ladies serving the reception. Wade’s mother, Eleanore, and Jimmy Birkland, Ruby’s husband, were siblings, or am I wrong about that? I didn’t recognize Ruby when I saw her. I happened to hear someone mention her name, so I checked to see which one of the ladies was Ruby. I think she said she had recognized me.
 
Neola
 
Ruby Birkland

01/05/2008

Posted on by
A few days ago someone was asking about some of the Cuban folks. They were asking about someone in the class of 70 or 72 if I remember correctly. I forgot to reply to that message at the time and now I cannot quickly find it. Anyway, we have found some the former Dunseith Students that were from Cuba. They are on our list and are include with all these messages. I’ve listed their names below.
 
Manuel (Manny) Cuadrado (63): Manny lives in Omaha, NE.
Santiago (Sandy) Lopez (64): Sandy lives in Rockford, IL.
Maria Parlade (62): Maria lives in Coral Gables, FL.
Carlos Lopez (62):
 
 
I also had a requests from Gary Metcalfe (56) and Murl Watkins Hill (50) requesting to be added to these distributions. I have added their names to our master distribution list so they are now receiving these messages. I am working with the classes of 70 & 71, putting their class list together, so those folks are being added as I’m contacting them too. I’m pretty much finished with the class of 70. I’ll be sending their class list out shortly. I periodically send out updates to the master alumni email list as time goes on.
 
Gary
 
 
Message from Susan Fassett (65):
I am sitting in a motel in Mesa, AZ as my daughter, Johnida, is getting married at 4:30 tomorrow afternoon in the Botanical Gardens in Phoenix. I have been reading all the memories and enjoying so many of them. I remember most all of the people that have sent memories. Carol and Emery Carbonneau are part of my extended family, Carol being a cousin to my mother. Sharon Monson Carbonneau’s husband Charles or Charlie as we always called him, and I spent much time together as kids. Charles Watkins that Bill Hosmer mentioned was always known to me as Uncle Chick. He and his wife lived just south of the Methodist Church in Dunseith and I used to love to go there to visit on my way home from school, because they had so many neat knick-knacks. My mother’s step father was Glen Watkins, brother to Chick .Carol Carbonneau, Murl Hill , Jeannine Robert, and Elaine Watkins dad was Roy Watkins, also a brother. When I get home, I will find some info on Deer Heart Lodge that someone was asking about. I have much info on Dunseith and the people who lived there. It was an interesting place to be from, even though many of us didn’t realize it when we were growing up there. I also remember Lucy Hill that Tim Martinson talked about. We lived for a time in Helen Watkins home just north of the Martinson’s and we used to take meals over to Grandma Hill. She was at an advanced age and not very mobile at that time. She is remember by me as a sweet little lady. Who out there was related to her? I’m looking forward to more memories. Hugs and Prayers—-Susan
 
 
Clorice Hackman’s (67) reply via her brother Larry (66):
Hi Larry
I will try it this way.

By the way I was reading the last Gary Stokes email and Deb Morinville was talking about Iver Lo as being across the street from them. That house was the Spaeth house next to the Stone Church. Lo’s lived across the the street from us in the white house before the Grossman’s moved into it. They had 2 daughters at the time — Sonya and Lana who probably was about 2-3 when they moved. I remember Betty playing with Sonya. The next house to the north of Iver Lo’s was where Arnold Lilleby lived (owned the Althea Theatre for years before Leonard Cote). Iver Lo operated the Hardware in the building north across the street from Hosmer’s Store. I remember them selling soft serve ice cream out of a window of the hardware next to the Beauty Shop. Mrs, Rodney Lagerquest (Marlene Kraft) made and sold the ice cream. ohhhhhhhh-so-good.

Love Clarice

 
 
 
Rhonda Hiatt’s (75) reply:
Thanks to Deb Morinville for reminding me who it was that talked about the moth balls. There have been so many e-mails to read I didn’t want to go back and try to find it.
To Tim Martinson: Where is Tara at now? Tara, Brenda Birkland and I used to hang out together, and I remember going to the bakery all the time.
Rhonda Hiatt (75)
 
 
 
Bev morinville’s (72) reply to Rhonda Hiatt (75):
Rhonda(rose)
Well I remember calling u boney fingers HA wow those were the days . U were a party girl ever hear from your old side kick GI GI . Remember parting with the Dobby Brothers at the Hotel in Minot after there concert? Yeah we all know why they called themselves the Dobby Brothers lol . OH who could forget Father Wolf he scared us to death (why I am not sure) my mother thought the world of him. Maybe it was just respect. Ronnie Longie I remember u cause my sister Toni was sweet on u I think . I do remember Patty how is she doing? This is so much fun to remember all the old times. thanks for making my day once again. I look forward to reading all the e mails . And once again Gary thanks for all your work. love Bev (Morinville) Azure melvin clarence talks about u guys every once in awhile .
 
 
 
Dave Slyter’s (70) reply to Deb Morinville (70):
Hi Deb,
Sure am glad to hear from you again. I was wondering what happen to you. Yes I too, remember the good ole days of partying. Remember the graduation party up at the butte and the lightning hit? First I couldn’t see then I thought the a-bomb had landed. I wasn’t drunk but I don’t think a lot of people were after that experience. It sure was close. ha

Can you e-mail me. I have a few trivia questions for you

Thanks Deb

Dave Slyter

01/04/2008

Posted on by
Folks,
 
Thanks to my cousin Neola, Carol (Watkins) (46) & Emery Carbonneau’s Daughter-in-Law Sari is now receiving these messages and will pass this stuff on to Carol & Emery. Thank you Shari.
 
Shari Carbonneau’s reply to Neola Kofoid Garbe
Thanks for the messages about Dunseith. Charlie’s mom was telling us
about her visit with Vance and how the next day or so he passed away.
She really enjoys the news of Dunseith. I printed off your message and
will mail it to her. She doesn’t have or use the computer so if you
wouldn’t mind sending me new messages, I would print them and send them
to her. She said it is so interesting what each person remembers.
Thanks, Neola.

shari.carbonneau @k12.sd.us

 
Shari Carbonneau’s 2nd Reply to Neola:
Thanks for adding me to the “List.” I know Carol will enjoy many of the messages. She spoke to Vance Bailey on the telephone quite often. I know she was feeling the loss of a good friend. I don’t have an alias. I became Shari when my brother, Marvin, married a Sharon. He married before I did, so there were two Sharon Monsons. Enjoy the New Year.
 
 
Bob Hosmer’s (56) Reply:
Hi Gary and all,
Since seeing my brother Bill’s accounts, cousin Collette’s accounts and Bonnie Awalt Houle’s recollections, I guess I should share some things, too.
I remember the Conroy’s, I remember when they moved to town and Mr. Conroy became the superintendent at the school. I enjoyed visiting the Conroy home. It seemed like Don’s Mom, Florence was always baking bread or some delicious smelling bake goods on the old wood cooking stove on the north wall of their kitchen. She always had a smile for everyone and, for me, was one of the best teachers I ever had in my grade school years. She took her work as a serious calling.
 
Chuming around with Don was also a treat. Both of us had BB-guns. Mine was a lever-action Red Rider brand and Don’s was, to me at least, a very sleek pup-action model that shot more acurately than mine and wished deeply that I had one like his. Oh well, we had fun setting up cans and bottles and shooting them off a stand.
 
The Conroy’s had a large garden and I would see Don’s dad working in it in the evenings. I think a lot of the garden was dedicated to potatoes. I remember helping one late afternoon dabbing some sort of solution on the undersides of the leaves to kill aphids, I think.
 
There are a lot of other memories of my years in Dunseith, but I’ll have to leave that for another time. Really enjoy hearing the stories you all are submitting. Your memores toggle others in my mind, that’s for sure.
 
Bob Hosmer
 
 
Allen Richard’s (65) reply to Mel Kuhn (70):

Marvin was Mel and Virgil’s dad. He, Cliff Nerpel, David Bergen, Jim Birkland, Mark Schimetz, Dad and I shingled our 40X80 Quonset in 1968—We did it from 5:00 am til 11:00. would have been done sooner, but it rained for an hour. That was back in the day when roofers used real hammers. I was back at the farm last summer-same shingles–no leaks!
 
Virgil worked for us one summer and had a close encounter of the enlightening kind—-big thunderstorm went through. Dad and Virgil were welding a cultivator hitch. Close lightning strike. Virgil had his foot on a large piece of metal when it hit.
 
Was the shock heard across the farm–to his credit, Virgil did not use any profanity! He had a sore leg for several weeks. Did quite a dance as I recall.
 
Allen
 
 
 
Message from Shirley LaRocque (59):
Hey Gary thanks for all the memories. I have enjoyed everyone of them. I read some of them to my brother Garry LaRocque. I remember working at the Crystal cafe.Yes when the Canadians came to Dunseith to go thru customs. I do remember the bakery and the red owl grocery store. Thanks again Shirley LaRocque Wendt Seattle .
 
 
 
Message from Ron Longie (65)
Gary, In reading the batch of Emails forwarded, when I read the one about sister Rose and the moth balls it was dejavu all over again. I was an alter boy when Father Wolff was the priest in Dunseith, on certain Sundays we would serve a mass at the sisters chapel, and sister Rose my O my how iremember her.

The Crystal cafe was another place as a kid, holds many memories for me we would go there after school and load the pop machine then sit down in the basement and we would indulge in a (Soda) or two I was, and still am a big fan of rootbeer.

I also remember going over to Mark Anderson’s house, and spend time at there store helping them dust and doing chores so I could get Mom a pair of salt/pepper shakers she liked. Life was so simple then, many times I wished I had never left to be able to stay in Dunseith and finish school but my folks wouldn’t let me stay with my uncle Verlin and aut Stella.

I often wonder what it would have been like to graduate with a small class that you started in the first grade with and went all the way through school together. I graduated with 884 in my class basically just a number not much one on one. I would have liked to finish with Pete, Clifford, Raphel, John A ,John B and Warren would have been fun.. I am thinking of going back to Dunseith this summer to stay in touch. I hope everyone has a great New Year, and until we talk again I remain as always———– Ronnie Longie

 

 

Bill Hosmer’s (48) Reply to kenny Nerpel (65):

Kenny. I certainly remember Alice Metcalf. She struck me as being a
beautiful woman by any measure. I was working (getting in the way) and
she paid attention to me during the course of the work day. I last saw
her at the Lodge Restaurant at Lake Metigoshe in the eightees. On
another matter, I flew F-105s and F-100s during the Vietnam mess. What
Corps Area were you operating in? The F-105s were used against targets
in North Vietnam, and the Huns were fragged against Laos targets and in
close air support of the guys really fighting the war in South Vietnam.
Never checked out in the F-4, I was a single seat, single engine purist
my whole 24 years in the AF. The picture made me remember that hotel as
far back as when Charlie Watkins managed it, before the Grassmans did.
Yes, time passes on fast. Good to read your input. Cheers, Bill
Hosmer

 

Deb Morniville’s reply:

Dear Gary,

Even more memories!! This is keeping my brain buzzing and at my age I think it’s a good thing.
 
First, Rhonda (Rose) I am the one who mentioned Sister Rose’s store and the mothballs. The memory of that smell is so strong! But what fun!
 
Dave Slyter and Mel Kuhn I sure remember partying with you two rascals! When we were seniors in HS we could always find a party couldn’t we? Those days have been long gone for me! I quit smoking and drinking and using drugs about 26 or 27 years ago. I found Jesus! Yep. I’m one of “those” BAC – born again Christians. It;s great! I have been married to the same man, Kenny, for 28 years and have 4 grown children and 3 soon to be 4 grandchildren! And BTW where were you two last July for the big reunion? It was a total blast. It would have been nice to see you guys.
 
Ken Nerpal Remember me? We partied too! And drank a LOT of beer. I remember Iver Lo too. They lived across the street from us and had a daughter named Sonya. We were friends but never stayed in touch. And you poor deprived “country boys” You may not have gotten to see much (Colette) but I went out with few of you boys and you had no trouble finding the “udders”!!!!
 
Does anyone remember the Cubans that came to Dunseith during the 60’s We had a girl in our class named Angelina Parlady. Her Dad was a doctor up and the San, I think. Would be nice to find them, too
 
Deb Morinville Marmon ’70
 
 
 
Message from Mel Kuhn (70):
Gary,
 
We have another Dunseith hillbilly living over here in St. John by the name of Johnny Hanson, if you remember him. He and a few other friends are helping keep the old days alive with their horse drawn wagons and sleighs. They go out and have many a wild time with trail rides through the hills and as far away as Rolette. In my spare time I still like to do some welding and building and have welded things back together for them after a maybe too wild of a time. I’ve also built them from scracth a wagon and forecart[spelling ?]. Yes Kenny, Marvin Kuhn was my dad. He passed away about 4 years ago now. Gordie Nerpel was in my graduating class. Dave, those Tickle Pink girls were great weren’t they. One of their members Shelly Fulsebakke, married to Mike Albertson lives over here. Their daughter Heather has just an amazing voice.
 
Mel Kuhn[70]
 
PS. We have onother old codger from the Dunseith area living here also, by the name of Ike Hiatt, if you remember him. (Evon Lagerquist, Ike would be your first degee uncle being a brother to your mother, Leola Hiatt Lagerquist) I saw Ike, in July 2004, at my mothers funeral.
 
 
Message from Dave Slyter (70)
Hi folks:

Rhonda didn’t mention all the other names we use to call her at home. lol ha ha Just kidding sis.

Love you:

Dave : )

01/03/2008

Posted on by
Rhonda Hiatt’s (75) Reply
Hi Gary,
It has been great reading everyone’s different memories. I remember Mom would take us kids into Sister Rose’s store also. I can’t remember who said it about the moth balls but they were right.
For whatever reason my sister Brenda (73) would tease me and call me Sister Rose. She finally dropped the sister part and has called me Rose ever since. I honestly can’t remember the last time she has called me Rhonda, it has been years. Now one of my granddaughter’s middle name is Rose (named after my nickname from Brenda).
 
Happy New Year To All!!
 
Rhonda Hiatt
AmWest Entertainment
301 S Garfield Ave Suite #7
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
605-331-0880 work
605-331-3080 fax
502-664-9168 cell
 
 
 
Shirley LaRocque’s (59) Memories: shirleywendt@comcast.net
Hey Gary thanks for all the memories. I have enjoyed everyone of them. I read some of them to my brother Garry LaRocque. I remember working at the Crystal cafe.Yes when the Canadians came to Dunseith to go thru customs. I do remember the bakery and the red owl grocery store. Thanks again Shirley LaRocque Wendt Seattle
 
 
 
 
Dave Slyter’s (70) Memories: fearlessfly49@hotmail.com
Bev: So sorry to hear about your illness. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Hope you have a full recovery. Keep a positive attitude and keep praying to our God almighty and things will be back to normal, sooner than you think.Mel: Ha Ha Who could forget Mel Kuhn. ha Thanks for all the memories of the good ole dances. When I lived up there in the hills we use to go to so many dances around the area. I too, love to dance to that ole time fiddle music. I know of Jim and Ruby quite well as Jim’s brother LeRoy was married to my dad’s sister Delores and lived mostly out in the state of Washington. But I too, remember Jim and Ruby cutting a rug. There were so many good bands up in the hills back in the 70’s and 80’s The Poitra brothers and there dad were really good. Then of course there was the Tickle Pink, the Metcalfe sisters. They were really good also. Had the pleasure of playing with them one night up at Kelvin Klinic. I wasn’t really to good on the drums, but the girls didn’t mind. I tried to keep up to them. ha Then Dennis Decoteau played in a band but can’t remember what the name of the band was. But he could really sing a song well. I am glad to hear Dick Johnson is in a band. He would be really good with the back ground of music he had. Who else plays in the band?

Nice to hear from a class mate Mel. Stay well.

Dave

 
 
 
 
Kenny Nerpel’s (65) Memories with a picture: uspsrt@dvl.midco.net
Gary,

 

So sorry to hear of the passing of Vance Bailey. I think he had only just begun to share his memories. It would be great if others of that era could share even more. I spoke to my mother of this and she was familiar with many of the characters that he mentioned in his writings. When she was a teen she worked at a hardware store on Dunseith’s main street that was owned by a man by the name of Iver Lo (sp?). She rented an apartment from a Bailey family, probably Vance’s grandparents. She is now 83 years old, doing well and living in Dunseith. Her sister Alice worked at Hosmer’s store. I’m wondering if Colette’s mom remembers Alice Metcalfe. By the way, Colette, you were probably unaware of the drooling because as shy as most of the guys were back in those days most of the “drooling over the ladies” was done covertly. Ha!  

 

This winter Sherry and I continue to go through the many years worth of belongings that we have accumulated in our basement. The idea being that we would like to have everything in some type of order so that our children will not have such a mess to go through in the event of our demise. I believe that I have stumbled upon a picture of the Commercial Hotel taken in 1957. Our primary residence at that time was the lake home near Kelvin Store, but my father worked in building construction for many years and when that employment stretched into the winter months we were forced to move into the city because the snow made the trail to our home impassable. I believe we spent the winter of 1957 at the Commercial Hotel with the Grimmes and their boarders. I remember Sarge and Charlie fairly well. I remember that Charlie loved bowling. He delivered the ball as slowly as it could possibly be thrown and still make it to the end of the alley. He still got good results. Billy’s mom was an accomplished pianist and singer and I believe Carl played the guitar.

 

 

In later years we rented a house owned by K. C. Sine, who has been mentioned in previous E-mails, that was adjacent to the property where Mr. Ben Grossman and his family lived. One night after much carousing, probably with Billy Grimme, I arrived home and attempted to enter the house. It had a porch with three steps but I could only negotiate two of them before falling over backwards onto the ground. As a wise man once said, “damned alcohol”. After many attempts I decided I would just get as comfortable as possible under the clothesline (remember when everyone had those) and spend the remainder of the evening there. Early the next morning I was awakened by one of the loudest voices I have ever heard singing “How Great Thou Art”. It was Mr. Grossman out doing some early morning yard work.

 

 

There really wasn’t much to do in Dunseith in those years. You had to improvise. Applying tape to gym door latches during school and returning later with a basketball was one of the things I remember doing to help pass the time. I don’t think I ever got to see the Thunderbirds. I remember that it was a really big deal for the town and I think that sometimes false rumors would get started that they would be buzzing the town and I would be disappointed when they didn’t show up. When they actually did make an appearance I was out of town. Like Warren I had many close encounters with the F-4 when in Vietnam. Since then I have always admired the skills of pilots. They saved many American lives. We had one of the “greatest of all times” that grew up on the streets of Dunseith.

 

 

The Jack and Lorraine Metcalfe that are mentioned by Mel Kuhn are brother and sister to my mother Eleanor. I remember many family gatherings when they would bring their instruments and sit around and play and sing for hours. They also were members, along with Ole Bursinger, of a group called the “Stump Jumpers”. Mel, are you related to Marvin Kuhn? I remember working with a fellow by that name in the early 70’s.

Kenny

 

Picture: Kenny Nerpel in front of the Commercial Hotel – Jan 1957

01/02/2008

Posted on by
Bev Morinville’s (72) reply to Tim Martinson (69) & Bonnie Awalt (56)
Tim and Bonnie, after reading your memories of growing up in Dunseith I really feel you two could write a book. You had me glued from the first sentence. Bev Azure (Morinville)
 
 
Mel Kuhn’s (70) reply to Dave Slyter (70), Tim Martinson (69), Bonnie Awalt (56) and comments:
Gary,
 
A Howdy to Dave Slyter if he remembers me. Isn’t it a blast to remember the dancing of Duane and Lorraine Peterson. I believe they are still going around and dancing as they still have some oldtime dances yet at the hall here in St. John. My uncle Jimmy & aunt Ruby Birkland still attend and dance up a storm, but back in the day when Duane and Lorraine were dancing uncle Jimmy was more than likely one of the guys playing the fiddle. Him and the likes of Jack & Lorraine Metcalfe, Ole Bursinger and many more great old players and singers whose names elude me now. I grew up with it as a child and kind of moved away from it in the teens, instead listening to the likes of the Beatles & CCR and others but secretly loving the old fiddle. I’m getting back with it now with the likes of Dick Johnson who is playing with some friends of his and keeping that good old music alive. I love getting together with him and crew when they come and play in St. John. They even allow me to help haul the equipment and run the sound system for them. Ha.
 
A thanks to Tim & Bonnie for their wonderful memories and ways of writing them. I remember the big snow storm I believe in the winter of 68. I remember me and Russel Robert jumping off of their dad’s Mobil station and shoveling down to find the door to get in.
 
Mel Kuhn [70]
 
 
Bonnie Awalt Houle’s (56) letter:
Good Morning Gary,
Keith didn’t go to Dunseith, he went to the Academy at Willow City. He graduated in 1954.
The class of 1956 consisted of: Bonnie Awalt, Gayl Bedard, Elmer Boucher, Gary Cota, Don Conroy, Dennis Espe, Neva Haagenson, Kenneth Hill, Lois Hiatt, Janice Leonard, Curtis Pigeon, Kenneth Pigeon, Bruce Poeppel, Caroleen Williams.
Bobby Hosmer had been in our class until his Sophomore year and then he went to Fargo to school. (Hope that is correct)
I remember going up to Butte St. Paul with Neva and Bobby in Bobby’s Dads Jeep. Bobby kept telling us there was nothing to fear because you couldn’t get a jeep stuck. What he didn’t tell us is that you could get a jeep “hung up” on some of those big rocks out there in the fields. I don’t remember who rescued us but we had to do some walking first.
Does anyone remember when we first started the marching band in Dunseith? Seems the director was from Rolla. One memory from it was practicing marching down the street doing our routine. I threw my baton up in the air and it came down in a hole that Mr.Axel Johnson was working in fixing the city water. The baton hit Axel on the head. (Very embarrassing.) Spring 1955
Bonnie Houle
 
 
Colette Hosmer’s (64) reply to Tim Martinson (69) and Cecile Gouin (61)
Tim,
 
Blood sausage and head cheese….our parents and grandparents didn’t waste much. Like they say in China today, everything is eaten but the oink. Processing pigs brings up a memory of when Evie Gottbreht and I went to St. Joseph’s Academy in Crookston, Minnesota (1963). It was a poor Catholic boarding school and it wasn’t unusual for a parent to pay tuition with a pig or two. We were all assigned jobs….I was taking my turn in the kitchen when one of these pigs came in. I remember the cook wielding her knife — a tall, agile nun — the sleeves of her black habit rolled up past her elbows, big white apron covering the full, floor-length skirt. When blood sausage showed up on our plates a few days later I took great pleasure in describing it’s source to the other girls at the table.
 
I like the added imagery of birds falling out of the trees when the Thunderbirds buzzed mainstreet. You’re a good writer…I hope you share more down the line. And, thanks for the kind words although I certainly can’t remember ever being drooled over (you must have me confused with your father’s bismarcks).
 
Cecile,
 
Nice to read your e-mail, Cecile. It would be great if you could find more photos of Deerheart Lodge!
 
My sister, Janet, was at the Air Force Academy for the first graduating class, but it was for another cousin, Brad Hosmer. His dad, Clark (my dad, Bob’s, younger brother) left for West Point after growing up in Dunseith so Brad never went to school with any of us. The family visited us often however, and Clark’s kids — Brad, Gay and Phil loved the town.
 
Brad was the top graduate of the first Air Force Academy class (1959). He returned to the academy as it’s Superintendent (1990 -94).
 
Colette
 
 
Randy Flynn’s (70) reply to Gary Stokes (65)
Gary,
 
When you wrote about New Year’s Eve in the Philippines, I had to
wonder if you are having a pig roast. Excuse the indelicacy of
my words if that is not an appropriate description. I have
only been to one Filipino party but the food was great. I will
always remember the fine hospitality and great singing. My
host was a devote Catholic and entertained us with many
seasonal hymns. The feast was like a church supper in North
Dakota but liquor was served.

Randy

 
 
Gary’s reply to Randy:
Randy,
 
Bernadette ordered a Lechon and had it delivered for our New Years Eve Party. Lechon is a whole roasted pig, eye balls and all. The only thing missing are the guts. They run a pole length wise through the pig and then roast it over open coals. The one we ordered for our party was about 70 lbs. These Filipino’s go nuts for this stuff. They love the skin. For them that’s the best part. It’s nice and crisp. When the party was over the Lechon was gone.
 
A short time after we arrived here, we had a big party for all of Bernadette’s relatives and friends, which number many. We went out and bought two 6 month old pigs and brought them home the day before the party. Bernadette hired a butcher to come in and butcher these pigs the next morning. He arrived about 4:00 AM and proceeded to butcher these pigs. By 7:00 AM these pigs were in many pots, over open fires, in the yard, being cooked. We had lots of help. They prepared many different dishes using this pork. By 2:00 PM there was absolutely nothing left anywhere of these two pigs. It was like they evaporated. We have now developed our place, so we don’t really have an area to do this any more.
 
Bernadette is one of the finest cooks ever. She loves to cook and everything she cooks or bakes turns out absolutely wonderful. Most of these folks are good cooks too, but they can not hold a candle to Bernadette’s abilities in that department. It sure shows on me too. Here she has help, in the states it was just her.
 
Gary
 
 
Bev Morinville’s (72) correction to her relationship to the Gouin’s
I made a mistake their grandma was my grandma sister could u correct it for me. Thanks Gary. Not thinking to clear these days just found out I have cancer of the tongue. please keep me in your prayers. Thanks for all u are doing it is so important. Love Bev
 
Bev, So sorry to hear about your cancer. Please keep us posted. Our prayers are with you. Gary

01/01/2008

Posted on by
Phone call from Dwight Lang (61):
Folks, This afternoon, for me here in the PI New Years Day, I had a pleasant surprise with a phone call from Dwight Lang wishing me “Happy New Year”. We had a nice long chat. Dwight’s mother was Charlotte Lang who was a teacher in Dunseith for years and went on to become the “County Superintendent of schools” for Rolette & Bottineau counties. She was also my first grade teacher at Ackworth. Charlotte was a Hiatt, born and raised in the Ackworth community with my dad. She was a sister to Howard Hiatt and Elenore Fauske. Dwight and I have lots of commonality to talk about. Dwight has a home in Tucson and a cabin at Lake Metigoshe where he spends his summer months.
 
Thank you Dwight for that wonderful phone call. Sorry I had to cut it short, after an hour, to go eat my Dinner.
 
 
 
Paula Fassett’s (71) reply to Trish Larson (73):
Gary:

I would guess the dancing couple that Trish (Larson) is referring to is more than likely Duane and Lorraine Peterson. I tended bar at Kelvin when John & Neva Rainey owned it and remember seeing the Peterson’s and was always fascinated by their dancing abilities! My parents were excellent dancers, too, but no once could hold a candle to Duane and Lorraine Peterson. What used to fascinate me most was the fact that Lorraine usually danced wearing tennis shoes!

Happy New Year…………..I don’t think we’ll be doing any outside partying in Minnesota!!!

Paula

 

Dave Slyter’s (70) reply to Trish Larson (73):

Trish:(73)

The couple that you are talking about that were such good dancers were Duane and Lorraine Peterson. They are Connie Peterson Lagerquists parents. I could never get enough of watching those two dancing around the dance floors. If there was a dance those two would be at it. I bet to this day they probably are still dancing. ha

I also remember the dances up at the metal building at Lake Metgoshe. Matter of fact that is where I got my first traffic ticket. I wanted to go left and everyone else in the car wanted to go right. Ooops blinker was going left and I listen to the gang in the car. Cops were sitting right there. Dang!!! It was called back then “driving without due care” ha Oh well, it was only 20 dollars.

Thanks for the memories.

Dave Slyter (70)

 

Bev Morinville’s (72) request: Note, I have provided Bev with Morris Gouin’s (67) contact info. Through his sister Cecile (61), we’ve recently located him.
Gary, Maurie Gouin is my cousin his grandpa was my grandma’s brother I have not heard from him in years and would love to touch base with him. Could u ask him if u can give me his personal e mail addy. I would love to know about his mom and dad. They were Duane’s godparents. thanks Gary…. also would love to e mail Randy Flynn also Bev
 
 
 
Deb Morinville’s (70) request: Note, I’ve given Bev & Deb contact info for Morris & Cecile.
Gary,
 
I know you must be so busy with the “monster” list now but could you do me a favor? Maurice and Cecile Gouin are cousins to us Morinville kids. Their mother was a Dion as was my Dad’s mother. Eva Dion Morinville Peat. We spent many hours with them as kids and I’m sure that Cecile babysat us, too. Maurice was a big kid and during one of our many wrestling times (usually all 5 or more) he knocked out my loose front tooth. I would love to reconnect with them Their dad ran the Standard gas station for a while located behind the Dakota hotel on Main street across from the lumber yard. Give them my email address OK? When you have time!!
 
Happy New Year to you and your wife there in the Phillipines!! I know a little about there because I have some good friends who were missionary’s there for years.
 
Deb Morinville Marmon (70)
 
 
Message from Evon Lagerquist:
Happy New Year and Thank you for all the news!!!
 
 
 
HAPPY NEW YEAR – 2008
DON & COLLEEN (Conroy) Martel
 
 
 
Copy of Tim Martinson’s (69) letter to Colette Hosmer (64)
Hi Colette,

I’ve always wondered what happened to that gal that all the older guys drooled over. Funny how life deals out its cards, sometimes you win and other times you lose, it’s just one breath at a time, one step after another on the path to the next assignment. From the sound of your web site, endless opportunities await you and I am very impressed with your accomplishments to date.

In response to the letter you wrote about visiting a pig slaughter house in China. My first exposure to the killing of a pig was at my dad’s parents farm. I was probably four years old and full of questions. The pig had already been killed that morning, it was big and hanging upside down over a barrel of boiling water. What was that liquid in the old galvanized wash tub? Blood from the pig that was going to be made into blood sausage and so the day went on with the tasks of both men and women in cooking, cutting, packaging and freezing of the pig. I wonder how many farmers still make blood sausage? The next time I saw a pig processed was at the Evans farm, same procedure but no blood sausage. Loved those days of play with the Evans boys and the cinnamon rolls Alice would make in the old wood stove. The endless games of basketball we played in the dimly lit hay mow of the barn. Skiing on theside hills of Willow Creek, or being towed behind a horse, skiing or riding in a toboggan on the streets of Dunseith. The games of workup in Evans front yard and the building of tree houses in the big cottonwood trees. Always looked forward to spring and the cattle drive to the pasture that surrounded Mineral Springs. The winter days of play in the haystacks and spring calving. Bringing in the cows for milking and chokecherry picking in the foothills. As your cousin Bill Hosmer had written of his exploits with Myron and others I was of the next generation to enjoy the Willow Creek swimming hole. The flour mill was gone and I have always wondered if there were photos of this business and what happened to the mill since while playing along the creek we could always see the concrete footing in the creek bed below the elevator.
I lived on the south side of town and when I was young we would go and pick Crocuses in the pasture where the High School was built. It was undisturbed prairie land with trails of wagons wheel tracks that led to the Flour Mill and probably the old store that sat by Willow Creek on the south side of Kester’s house. You spoke of the tee pee rings north of Lake Shute and I have this memory of stopping along side the road a little north of the San Haven turn off and watching a pow wow in the early evening. Then also the juneberry picking in the hills. They were so good with cream and sugar. Always some sort of sport to play such as the touch football games, that involved girls too, played on the lot east of the Catholic church. or the basketball games at the old tennis court on the old school grounds and yes the basketball games played in the old gym built into the ground. The old city hall was a great place to play Basketball and I remember the time our independent team played a touring group. I was really impressed with Chuck Johnson, he could make hook shots from the corners and half court. I’m not sure who won that game. John and Stella Johnson had a order of two dozen date filled cookies each time the bakery made them and of course I delivered and I was lucky if I got back within an hour. They were the nicest couple and loved to talk. I finally figured out years later why everyone was busy when we made date filled cookies. Oh well it was their loss and my gain.
 
Do you ever think about some of the firsts in your life. The first oreo cookie I had was given to me by Grandma Hill who lived two houses north of our house, Again making a bread delivery I could not say no and was asked to get a bucket of coal for her cooking stove and ended up passing time with a nice older lady and that first oreo with the white frosting filling sandwiched between deep chocolate cookies. To the south lived Grandpa and Grandma Nerple, who showed me how they made yarn on their spinning wheel and gave me the chance to comb out the wool and peddle the wheel. Logan and Alice Buchanan lived to the west and I think lived a very organic life style raising chickens and rabbits. They always had very good gardens. And yes it took me a while to figure out where the rabbits went to.
 
My memory of the fly over by Bill Hosmer and friends. I was watching the birds through the bakery screen windows flying and singing in the trees. All of asudden the first plane came down main street and the birds fell out of thetrees. Of course I headed out the front door and onto main street and watched the show. Wow was the only word to explain it. I did go to the show at Minot and that day was cloudy. So thanks Bill for making a detour and giving the city of Dunseith another first. I have always wondered how far the turn around was for the planes you were flying at that time?

Take Care, Tim

 
 
 
Dear Gary,
I am John Awalt’s (65) sister Bonnie (56). Here are a couple of Dunseith memories as I recall them.
 
Bonnie, I am so gald to hear from you. Now we can get you in the system. I know John has been forwarding this stuff to you. Folks, Bonnie is married to Keith Houle. Gary
 
SNOWED IN
The daylight filled the room and the cold nipped the tip of my nose. I could see my breath in the air. I waited, listening for my Mother to call us for school. It was so cozy and warm under the thick layer of quilts. I dreaded the thought of having to put my feet on the cold floor. I rose up to peek out the window but Jack Frost had painted a layer of white winter patterns over the panes of glass. I snuggled down into the cozy tunnel of quilts, knowing that my time there was limited. The time stretched out and still no one called me to get up. Curiosity soon got the better of me and I jumped out of bed, grabbed my clothes and raced downstairs to the heat of the furnace.
Mother was in the kitchen mixing bread dough, Dad sat at the kitchen table stirring sugar into his coffee. A glance outside let me know why Dad hadn’t gone to work and why we hadn’t been called to get ready for school. It was a good old North Dakota blizzard! The wind whirling the snow around, drifts piled high, and it was impossible to see the neighboring buildings.
As the rest of the family came downstairs, we ate breakfast and the job of having a free day bubbled forth. After breakfast we cleaned the house and then gathered around the dining room table where Dad had set up a jigsaw puzzle. The home was filled with the aroma of fresh baked bread, the laughter of friendly teasing and the love that only a family can share on a winter day when you are snowed in.
 
 
DUNSEITH MEMORIES
Once upon a time, a long time ago, when time didn’t seem to move so fast.
Days were not so busy and children were safe when running free.
The children did run free. They ran free in the pastures, free in the woods and creek and freely through the small town.
In the winter it was not unusual to see the children, loaded with cardboard boxes headed to the City Park to slide the slippery slopes.
They build snow forts and tunneled caves through the winter drifts.
After a major snowstorm it was possible to see children climb from the snowdrifts to the roofs of stores.
The skating rink became a gathering place where red rover and crack the whip were played over and over again. Those children scrambled into the jailhouse/firehall to warm their freezing feet, tell their goofy stories and giggle at nonsense. It was a childhood of innocence and wonderful memories.
 
by Bonnie Awalt Houle

12/31/2007

Posted on by
Message from Warren Anderson (65):
Hi, Gary.
 
How are you and your wife doing? Cora and I are fine these winter days. We took the snowmobiles up to the farm today and rode about 12 miles around the hills. It was nice to see all the animal tracks and even to see some moose tracks. I see Margaret Metcalfe Leonard just about ever week and she is doing fine. They just moved into their new high school building, in Belcourt, over the holidays so she is excited about the 2nd half of the school year. Dunseith just beat the number one rated basketball team in the state last week so Dunseith has some excitement with basketball. Dunseith has a DaCoteau kid that is 6′ 10″.
 
The jets that screamed over Dunseith even scared me on the farm that day. And I was 7 miles straight north of the city but it seemed they were over us before they got turned around. I was only 13 years old. In Viet Nam we had the F-4s that came in awful close to us but I never feared them like some of the other boys did. Maybe it was the experience of the Dunseith fly over that gave me the feeling you had nothing to fear. Enough about history. I am still trying to sell my office building and apartments and quit counseling but no takers and I don’t feel there will be anything now until spring or summer.
 
Cora and I wish’s you and your wife a happy new year—–Warren 65
 
 
Bev Morinville’s (72) Reply to Bobbie Slyter (70):
To Bobby : thanks for calling us kids , Bev Morinville (Azure)
 
 
 
Message from LeaRae Parrill Espe (67):
Thanks for finding Maurice Gouin. I just knew I had his name spelled incorrectly. That never helps.
I am really enjoying all the messages from everyone. I hope Tim Martinson and Larry Hackman keep up the great memory attacks!
 
I got my mother, Mildred Parrill, on the computer over Christmas. She stayed in Bottineau four nights so she could visit Marie and her other two sisters. I entertained the bunch for Christmas dinner-my guests were ages 90,89,87,84, and 82. They had a few games of whist and alot of stories. It was great.
 
Anyway Mom really enjoyed reading some of the messages. Whenever she read about someone she had a story. She remembered Tim Martinson being the coach of the American Legion team on which my brother Clark played. That team did very well. Dunseith had many great athletes. It would be great to hear Tim’s recollection of the season(s). I went to college for three summers and I missed all of that.
 
Happy New Year!
LeaRae
 
PS Kay Flynn is really just K. Flynn. She told me once that it represented Knox, but Minnie didn’t want to name her Knox so it was just K. – K. Jacqueline Flynn Richard
(K. I’ve updated all my Data bases with K. Gary)
 
 
Message from Cecile Gouin Craig (61):
Have really been enjoying all notes and letters, they have brought back A lot of memories of people and places. Thanks, Cec’
Yes, I remember the Deerheart Lodge well. I’ve got two pics of it. One is the same one you posted and one of the castle. I think my Mother has some, will look in her albums. In 75 or 76 when I went to Dunseith, went looking for the Lodge but couldn’t find it. I sure hope some museum has it all. I loved that place. Will send the pics I find.
On that trip also went to the Butte of St. Paul. There wasn’t even a trail to go in or up the Butte. What’s with that??
Tim I remember the bakery well. During school and lunch time 5 or 6 of us girls would run to the bakery and get 3 raised doughnuts or Bismarck’s for a dime, then race to Shelver’s Drug to grab the only booth. Order cherry cokes. Eat our healthy lunches, then race back to classes. Those were the best doughnuts!
Sorry I missed all the excitement over the Thunderbirds. Collette didn’t Janet go the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs to Bill’s graduation and all the festivities??
Cecile Gouin Craig ’61
 
 
Randy Flynn’s (70) reply to Gary Stokes: (Note, Bremerton WA, the city Randy mentions, is where I moved to from Dunseith, until moving to the Philippines in 2003. I worked my entire career at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, retiring in 2003. Gary)
Gary,
Thank you for all the Emails. However, I have not had time to
read them. I still work for Customs but since we are now
Department of Homeland Security and have become Customs and
Border Protection (Immigration, Customs, and Agriculture) there
is always something new to learn. Or something to teach all
the new employees who have no institutional memory. I recently
moved to Portland, Oregon, so I do not plan to retire in the
near future. I would just go back to work anyway.

Bremerton is a beautiful place. I have enjoyed taking the
Seattle-Bremerton Ferry to Seattle. The trip provides a
relaxing and interesting view of Seattle when compared with a
trip on I-5 at 75 miles per hour. I have spent an afternoon in
“The Pour House Pub”. A friend’s from Wilton, ND cousin, Carol
and Dave, own the Pub.

If you can provide names of interesting places to see other
than the usual tourist stops I would appreciate it. I have
seen the original Starbucks and purchased some coffee there.
Watched the fish fly from the Ice to the counters, K.C. Sine,
could have used this method to sell more candy to school kids.

I am happy to see you taking such an interest in our roots and
our routes. With the death the fall of 06 of a good friend and
CBP colleague, Clark Parrill (DHS 70), I often wonder where all
of our lives have taken people from Dunseith.

A couple of notes in my travels for work, if you are from North
Dakota, the 6 degrees of separation is really on 4 degrees.
People from North Dakota are everywhere and know everyone
around the world. Since we are from a small rural town and
have Scandinavian heritage we down play our connections. But I
am sure if my life depended on it I could get an autograph of
anyone in the USA and probably the world.

And . . . North Dakota is a Great place to be FROM . . . so
many of us have left the state in search of employment.

Randy

 
 
 
Message from Trish Larson Clayburgh (73)
Hi Gary,
 
Interesting stories. I’m not sure if I remember a place called Deer Heart, but it reminds me of the lodge in the Peace Garden where many a wedding dance was held. There were some folks there that really knew how to dance to that wild polka music. I remember a married couple who were in their 40-50’s, which would put them in their 80’s maybe now, who danced all night like crazy. They were short and stout and fabulously in love – at least with dancing. I’ll bet somebody knows who they were – they were at every barn dance I ever attended. (Remember those fabulous round barn dances?)
 
And speaking of dances – remember the Lake Metigoshe dances in the early 70’s? How about those black lights???? Everybody looked tanned!
 
We North Dakotans sure learn how to throw a good party don’t we?
 
I remember also a party at my house at the port of entry one winter. My parents had left my brother Greg and I to attend a funeral in Montana, and the word got out that we were having a party. There must have been almost a hundred people squeezed in that little house. When the party was at it’s Zenith, our reveling was cut short however. Somebody spied my parents when they came home early and pulled in the driveway.
 
They yelled “TRISH – YOUR PARENTS ARE HOME!” For a moment, there was utter silence as we all made eye contact and then….
 
Oh My! There was a mass exodus out the front door as Hazel and Harvey pulled their big ole Cadillac into the garage. Some nice person offered to grab empties and run out the back door. I believe it was a quiet fellow named Larry….or was it a Lagerquist?
 
Anyhow my hero came back in the front door a few minutes later to join a few brave partiers had stayed to “face the music” with me. He whispered, “you didn’t tell me there was a hole in the backyard – I almost broke a leg!”. I gasped to remember that there was a pipe project going on out back and as he had dashed out with the best of intentions, he had fallen into the snowy pipe ditch about 2 feet deep – spewing 2 grocery bags full of empty beer cans all over the back yard!
 
Next morning, bless her soul, my dear mom got up early and picked up all the cans. I couldn’t believe she wasn’t furious with me, but in one of her most endearing moments she laughed and said “I couldn’t let the neighbors see them could I?” She wasn’t angry about the broken chair brace either. I remember clearly the moment George Malaterre put his big ‘ole foot on that spindly chair and snapped it right in two! He was horrified, and very apologetic. I brushed it off, but secretly I WAS a little worried my parents might kill me.
 
Instead my mom taught me a lesson about forgiveness. And the value in a really great party…
 
Anyhow, thanks again for stirring the great memories….
 
Trish (Larson) Clayburgh
 
 
Request from Ron Link (58)
Gary: Can you add James Robillard (class of 58) to your E-mail list as He would also like to get copies of your E-mails. His Address is: jwrobillard@dia.net THANK YOU—RON
 
 
New Years in the Philippines:
Folks, It’s now New Years Eve here in the Philippines. It’ currently 7:30 PM and the parties have started. Bernadette’s Nephew has his big sound system set up in our area with the strobe lights and all. Folks are dancing and will continue to dance and party until the wee hours of the morning. There are continuous fireworks going off through out the are, but at midnight it will be like a huge bomb hitting the Philippines with all the fireworks. After midnight, Bernadette will be serving a big dinner for everyone in our area of about 60 folks. This is a tropical country so all the partying is done outside. Folks will go in our house to get their food and go back out side where we have tables and chairs set up to eat.
 
Happy New year to each and every one of you.
 
Gary & Bernadette Stokes

12/30/2007

Posted on by
Larry Hackman’s message to Bill Hosmer:
 
Bill
Just to let you know and to pump up your pumper more, I want to let you
know that I have related the story of the Thunderbirds buzzing small town,
USA, Dunseith, ND many times over the years. That one short moment in
time has meant a lot and apparently not only to me. We did not have much
growing up in Dunseith but we did have a pilot that flew with the
Thunderbirds, Not many towns can make that claim. New Rockford, ND. is
real proud to have a astronaut, but I’ll bet he never buzzed main street
and created the memories that you have for all of us. Thank you. Now if I
can figure out a way to get Gary to stop confusing me with Carmen Myer and
Santa Claus I’ll be doing great. By the way, I think I did meet you and
visit with you for a short time at the Althea Theatre (Senior Citizen
Center) at the Dunseith Reunion. Did you say you were living or staying in
a cabin up at Long Lake or am I confused. Bill, you have a great day and
thank you again, for the memory.
larry
 
 
Colette Hosmer’s message to Tim Martinson:
 
I wanted to thank Tim Martinson for his e-mail regarding the “back room” of the bakery. I managed to find myself at one or two of those gatherings (only as a privileged bystander). Your account was wonderful.

 
Also, I remember Deer Heart Lodge as a young girl — in fact I was spellbound by the place. I have to think that the art I make today was influenced by those little taxidermy scenes. Does anyone have photos or stories or history to share about Deer Heart Lodge?
 
Thanks,
Colette
 
 
Bobbie Slyter’s comments: Vance Bailey’s movie:
 
Whoever put Vance’s movie together did a fantastic job, I don’t remember Vance but seem like I did after watching it, I truly enjoyed it.
The picture of the Morinville kids was great I remember them all well
bobbie slyter
 
 
Colette Hosmer’s WEB site
 
To view a very nice picture of Colette, just click on her WEB site that I’ve pasted below. We’ve been seeing all of her nice messages, so now you can see the nice lady behind all these nice messages and browse her very interesting WEB sight if you so wish. Colette has become a very well known international Artist. Gary

12/28/2007-3

Posted on by
Folks, I’ve played with this for awhile getting the file size’s down and in the process keeping the dimension size’s of the pictures large enough to be easily viewed. I never like to send out group messages with large file sizes. This should be manageable for most everyone.
 
 
 
Message Neola Kofoid Garbe (Gary’s Cousin):
Gary,
 
I just watched the movie of Vance Bailey’s life. WOW!! Someone is talented. I didn’t know Vance, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. The more I read about Vance, though, the more I feel like I “know/knew” him.
 
Here’s a “shortcut” to the movie: http://www.mem.com/movie/MovingMemories.asp?ID=2200968
 
Neola
 
 
 
Message from Geri Metcalfe with picture (Metcalfe’s & Lagerquist’s):
Gary,
I enjoyed Karen Woodford’s reply re: Bobby Lagerquist and her Lagerquist relatives. Hope this picture comes thru OK–I treasure this picture as this group of kids spent alot of time at my parents, Jim and Ella Metcalfe’s farm.
My sis, Patti is only about two on this picture, so I’m thinking it was taken in about 1950, the year my sis, Lola, was born.The Strong’s lived with us for a time when their home burned about the time we were moving to the farm from Seattle, where Helen and I were born. My parents lived in Seattle for seven years. They moved back before Margaret was born in 1946. Yes, Hilda and Leroy had Bobby L. living with them and I remember Inga and George visiting at our farm as well.

We’re getting ready to leave for AZ, so if I don’t get time to send this to Karen, she will get it from you.

Thanks much, Gary, for all you do–I’ll keep in touch in Mesa.

Hope the New Year is kind to all of us,

 
Geri
 
Left to right: Bobby Lagerquist, Ronnie Strong, Jerry Strong, cousin Larry Metcalfe, my brother, Gary Metcalfe, Gordy Strong, me in front of Gordy and my sis, Helen in front of me; the three kids in the front are my sis, Margaret (in front of Jerry Strong), her little friend, Timmy Strong and my sis, Patti .
 
 
Jerry and Toni (Morinville) Gredesky
 
  
Morinville siblings:
Front: Duane & Toni
Back: Debbie & Bev
 
 
 Message & picture from Neola Kofoid Garbe. Neola’s father, John Kofoid, owned the Corner Garage in the 50’s & 60’s (John Kofoid & Bob Stokes (my dad) were 1st cousins)
Gary,
 
I think Joe Boguslawski also worked in the “office” for a short time after Ernest. I’m not sure about this. You/your classmates were still quite young in 1953.
 
Ernest was a neat fellow. I really enjoyed him.
 
Neola
 

Picture: Ernest Tennancour

 
 
Question and picture from Tim Martinson (69)
Hi Gary, I want to know if anybody remembers
Ray Wilson (PIcture & article previously sent) or Deerheart Lodge? Take Care, Tim
 
Wedding At DeerHeart Lodge near Dunseith
 

 

12/28/2007-2

Posted on by
Folks,
 
I have forwarded, below, Bill Hosmer’s very interesting letter with his side of the air shows as one as a Thunderbird pilot. Thank you Bill for sharing this with us. Folks have been waiting 45 plus years to hear your side of these shows.
 
I have also included with this message several other comments/messages/requests from Colette Hosmer, Ron Link, Dayna Bailey & a beautiful picture of Larry Hackman with his new granddaughter.
 
Thank you folks for all the feed back that you have sent regarding a WEB site. I have forwarded all your correspondence to Bob Leonard, Cheryl Haagenson & Bill Hosmer for them to evaluate in choosing a WEB site. They will evaluate and take into consideration all of our comments and requests in choosing this WEB site. Colette Hosmer’s comments for a WEB site are included with her message pasted below. I will continue to forward all your requests and comments concerning this WEB site to Bob, Cheryl & Bill. Bill, you mentioned that you know nothing about setting up and maintaining these WEB sites, but I know that you are working with Cheryl & Bob to get this up and running. We have a vast pool of folks within our group that you can turn to with any questions you may have getting this all set up. We trust you guys judgment and will go along with what ever you think is best. Please let us know the costs involved too.
 
Gary
 
 
Bill Hosmer’s comments & Reply: Thunderbirds
Gary Stokes, Ron Longie, Cousin Colette Hosmer, Larry Hackman, Allen
Richard, Bill Grimme and to Deb Morinville (whose address I did not
have).

Thank you for taking the time to comment on that brief period of
time in a long life. The flattery I’m experiencing is a gift from
you all, and that is important to me. By the way I answered a
direct mailing from Susan Fassett, so she was not included in this
series of observations and impressions response.

Just to clarify a couple of impressions, we did not do any
supersonic maneuvers. The explosive sound that was heard was in all
likelihood, the afterburner which is a loud and sudden explosive
acceleration which that engine incorporated. The solo pilots used
it more than us working guys in the formation, although it’s
possible anytime. On one of the South American shows we did in 1961
the President of Paraguay asked our lead to do a supersonic pass.
He explained that the shock wave might possibly break many windows
in the air terminal. The president said, “This is my country, and
those are my windows”. So the leader had the solo to open the show
with a boom. No windows were broken, but they had alot of tape
helping to withstand the shock.

What caused KC Sine to fall was not in the plan, but it happened
like this: As lead headed us toward Minot, I asked him permission
to do a slow pass down main street. I wanted to see if my folks
were at our store on main street. I was low and very slow with my
landing gear down. Unknown to me the other wing man pulled out of
the formation, got behind me a good distance then lit the
afterburner, accelerated to nearly 500knots, flew UNDER me as we
passed the bank on the corner. KC explained to me when Dad and I
went to apologize, he had that masterful fast paced dialogue with a
little swearing going on, telling me, that fast one was going to
kill him right in front of his store,etc, etc, then he ended his
tirade, he said, “hey kid, wanna banana?” I’d heard that many
years before that Sept day in 1961. What a piece of work that man
was.

There are Thunderbird reunions every other year in Las Vegas where
we get together with us oldtimers, and all the teams before and
after us, and are treated to a private air show by the current
team in their beautiful F-16 aircraft at Nellis AFB. This year it
was last month. The number of attendees from our earlier teams are
less and less, but it is like being in Dunseith at our famous
100th and125th Celebrations to see all the generations in
attendance, to give the heart a tug, and the mind a blast of
afterburner.

I did eject from the airplane I flew to ND about two weeks after
we had been there. It was not at a show, but during our arrival
maneuvers at a Navy Base in Rhode Island, I had the engine quit
running, tried some emergency airstarts, tried to position the
bird to make a dead stick (engine out) pattern, but was too low,
so ejected without injury, and flew the spare airplane in the show
the next day. The other one exploded in an empty field with no
damage to anything on the ground, except the dirt. I landed in a
tree and I was not as good a tree climber as I was down at Willow
Creek, but shoot.

I’m hoping someone can figure out the best way to get us in
computer contact on a regular basis. I can contribute $$, but my
brain power is limited.

Cheers and Happy New Year to you all, and thank you from my
heart. Bill Hosmer

 
 
 
Colette Hosmer’s comments and reply:
Bill, I began this e-mail (below) this morning but had to leave for an appointment so saved it to send later. I just got back and read the Thunderbird account from your point of view. Guess we’re working on mental telepathy now….
 

Hi Gary and Cousin Bill,

 
Loved reading your Christmas Day letter, Bill. So many people exchanged their memories of your Dunseith Thunderbird Show….maybe someday you’ll tell us your side of the story (?)
 
Although I don’t know anything about building or maintaining a website (I traded art and paid a professional for mine) I will add my 2 cents to the equation. I agree with Gary that we should stick with e-mail for our initial communication — especially since he’s so generous in acting as the clearing house for these thousands of messages. However, I would imagine that information could be organized very effectively on a website. And, photographs would be an important addition to the history.
 
I also agree that if this effort is made, it should be top rate, easy to maneuver and with plenty of room to add info indefinitely.
 
Colette
 
 
Request from Ron Link:

Gary: Please include Don & Colleen(Conroy) Martel’s E-mail address to your list of address’s on your E-mail’s There address is: dcmartel@frontiernet.net THANK YOU—RON
 
 
 
Message from Dayna Bailey, Vance’s Daughter: Slide show for Vance
Gary

The slide show for Dad’s is posted.
Go to www.mem.com

Search for
Bailey, Vance

It will take you to his obituary.
On the right side of the screen you see buttons. There is one for ‘movie’

Doreen states that she would like to stay on the Dunseith alumni email list.
Also she mentioned old photos of Dunseith. She has a bunch just let her know
if and when you would like to post them.

Thanks

Dayna

 
 
 
Larry Hackman with his Granddaughter Izzabell (7 Wks):
You can tell this gal is going places and doing things. Grandpa says so! She had a list so long for Santa, that he just decided to take her to the North Pole and turned the whole place over to her. I might have to help deliver gifts next year. Oh well, a Grandma’s and Grandpa’s work is never done.
larry

12/28/2007-1

Posted on by

Bill Hosmer,

I thought I’d share with you and the Dunseith Alumni some of the memories that folks have of you and the famous Thunderbirds. I’ve attached a few messages that our class of 65 generated this last April when our subject of discussion for the day was you and those planes performing over Dunseith. Last winter our class members would have, almost live discussions, on various topics and this was one of them.

The first message I just received yesterday from Ron Longie also from our class of 65. All the other messages down to Deb Morinville’s were generated last April.

 

Ron Longie’s reply to Bill Hosmer:
Gary,

I truly enjoyed reading Bill Hosmers email, the memories came flooding back about the old skating rink sitting in the warm up shed retying skates, warming hands and feet what a memory. I thank you Bill for the trip down memory lane, and I also like Bill Grimme remember the pass over of the jets what a day. Thanks again for all the names of people that I had forgotten.

Ron Longie

Colette Hosmer’s reply:
Gary and Larry, Great memories. Actually, Bill was my cousin — my Uncle Jack

Hosmer’s oldest son. Bill and his wife, Pat, have a cabin at Lake
Metigoshe and have spent the summers there for years now. Bill still
tells great stories about those days. One was that Uncle Jack had to
walk down to Casey Sine’s store the next morning to offer an apology.
Casey got skinned up when he “hit the asphalt” as the jets thundered
down main street at the end of their performance. Larry – I also like the idea of the arched street lights. Colette

On 4/23/07, Gary Stokes wrote:
Larry, Again you are a wonderful writer and story teller.
Colette, I think your Uncle Bill Hosmer was part of these Thunderbird shows
that Larry is talking about.

Wonderful story from Larry Hackman
Gary & Bill & Paul

Did you read about the Blue Angle pilot crashing yesterday and getting
killed at a flight demonstration. That brought back a memory when the
Thunderbirds would come and fly over Dunseith. They would fly over and do a
few maneuvers usually about once a summer or when ever they were in the
area. I remember they would come right down main street what seemed as low
as tree top high. The street lights would start rattling and the next thing
that happened was there was five jets following each other right down main
street. It really made you stop what ever you were doing and pay
attention. If I remember correctly is that they would even break the
sound
berrier a few times just to make sure that everyone would come out of their
houses to watch the show. That was still legal in them days,(You know, way
back when). Mostly I think it was to get the Hosmer families
attention. Colette’s uncle was one of the pilots if I remember correctly.
Then for the closing of their demonstration they would come flying down main
from the north end of town. They would come so low and so fast that the top
of street light poles would be sucked in and touch, creating arches from one
end of main to the other end. They would have to have the fire dept. go out
the next day with the ladder truck to streighten the poles back out. I
always thought the town would have looked better with the arches, and
really would have looked good at Christmas. You know with the arches
decorated with Christmas lights and such. It really would have created a
amazing sight in the dark of night. If you can emagine. You know, that is a
helluva idea for the street dance during the reunion. You can just emagine
everyone doing the snake dance (or is that crack the whip) down main under
the arches. Maybe someone ought to pass that idea onto someone. But I
think Colette’s uncle retired. Its really to bad about that Blue Angel
Pilot. We must all say a prayer for the well being of his family.
You all take care and smile,

larry

Allen Richard’s Reply:
Bill Hosmer, one of Jack Hosmer’s older sons was a pilot with the Air Force Thunderbirds in the 60’s. They were performing at the Minot Air Base and did an impromptu short show above Dunseith Min street. I was mowing hay in a road ditch along Highway 3– Getting buzzed by an F-100 (yeah that is what they flew back then) at 500 mph is a true religious experience.

By the way, after Bill Hosmer left the he did some test pilot work and demonstrations for Cessna–Great guy and fun to talk with. Last I saw him he was living @Lake Metigoshe God — been gone so long I forgot how to spell it! Anyway Collette or Jess might know his whereabouts.

Bill Grimme’s reply:
Great stuff! The Thunderbirds were a big part of our younger days. I
remember hearing rumors that there might be a flyover (I’m sure an official
announcement would not have been allowed). Seems like it always corresponded
with some event at Minot AFB. We would wait in anticipation on the day and
still be surprised when the Thunderbirds made the first pass. Cakes fell,
kids and adults ran outside, Brownie cameras were pointed to the sky (doubt
that the pictures turned out) and, as Colette has shared, Dunseith citizens
skinning their knees when they hit the deck. What a day! Here is a good link to the Thunderbird history. Colette’s cousin is
prominent in the article, Bill http://www.usafthunderbirds.com/history.html

Colette’s Hosmer’s reply:
Hey Bill,I replied to the Thunderbird story before I read your e-mail.

So….one real live account of a “man” actually hitting the deck.

Another one was Jimmy McKoy. He was up on the roof of the Crystal
Cafe to get a better view of the show. He swore, that when the planes
came down main street, if he wouldn’t have flattened out he would have been hit!Colette

Susan Fassett’s reply:
The story I remember is that a lot of the older folks in town thought we were being attacked by the Russians when the planes came flying so low over the town. I remember standing in the alley behind our house and you could see the pilots in the planes very clearly, as low as they were. It was a real treat for us small town kids. Susan


Message I recieved yesterday from Deb Morinville Marmon:
Dear Gary,

Merry Christmas!! Are you overwhelmed yet? My goodness, this list is taking on a life of it’s own!

My mom, Frances Morinville used to tell this story of the day the “Thunderbirds” came to town (pretty much unannounced)

Back in those days the big threat to the USA was the USSR. Everyone talked about the “communists”. Mom and Dad talked about them so much I came to think I could identify one if they walked down the street kind of like a Martian or other alien. Anyway, Mom said that one of the jets came really low right over main street. The door opened at the store and an elderly woman came in, white as a sheet. Mom got her sat down in the chair by the window and after she could catch her breath she said “I think the communists are attacking!” Mom told that story for years, she got such a kick out of it. I also remember forming a caravan to the Minot Air Base to watch the air show. It was one of the thrills of my childhood years. Thanks Bill, for the joy of those days and also for your service to our country.

Merry Christmas to all my old “homies”

Deb Morinville Marmon


Following day’s comments from Bill Hosmer to the Above postings

Bill Hosmer’s comments & Reply: ThunderbirdsGary Stokes, Ron Longie, Cousin Colette Hosmer, Larry Hackman, Allen Richard, Bill Grimme and to Deb Morinville (whose address I did not have).Thank you for taking the time to comment on that brief period of time in a long life. The flattery I’m experiencing is a gift from you all, and that is important to me. By the way I answered a direct mailing from Susan Fassett, so she was not included in this series of observations and impressions response.

Just to clarify a couple of impressions, we did not do any
supersonic maneuvers. The explosive sound that was heard was in all
likelihood, the afterburner which is a loud and sudden explosive
acceleration which that engine incorporated. The solo pilots used
it more than us working guys in the formation, although it’s
possible anytime. On one of the South American shows we did in 1961
the President of Paraguay asked our lead to do a supersonic pass.
He explained that the shock wave might possibly break many windows
in the air terminal. The president said, “This is my country, and
those are my windows”. So the leader had the solo to open the show
with a boom. No windows were broken, but they had alot of tape
helping to withstand the shock.

What caused KC Sine to fall was not in the plan, but it happened
like this: As lead headed us toward Minot, I asked him permission
to do a slow pass down main street. I wanted to see if my folks
were at our store on main street. I was low and very slow with my
landing gear down. Unknown to me the other wing man pulled out of
the formation, got behind me a good distance then lit the
afterburner, accelerated to nearly 500knots, flew UNDER me as we
passed the bank on the corner. KC explained to me when Dad and I
went to apologize, he had that masterful fast paced dialogue with a
little swearing going on, telling me, that fast one was going to
kill him right in front of his store,etc, etc, then he ended his
tirade, he said, “hey kid, wanna banana?” I’d heard that many
years before that Sept day in 1961. What a piece of work that man
was.

There are Thunderbird reunions every other year in Las Vegas where
we get together with us oldtimers, and all the teams before and
after us, and are treated to a private air show by the current
team in their beautiful F-16 aircraft at Nellis AFB. This year it
was last month. The number of attendees from our earlier teams are
less and less, but it is like being in Dunseith at our famous
100th and125th Celebrations to see all the generations in
attendance, to give the heart a tug, and the mind a blast of
afterburner.

I did eject from the airplane I flew to ND about two weeks after
we had been there. It was not at a show, but during our arrival
maneuvers at a Navy Base in Rhode Island, I had the engine quit
running, tried some emergency airstarts, tried to position the
bird to make a dead stick (engine out) pattern, but was too low,
so ejected without injury, and flew the spare airplane in the show
the next day. The other one exploded in an empty field with no
damage to anything on the ground, except the dirt. I landed in a
tree and I was not as good a tree climber as I was down at Willow
Creek, but shoot.

I’m hoping someone can figure out the best way to get us in
computer contact on a regular basis. I can contribute $$, but my
brain power is limited.

Cheers and Happy New Year to you all, and thank you from my
heart. Bill Hosmer

12/26/2007

Posted on by
Message from Vance Bailey’s daughter Dayna:
Gary
Merry Christmas
I am Vance’s daughter Dayna.
I would like to Thank You for sending Doreen the email addresses of the
newspapers in North Dakota. I just sent his Obituary to them with a photo.
Thanks soo much.
Dayna
 
Message from Bill Grimme (65):
First of all, Merry Christmas to all my Dunseith friends. It has been a great year getting re-acquainted with everyone!

 
And second, thank you Cecile Berube for my Secret Santa gift from you. It is just what I needed in retirement-I was starting to get lazy! That’s a real easy thing to do, I have found. We’ll let everyone guess what the gift is.
 
I am looking forward to another year of email fellowship and look forward to seeing everyone again.
 
Bill
 
 
Message from Cheryl Haagenson: (71)
It is so great what you do to keep us all connected, Thank you! I am planning on the Alaska cruise I need to put my name on the list. Thanks again for all you do for us. Hope you had a great Christmas. And happy new YearCheryl Haagenson

 
 
Message from Ron Link (58):
Gary: Please add Ellen Myrick (Graff)(Class of 1958) to your E-mail recipients as she would certainly appreciate it. The E-mail’s are very informative. Her E-mail address is emyrick@gra.midco.net Thank you and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.—RON LINK
 
 
Message from Allen Richard (65):

Don Lamouroux–Remember our riding our Honda 350’s together back in the day? Damn I wish I had never sold that little bike. The kid that bought it didn’t have enough brains to replace the clutch cable and used the electric starter to start it in gear. I think he had it for maybe 3 weeks before it was trash. Sad end to a sweet little machine. It had less than 8,000 miles when I sold it. What happened to yours?
 
Allen
 
 
Message from Bill Hosmer: Bill, we all remember you and the famous Thunderbirds doing a show over Dunseith in the 60’s. When I get a chance, I’ll dig out some neat comments from some of the class of 65 folks about those performances and forward them to the Dunseith Alumni. Gary
 
Gary. The flurry of memories enfolding the sadness of our loss of
Vance Bailey is an extremely soothing and stimulating read. With
comments from my brother Bob Hosmer, and my beautiful cousin Colette
Hosmer adding to the lore, I am tempted to add my two bits worth.
I spoke to Wayne Bailey, Vances brother. He is one of the dozen of
us who meet at the Dunseith golf course every Tuesday when it isn’t
covered with snow. Wayne indicated that there will be a private
family celebration of Vance’s life on the 29th of December. Wayne
is going to manage another memorial service at the Dunseith cemetery
around the time of Memorial Day next year. There is a family plot
where their Mother, Dad, and baby sister are buried. I will
certainly be in attendance there.
The memories of Dunseith are still vivid at my advanced age of 77.
I didn’t graduate from Dunseith HS, but my days spent there won a few
diplomas of “Life in a Great Place”. Vance’s description of the swimming
places, the stock yard hooliganism and falling off the cliff at the gravel
pit when “shot while playing cowboys and Indians” in my case were
acurate. Mac Macue (spelling) used to have a bag of candy mints in his
pocket and Gene Fassett and I used to check out the Dakota Hotel for a
handout on our way south on main street where Emil Hack would be sitting
on the sidewalk curb, where we could stop at the Wilson barber shop right
next to the drug store where we would read comic books until Mrs Shelver
couldn”t stand it any more and tell us to leave NOW. So we could
continue south to the barbershop and watch hair cuts that Jess was giving
while Ludie, his oldest son shined shoes. Clarence Hagen used to work at
the stone garage owned by the Lake brothers, used to stand leaning against
the east side waiting for cars to get gas. Later he was at Anzio in the
Sicily/Italian campaign of WWII. We’d head by the Lamoureux garage and
see what was going on in the maintenance area where Charlie, Leo, Ovilla,
and Albert might be fixing a truck or car. Across the street, Uncle Ray
Wilson was the judge. He and Ovilla played chess by the hour, and Uncle
Ray would let us puff on his pipe probably in hopes we’d throw up. Think
about that nowadays. KC Sine would usually be good for a coke or a banana
or maybe both. Mom never understood why I usually did not have an
appetite.Willow Creek always had fascination for me. In the spring we would
catch tadpoles and minnows to save in a jar. Once we caught a
couple of garter snakes and brought them to my house just south of
the Commercial Hotel while the Grassmans still managed it. We were
feeding them some small frogs we caught at the creek, and the woman
who was taking care of me. Don, and Bob while the folks were gone,
came out to see this beautiful sight and said to get those critters
out of the yard. Later, she was taking a nap in the house and I
took a mounted rattle snake which one of my uncles gave dad. It was
in a coiled posture. I put it beside her on the bed and then went
to the kitchen and made a little noise so she would wake up. Sure
as heck she woke, screamed like a siren, and came after me with a
vengance. Sure didn’t do much more with snakes after that

The old skating rink and warming house was a favorite meeting place
whether you were skating or not. There was a pot bellied stove that
heated it up grand. As a matter of fact, my brother Don and I stopped in
there after a Sunday afternoon movie at the Althea Theater, right next to
Floyd Nelson’s barber shop. He didn’t allow kids to watch hair cuts.
Anyway Don and I stopped and Vance and Wayne were there in the warming
hut and we discussed lifes strifes.

Sunday School at the Stone Church was a must and at Christmas time
(Which is as I write this) we all were at some time in a play or
pageant. One time Dee Nelson (son of Floyd), Spencer Teal (son of
Bill and Irene who lived at the depot) and I (son of Jack and Inez
Hosmer) were THE THREE WISEMEN. I was the bearer of Myrh and still
remember the words I had to maneuver through the cotton beard we all
wore which would slip quite a bit while singing in the bathrobes which
were supposed to look like Arab garments.

The Johnson family, Mr and Mrs JJ, Bud, Bob, Warren, Roger, Chuck,
Walter, and Shirley were a family I knew well. Chuck and I were same
age, and the other guys were around and vocal so we learned alot of
good man-talk words. There Mother Carie was a beautiful and talented
citizen who lived a long life. Bob, Walter and Roger were at the
125th Celebration.

Another family I grew to know was the Ole Evans family at the mill.
Grandpa Gottbreht was still alive and Joe Evans and I ran over a
stack of newly sacked flour which was milled there. It was a mistake
because we had muddy boots on and left black tracks on those beautiful
white mounds. He shook his fist told me to get home, and he knew who
I was. Wow, I thought I’d be put in solitary, but no one ever
mentioned it again except me and Joe. We used to get in a buggy
powered by a horse called Mike and go out west across the creek to the
pastures west and north of the homestead to bring the cattle in for
milking. Then all the men including Uncle Frank, Ole, Myron, Joe, and
Rod would milk the herd. Celia Evans would operate the separator in
the milk house, by hand crank, and then it would be bottled and
delivered by Myron. The cream at the top of the bottle was divine on
breakfastfood, and the milk was delicious.

I’ll leave it here for now, and will do so with my warmest and most
serious hope for all your years to come, including the next one, to be
fulfilling, at peace, and in a grip of happiness and satisfaction. My
email in Arizona is hozndaz@theriver.com. Thank you all for being
who you are and for being from where we all were at one time or
another, DUNSEITH FOREVER. Bill Hosmer

 
Bill Hosmer’s follow up message:
Gary. The bundle of great mail you initiated is most interesting
and poignant with our loss of a terrific historically oriented
Dunseith citizen named Vance Bailey. A distant cousin of mine, and
a long time friend.Your latest which I read today was terrific. I tried to add a few
memories and hoped that it would go to all the folks you had
addressed yours to, but it bounced at the “undisclosed recipient”.
Hopefully it did get through to you. (Bill, with such a big list I have to send out 4 mailings with each of these messages. The max is 100 names with each message) If it did and you don’t
object, perhaps it could be forwarded to your original addressing.
If you did or did not receive my input, could you give me a short
reply letting me know? I noticed in something you sent out that
there was a way to get to all the people with one shot, but now I
cannot locate it. My computer knowledge is in the dark ages zone.
If you did not get it, I can try again because I have the complete
(and valuable)listing of all known computer addresses, thanks to
forwarding by Bob Leonard.

You have opened a beehive of good reading, and I appreciate what you
have gifted us with.

Merry Christmas Today, here in AZ. Happy New Year as well. Bill
Hosmer hozndaz@theriver.com

 
 
 
Message from Allen Richard:

Merry Christmas everyone–Gary–maybe you should look at a way to make all the e-mail available to everyone on an annual basis some how. Like in a massive e mail or in print in a way we could all subscribe to.
 
Allen
 
 
Allen, The easy way of doing this would be to set up a WEB site for all of these messages that folks could access for review. We could also post the many pictures that everyone has provided too, into this WEB site. I still want to send this stuff out to the Dunseith list though. It’s more meaningful when folks get these messages together at the same time and can make their comments. Then they could be placed into the WEB site. Folks often times don’t review WEB sites on a regular bases. It would be nice for folks to be able to access things like the class lists too. If I keep at this long enough, I’ll have them all. I have never looked into a WEB site and I’ll have to admit, I don’t have any idea what is involved in setting one up and maintaining it. Over this last year we have sure generated a wealth of information that could be placed into a WEB site.
 
Are there any suggestions from any of you out there? Is anyone interested in setting up a WEB site and maintaining it?
 
Our list is growing to a point that I have to send out multiple sendings with each message. Most email providers limit their number to 100 for each message so as not to overload their server. That is not a real problem yet, but it would be nice to be able to throttle these messages to the recipients with so many being sent every few seconds enabling one sending to the whole list. Do any of you know of any email providers that provide this service or know of any way this could be done. I know this is how major corporations send their email. Most email providers set daily limits too. So far I’ve been able to get around that by using several providers. It would be nice to have a provider that did not set limits though.
 
Any suggestions that any of you have would be greatly appreciated.
 
Gary
 
PS – As I was putting this message together, I received Cheryl Haagenson’s message that is included with this sending. She mentioned going on the Alaskan Cruise in July of 2009. Folks, this will be a great time for all of us Dunseith folks to get together and enjoy each others company for a whole week. We’ve got Sandra Trevers from the class of 60 that will be making all of the arrangements. She’s been in this business a long time and knows well how to arrange our travel and group activities. The 2009 cruise line schedules will not be posted until the April/May time frame, but we can be making plans. This is being planned for late July 2009 departing from Seattle. We chose late July to maybe accommodate some the farmers that may be interested in going. A summer cruise also accommodates the many Dunseith Alumni folks that are teachers or work for the schools. We will be sending out detailed info when the schedules are out and we have a cruise in place.

12/21/2007

Posted on by
Kenny Nerpel’s reply to Colette Hosmer feeding her dog in her underware:
Gary
Wow some guys had all the luck! Us country boys never saw anything like
that. Just udders right Gary?
Kenny(65)
 
 
Gary Stokes’ Reply to Kenny:
Kenny,
Yes, we saw lots of Udders both before an after school. I do not miss those cow milking days one bit. Dad would roll us out of bed every morning to milk the cows and do the chores before catching the bus to Dunseith. Even to this day I still have added strength with a hand squeeze that I developed from milking all those cows.
Gary(65)
 
 
Glenda Anderson Bergan’s message:
HI Gary
Just wanted to thank you, for all the Dunseith memories, keep them coming. and also wanted to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas, and a joyous New Year.
Glenda Anderson Bergan (60)
 
 
Colette Hosmers’s reply to Vance Bailey:
Vance,
That’s an amazing bit of information about the Hosmers and Baileys
intermingling in England. You’re right……the odds against both
winding up in Dunseith 200+ years later must be astronomical.Cousin Don must have been a first-rate rock thrower. Good thing kids
didn’t carry guns back then.
Colette (64)

 
 
Paulette La Croix’s added comment:
I forgot to add that I ashamedly joined the legions of kids who called poor Sy at his pool hall and asked him to let “Prince Albert” out of the can. Paulette La Croix (68)
 
 
 
Deb Morinville’s comments:
Paulette
I, too remember Sy Kadry! We weren’t allowed to go into the pool hall
especially the “back room”!! Dad’s store was next door and we sure got to
see some drama. I remember one time Sy was chasing some boys out and he
stood there in his black hat and white apron shaking his fist and, I think
cursing in Arabic! Do you also remember Charlie Anderson? How about Billy
Lawrence the blacksmith? I used to go there with Dad and I remember the
smell of grease and smoke. Dad’s old store was across the street from KC
Sine’s store and they had such a wonderful rivalry. He would tell us kids
that Joe Morinville was no good. He had no hair. We’d tell Dad and he would
laugh that big wonderful laugh! Do you also remember the “Snake Pit” ? I
remember having to go through it sometimes to get to the old bowling alley
and the Hackman boys were the pin boys. I also remember Sister Rose’s store.
My Mom called it ” Little Minot” To this day I when I smell mothballs I
think of Sister Rose! What a memory
Isn’t this fun? Thank you,Gary for all that you are doing !!
Deb Morinville Marmon ’70.

10/9/2008 (246)

Posted on by

Dunseith Alumni – Seattle Reunion – July 24, 2009

Folks,  With today’s message there are several questions asking about a reunion in the Seattle area to be coordinated with those of us going on the cruise this next July.  Karen Loeb Mhyre (65) from Bellevue, is checking a few place in the Puget Sound area where we could possible hold this event.  We would like to hold this event on Friday, July 24, 2009.  This is the  day before our Cruise.  We are not sure how many of you folks going on the cruise would be interested in this. I think we will be boarding the ship around noon on Saturday the 25th. For those of you flying into Seattle on Friday and would like, I think we will be making arrangements with a hotel near the Airport for our group.  We will be addressing the hotel and transportation to the ship with a separate message to those of you going on the cruise.

I have gone through and sorted out all of you folks living in the Washington/Oregon area. There are 79 of you living in that area that I have on my list with 49 in the Puget sound area alone.  I have pasted that list at the very bottom of this message sorted by areas (Puget sound, Washington out side of Puget sound and Oregon) Please note that this list includes only the folks from the class lists that I have put together so far.  Those are the classes from 1930 through 1977.  Our Seattle reunion will be inclusive of everyone and not just for those from those class years.

We are asking for suggestions, from any of you, where we could hold this event. For planning purposes, I think we should plan for about 150 folks.  We may have less, but we need to be prepared in case we have more.  My suggestion is to locate a restaurant, with banquet room facilities, that could handle this many folks for a meal. That would eliminate the renting of a facility. For those interested in participating, we would ask them to make reservations with us, so the facility would know the number of folks to plan for.

For those of you in the Pacific Northwest. we are wide open for any suggestion of where to have this reunion. To accommodate those of us going on the cruise, some place near SeaTac would probably work the best, if at all possible.  SeaTac is centrally located in the Puget sound area too.  Locating a facility to handle a group of our size will be challenging and that is where we need your help. Gary

Reply from Sharron Gottbreht Shen (59): 

All correct Gary. I worked at the Everett Surgery Center on Rucker/Pacific 4 years when first in WA. I am a CRNA by profession and practiced anesthesia for 35 years. Love retirement. Love to attend the Dunseith Picnic held in this area 2009. Are you in the know? Sharron

Gottbreht Shen Sharron 11216 39th Dr SE Everett, WA 98208 (425) 379-6254 59

Reply from Francie Gottbreht Dutra (63): 

First and foremost, thanks for doing all the work for this great website…..I do not log in daily but do play “catch-up”.  I wanted to  add some info on the class of  ’51 and my brother Gene’s info.  He was born on October 5, 1932 and passed away on 1-16-91 in Olympia Wa.  Prior to his death  he worked for the Olympia brewery.  We in the northwest had a great fall with sun and temps in the 80′s thru Sept. and now fall has arrived with rain and cold.  We were in Dunseith  the first week of August and as always had a great time.  Also had the great thunderstorms and rain ( 5 inches in a couple of hours) and then the 95+ degree weather later in the day in Washburn , and then more storms in Bismarck later in the evening!!   Washington just does not get those great thunderstorms  like ND.  (Thank goodness)!!!!  I would be interested in the get-together for the Dunseith folks coming in to  Seattle for the cruise…..we will not be joining the cruise (I am not a fan of water) but we may be able to get together with some of you in Seattle before you leave.  Sounds like so much fun but ……….I’m a land lover.  Francie

Reply from Sharron Gottbreht Shen (59):

Gene [Thomas Eugene] Gottbreht, b Oct 5 1932 – d Jan 15 1991 Olympia, WA

Reply from Lynn Halvorson Otto (75):

Hi Dick, thanks for the tower photos.  I’ve climbed that tower more than once over the years, it was so cool.  The view was so beautiful from there.  Art, also thanks for the photos of the Bismarck bridge going down, great shots.  I lived in Bismarck for 3 years after high school, a great town and I traveled over that bridge many times.  Good memories!  Lynn Halvorson Otto (75)

Message from Janice Leonard Workman, class of (56): 

Gary, This note is from Marlene Lilleby Palmquist Larson.  James Egbert would be her uncle.  Marlene’s mother was Margaret Egbert, married to Louis Lilleby.  Louis was my mother Edna’s brother.  When they lived in Dunseith Margaret and Louis had a taxi service and lived in the house across the street from Adrian.  Don and Bernice Johnson lived there when Dick was young.  My brother Lowell bought that house and lived in it for many years.   Marlene said she had talked to you.

Marlene’s Reply:

“James Egbert was mom’s brother that was killed at the end of the 2nd world war (the last day) in Germany. He left a wife and 2 children, his wife Eleanor never remarried and died last year == she was over 90 years old and a very sharp woman.  Her daughter Eileen lives in Grand Forks and son James Jr. in Minn.”

Janice Leonard Workman, class of ‘56

Reply from Marlene Lilleby Larson(53): 

Thanks Gary for doing all this == It is a great idea and I am sure lots of work. I appreciate being added to your

list even if I may not know or be remembered by a lot of your alumni list. Marlene Lilleby Larsen

Lilleby Larson Marlene 16869 Frey Rd Ephrata, WA 98823 (509) 754-5877 mpquist@donobi.net

Contact info for Clyde/Marge Satrang (51): 

Hello Gary

We just wanted to add Clyde Satrang’s address

5417 Park Drive
Mountain Iron, Mn. 55768

We really enjoy your news Gary!!  Thanks!  Marge and Clyde
Satrang

Paulette LaCroix Chisholm’s (68) reply to Gary:

Folks, Dick Johnson and I pass a few jokes back and forth.  Dick forwarded a joke I had sent him to Paulette as an attachment. Paulette replied thinking she was replying to Dick, but instead she was replying to me.  With that mistake, Paulette and I exchanged several messages to include the one posted below.  Paulette, this event has enabled us to enjoy the nice letter you have provided.  Gary

PS – Paulette, in answer to your question below, I have DSL for my internet connection.

Gary,

Dick Johnson is something else.  I loved the story about him buying that instrument for the Lorraine Metcalfe, who thought it too expensive.  It brought tears to both my husband and I.  After the reunion, they invited us to their lake home and Ken played guitar while I sang with them.  He’s a special classmate that has been telling stories and jokes since as early as the 4th grade, with his, “look down your shirt and spell attic.”  Who knew he was going to collect all these stories and information on the area and people?  I’m not surprised you receive lots of email from him.  With all he does, when does he have the time?

Bill Grimme and Alan Boguslawski, on occasion, (they must’ve been very bored) used to sit in some old car with us and entertain.  They were quite the comedians and gave us lots of laughs before they went on their ways.

Is it true?  Are you using still having to use dial up?  We got the FIOS package for TV, phone and internet and the speed is great.  Getting this together everyday must be quite a feat.

My father’s family came from Quebec as did so many of the French families in the Dunseith and Rolette area.  When we visited the cemetery of the little town where my grandparents were born, Contrecoer, Quebec, we read on the tombstones names like Lamourex, Dionne, Mongeon, Vivier,  Boucher, Cote, LaFountaine, Fontaine, and many others.  It was clear these families moved together to our surrounding area.   Looks like we are all related.  Ha!  I asked some French speaking people where I could find the old cemetery.  They took the time to find the  historian of the town so he could tell me.  I know but a few essential words in French, so it was a fun challenge to communicate.  The historian, who spoke English told me about a great split of these families.  It seems for some reason (I assumed was poor soil or poverty) they all moved.  Half the families went to the East Coast to work in factories and the other half went to ND, SD, and Iowa areas to farm.   When we lived in New Hampshire years ago, I made friends with a woman who was French and still had a heavy accent.  These many years later, we find that we are distantly related.  Her family, also from Quebec, were amongst those who moved to work the factories.  Our families names were also on the stones and had married one another over the years.  We laugh because she had little mannerisms that reminded me of my father’s family and I’d suggest she was a cousin.  It is definitely a small world.

Ken and I love to travel and have been going to Europe just about every year for the past ten.  We love the South of France with it friendly people, great inexpensive wine, and savory food.   This year we went to the Languedoc Rousillion  area which is less touristed.  The people were playful and even knew who was winning the debate between Clinton and Obama.  At a colorful street market, I was asked to buy some very expensive sausage.  I pulled out my empty pockets and replied “George Bush.”  A number of people laughed, touched my back and said “Sarcozy, even worse!”  I have tons of pictures of this beautiful area.  The castles of the Cathars were interesting too.  History, which used to be my least liked subject, is now one of my favorites.  To read about Richard the Lionheart is interesting, but to see his castle and look out of the tower towards the ones he tried to capture is just a lot more exciting.

Well, I do go on.  Right now I’m more focused on this economy and the election, but a European trip would sure be a great distraction.

I’d love to see the Phillipines.  Cultures fascinate me.  Is it hot and humid all year round?  Sounds like your wife is a very good cook, yet,  you both look pretty slim.  It’s hard to portion those helpings when its good right?  Ha.

It was nice to hear from you.

Paulette Chisholm
Dunseith Alumni Folks living in the Washington/Oregon areas (Classes 1930-1977)

Last First Address City / State / ZIP Phone Email ClassYear Area
1 Abrahamson Wagers Elaine PO Box 1994 Auburn, WA 98071 (253)-373-1815 re60wag@yahoo.com 62 Puget sound
2 Azure Kenneth 13214 180th Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052 (425) 885-1923 No email address 68 Puget sound
3 Bedard Sullivan Connie 13821 SE 180th St Renton, WA 98058 (425) 235-4611 philconsul@comcast.net 59 Puget sound
4 Beston Sharon 714 75th St SE Everett, WA 98203 (425) 322-5258 No Email address 77 Puget sound
5 Beston Desjarlais Ruby 6707 196TH ST SW LYNNWOOD, WA  98036 (425) 776-6458C(206) 406-0248 No email address 72 Puget sound
6 Christianson Baskett Viola 15643 Sunny Cove Dr SE Olalla, WA 98359 (253) 857-2521 No email address 45 Puget sound
7 Counts Poitra Darlene 6219  228th St. SE Woodenville, WA 98702 (425) 408-1124 No email address 71 Puget sound
8 Dailly Bob/Arline Lamoureux 30846 Sixth Pl SW Federal Way, WA 98023 (253) 839-9036 arldailly@aol.com 57 Puget sound
9 Dore Esperum Donna Mae 11500 15th Ave NE #301 Seattle, Wa 98125 (206) 781-4830 No email address 53 Puget sound
10 Eller Robert Ivy 12321 Hwy. 99 South Site #171 Everett, Wa 98204 (206) 853-1959 Roivy@aol.com 74 Puget sound
11 Fugere Orelle/Lois Hiatt 1790 W Star Lake Dr Elma, WA 98541 (360) 482-3010 No email address 54 Puget sound
12 Gottbreht-Dutra Francie 5716 Thornbury Dr. SE LACEY, WA  98513 (360) 943-9232       C 360-556-4317 atdutra@comcast.net 63 Puget sound
13 Gottbreht Shen Sharron 11216 39th Dr SE Everett, WA 98208 (425) 379-6254 sharron_shen@msn.com 59 Puget sound
14 Haagenson Raymond 349 NW 205th St Shoreline, WA 98177 (206) 542-4595 No email address 47 Puget sound
15 Hanson Enghusen Diane 18412 135TH ST  RENTON, WA 98059 (425) 226-5249 jonenghusen@yahoo.com 76 Puget sound
16 Hanson Gregg Pauline PO Box 7845 Covington, WA 98042 (253) 205-7450 No email address 73 Puget sound
17 Hiatt Bernard 1354 Spruce Dr Enumclaw, WA 98022 (360) 802-8987 No email address 53 Puget sound
18 Hiatt Fugere Lois/Orelle 1790 W Star Lake Dr Elma, WA 98541 (360) 482-3010 No email address 56 Puget sound
19 Higgins Loeb Hannah 23321 8th Pl W Bothell, WA 98021 (425) 415-0466 karen.mhyre@gmail.com (Daughter Karen’s email address) 39 Puget sound
20 Horsman Dion Orissa/Charles 14218 73rd Ave NE, Apt B102 Bothell, WA 98011 (425) 821-7306 chasdion@yahoo.com 41 Puget sound
21 Hosmer Bob 18606 52nd W. #222 Lynnwood, WA 98037 (425) 673-6254 rkhosmer@verizon.net 56 Puget sound
22 Iverson Staub Marie 6000 Corliss Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 (206) 244-4327 mdmjstaub@camcast.net 60 Puget sound
23 Klang Wayne 6104 S 124th St Seattle, WA 98178 (206) 772-5628  C(206) 334-0913 sharon_wayne@msn.com 55 Puget sound
24 Klang Lindford Arla 18102 SE 132nd St Renton, WA 98059 (425) 226-9422 No email address 55 Puget sound
25 Landsverk Howard 16224 70TH PL W EDMONDS, WA  98026   (425) 776-5566 hlandsverk@hotmail.com 44 Puget sound
26 Lang DuWayne PO Box 65466 Port Ludlow, WA 98365 (360) 437-2012 duwaynelang@msn.com 57 Puget sound
27 LaRocque Wendt Shirley 4024 S 148th St Tukwila, WA 98168 (206) 244-4004 shirleywendt@comcast.net 59 Puget sound
28 Leonard William Lorette (Berube) 23335 Cedar Way #101 Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 (425) 778-6051 No email address 52 Puget sound
29 Leonard Workman Janice 2610 25th St SE Auburn, WA 98002 (253) 833-7619 janice_workman@earthlink.com 56 Puget sound
30 Lilleby Raynor 3673 224th Pl SE Issaquah, WA 98029 (425) 391-1361 klilleby@juno.com 57 Puget sound
31 Loeb-Mhyre Karen 5530 142 Avenue S.E. Bellvue, WA  98006 (425) 641-7594  C425-260-8826 kmhyre@comcast.net   karen.mhyre@gmail.com 65 Puget sound
32 McKay Phyllis 32551 107th Ave SE Auburn, WA 98092 (253) 931-8081     ND 701.244.5774 phyllis.mckay@kent.k12.wa.us 65 Puget sound
33 McKay Merrill Minnie Mary 17815 E Lake Desire Dr SE Renton, WA 98058 (425) 271-1116 EDMIN1116@webtv.net 48 Puget sound
34 Murray Abraham 3411 S Union Ave Tacoma, WA 98409             (Sister Joyce’s address) (253)-905-2089 Joyce 253-843-2135 disawa@hotmail.com (Sister Joyce) Abraham will be moving in Jan 08 59 Puget sound
35 Murray Anderson Joyce 3411 S Union Ave Tacoma, WA 98409 (253)-843-2135 disawa@hotmail.com 73 Puget sound
36 Nelson Asch Barbara 1901 California Ave SW Seattle, WA 98116 (206) 933-2703 lisa-pat@comcast.net  Daughter Lisa (206) 708-6621 42 Puget sound
37 Peterson Artzer Mary 730 Algona Blvd N Algona, WA 98001 (253) 735-6533 No email address 52 Puget sound
38 Pigeon Horsman Louise 14164 73rd Pl NE, Apt D103 Bothell, WA 98011 (425) 821-3038 tohorsmans@aol.com 43 Puget sound
39 Richard Ron 6909 272nd St NE Arlington, WA 98223 (360) 435-9654 rwehavingfunyet@juno.com 65 Puget sound
40 Richard Larson Jerrine 4930 NE 86th St Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 524-4566 rdlars1@msn.com 49 Puget sound
41 Salmonson Honsey June 7558 Earl Ave NW Seattle, WA 98117 (206) 782-0775  (701) 263-4647 charge7thcavalry@aol.com 49 Puget sound
42 Spaeth Farquharson Marjorie 1137 Quince St NE Olympia, WA 98506 (360) 943-1587 cmfar@comcast.net 59 Puget sound
43 Stickland Dean/Roberta 9542 MARLBROOK CT SE OLYMPIA, WA  98513 (360) 459-4566 mail@sticklandbows.com 73 Puget sound
44 Strong Tim 33801 10th Ave E Roy, WA 98580 (253) 843-2263 No email address 65 Puget sound
45 Thiefoe James 907 Columbia Ave #209 Marysville, WA 98270 (360)-658-4049 No email address 69 Puget sound
46 Walter-Zurfluh Linda 5512 224th St E Spanaway, WA 98387- (253) 847-6798 jzurfluh@yahoo.com 67 Puget sound
47 Watschke Cooley Betty 17502 NE 40th Pl Redmond,, Wa 98052 (425) 869-8090 bettyjaycooley@yahoo.com 45 Puget sound
48 Wentland Malmquist Shirley 14810 75th Ave NE Kenmore, WA 98028 (425) 488-2149 vic312@msn.com 47 Puget sound
49 Wurgler Axtman Peggy 25223  45th Av. South Kent, Wa  98032 (253)-854-1008 maxtman21@comcast.net.  71 Puget sound
50 Anderson Doan Shirley 2611 Englewood Ave Yakima, WA 98902- (509) 248-2506 Will send email message 60
51 Boguslawski Alan 405 W 30th St Vancouver, WA 98660 (360) 737-2689 bogey@pacifier.com 65
52 Brennan Groff 1 Morning Beach Drive Apt #10 Bellingham, WA 98229 (360)-927-9444 No email address 52
53 Fauske Monte Connie 162 DAVES VIEW DR Kalama, WA 98625 (360) 673-1620 c.l.designs@comcast.net 62
54 Fauske Rude Carrole 8803 NE 134th St Vancouver, WA 98662 (360) 574-1822 LDCJRUDE@hotmail.com 66
55 Goodsell Hyde Alta Mae 5324 N Post St Spokane, WA 99205 (509) 327-7859 No Email address 43
56 Grimme Eltz Gwen 7106 N Tucannon St Spokane, WA 99208 (509) 328-8093 gweneltz@comcast.net 68
57 Haagenson Norman Shirley 15516 NW Second Ave Vancouver, WA 98685 (360) 573-0769 No email address 51
58 Hagen Raymond 3206 S Everett Pl Kennewick, WA 99337 (509) 582-7468 No email address 41
59 Hiatt Rhonda 8907 NE 275th Street Battle Ground, WA 98604 (360) 666-3228 C502-664-9168 rhonda_hiatt@yahoo.com 75
60 Kjos Clayton 2019 N Locust Rd Spokane Valley, WA 99206 (509) 924-5474 cpkjos@netscape.com 39
61 Lilleby Larson Marlene 16869 Frey Rd Ephrata, WA 98823 (509) 754-5877 mpquist@donobi.net 53
62 Longie Don 750 East Greta Ave Spokane, WA 99208 (509) 489-5122      C (509) 991-0677 dmlr2@comcast.net 67
63 Longie Ron 12203 Douglas Rd Yakima WA  98908 (509) 972-8876         C 509-961-1125 longies@netzero.net 65
64 Longie William 6314 NE 70th St Vancouver, WA 98661 (360) 828-7544 longie2596@comcast.net 60
65 Nerpel Bishop Eleanor 6111 W Arrowhead Ave Kennewick, WA 99336- (509) 783-9921 abmyers2@verizon.net (Daughter Ann’s email) 38
66 Smith Eldon 14680 Wide Hallow Rd. Yakima, WA. 98908 (509) 480-8009 No email address 63
67 Walter Clayton 542 Avery W. Winlock, WA 98562 (360)-262-9662 No email address 60
68 Birkland Swart Brenda 3204 N. Columbia St. La Grande, OR 97850 (541) 963-5735 brendaswart@yahoo.com 75 Oregon
69 Christenson-Robinson Cheryl 16037 Se Hawthorne St Portland, OR 97233 (503) 254-2997 cfrobinson21@comcast.net 65 Oregon
70 Faine Delores 268 Washington Ave. Metolius, OR 97741 (541) 546-6487 Friend will send email address 69 Oregon
71 Fassett Halvorson Laura 530 SE 42nd Ave Portland, OR 97215 (503) 236-4462 No Email address Born March 1916 33 Oregon
72 Halvorson Kittleson Doris 19541 GLEN VIEW CT OREGON CITY, OR  97045 (503) 656-8501 No Email address 43 Oregon
73 Henriksen Rick 210 SE Harlow Ave Troutdale, OR 97060 (503) 267-0704 fmhenriksen@comcast.net 60 Oregon
74 Hiatt James PO Box 18 Adel, OR 97620 (541) 947-3983 judycat_2007@yahoo.com 67 Oregon
75 Hobbs Ziegler Viola E. 1602 N.E. Riverside Drive, Unit # 12 McMinnville, OR 97128 (503) 474-2563 rtziegler@onlinemac.com 54 Oregon
76 Hosmer Cobb Janet 7252 SW Lynnwood Ct Wilsonville, OR 97070 (503) 682-3503 janetcobb@gmail.com 60 Oregon
77 Kelly Sawyer Shirley 16160 Widman Ct. Oregon City, OR 97045 (503) 557-0409 sawy56@aol.com 67 Oregon
78 Peltier Pigeon Natalie 406 SW Burgess St Grants Pass, OR 97526 (541) 956-1707 No email address 41 Oregon
79 Sanders Carpentier Lodena Burns, OR (541) 573-6524 Son Dan lives next door 541-573-3254 35 Oregon

10/1/2008 (238)

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Folks, I had another nice visit with Orvin Hagen today.  Orvin is doing great!  He’s still the same Orvin, always on the go.  Orvin is 87 going on 88.  He was born July 14, 1921.  Gary

Message from Vickie Metcalfe (70): 

This past weekend, I had a discussion with 99 year old Elmer Rush regarding Pete Poole. Elmer’s  deceased wife, Sylvia was my mother’s cousin, they were married in 1928.  As newly weds, they lived the first few months of their marriage in the Maxbass area and moved to the hills of the Turtle Mtns  east of Highway #3.  Elmer and Sylvia were neighbors with Pete.  Elmer said, Pete was a veteran of WWI  and he carried those combat scars.  Pete  was kind and helped many farmers with choring. He had a trap line and trapped mostly muskrats for living through the winters. The Rushes then moved further east  to the “Hosmer Place”and became  neighbors of  the Murray’s who were a sister and brother.  Elmer shared, “They lived in a house along side of Carpenter Lake, the sister lived upstairs and her brother downstairs. They had a few cows that they tended. We’d go visit them but, they never went anywhere out in public as Murray came back from WWI  with, “shell shock” .”  Elmer celebrates birthday #100, at the Rolla Community Center on Saturday, October 18, 2008

Reply from Neola Kofoid Garbe:

Hi Gary,

Thanks to Ivy for this info.  I remember the tower well; I’ve always been rather “chicken” (and over-weight!), so I don’t think I even got up one step!  What I’m really writing to say, is I never knew the tower was on Marlin/Julie Dahl’s land; I always thought it was on Clarence Larson’s land–maybe I have the wrong tower in mind. A person is never too old to learn new info and correct old ideas/thoughts.

Neola

Neola, I’m not aware of any tower that was on the Clarence Larson farm, although there may have been.  The Clarence Larson farm was located about 1.5 miles west of The Dahl farm.  Clarence’s farm was located about 1/4 mile south of # 43 just over the hill east of Lake Metigoshe.  The Alfred (Virgil) Rude farm and the Earl Roland farm are in-between the Dahl and Larson farms on #43.

Neola Kofoids reply to Colette Hosmer for scanning her article: 

Please tell Colette she is most welcome.  I was so glad I visited with Nancy’s daughter, Christine, so I knew about the article.

Neola

Message/Picture from Dick Johnson (68): 

Gary and Friends,

In answer to Sybil Johnson’s question on a fort in Dunseith, I’m willing

to bet Augie showed you the old Riverside Hotel along the creek. It was
about the first building built in town and served as the headquarters
for the cavalry troop as well as a hotel. It survived until the 1960s
when it was torn down. Again, this was considered ‘progress’ and
necessary in keeping a modern image for the town. The last people to
live in the building were Darrel and Lorna Abbey and I asked Darrel to
draw me a floor plan of the building, which he did and I still have. I
was asked to design a belt buckle for the 1982 Dunseith Centennial. I
did this and used the image of the Riverside Hotel as the central focus.
I corrected my original design to read Dunseith–Dakota Territory,
rather than North Dakota, because Dunseith was established 7 years
before North Dakota became a state. I worked with Rod Hiatt on finding a
company to cast our Dunseith buckle. We found a place in Norman,
Oklahoma that had a good reputation, and had them make the buckles. I’ve
worn this buckle every day for years and it still looks good. I’m
attaching a picture of it to show the Riverside Hotel image, or Cavalry
post, depending on it’s use at the time. Thanks Gary!

Dick

Dick, In 1982 my dad gave me one of those belt buckles along with a heavy duty leather belt, of his, for my birthday. From 1982 until 2002 I wore that belt with that buckle nearly every day.  In 2002, when I was Temporary Duty (TDY) working a Submarine job at Kings Bay Georgia, the belt came apart where the buckle attached. I purchased another belt from one of the flea markets in the Jacksonville Florida area and wore it, with that buckle, until a year ago, when the belt came apart.  When dad died, I got his buckle too.  All these years I never knew who designed that belt buckle.  Now we know.  You did a wonderful job designing that buckle and having it cast.  I had many nice compliments about that buckle.  Are there any available today that folks can purchase?  Gary

Duneith Belt Buckle 2174

Folks, Putting these class lists together, I am pretty sure that Clarence Hagen, from the class of 1934, is the oldest living to have attended and graduated from Dunseith High school. Clarence was born December 31, 1914. I think that is what I remember Mary Ann telling me. I know it was the end of December.  Hagen sibling’s, please correct me if I’m wrong. Gary

                               Dunseith High School Class of 1934 & 1935

  Last First Address City / State / ZIP Phone Email
Class of 1934
1 Boucher Gottbreht Alma Born December 11, 1917    –    Died August 8, 2005 Deceased
2 Carlson Carroll Born October 10, 1914    –    Died May 5, 2004 Deceased
3 Casavant Martineau Marie Born March 18, 1916    –    Died October 4, 2001 Deceased
4 Cook Robert Can not locate death record Deceased
5 Dailly Bissonnette Irene Born February 23, 1915    –    Died February 1980 Deceased
6 Egbert Lilleby Margaret Born September 26, 1916    –    Died Februay 8, 2003 Deceased
7 Evans Mary Born in 1918    –    Died at San Haven in 1944 Deceased
8 Gottbreht Hendrickson Arla Born September 5, 1917    –    Died February 18, 2002 Deceased
9 Hagen Clarence 1013 Sinclair St Bottineau, ND 58318 (701) 228-2998 No email address
10 Hagen Banister Thelma Born April 1, 1917    –    Died August 1986 Deceased
11 Howery Eva Eva was a sister to John Aitchison’s mother. John was in the class of 1947 Deceased
12 Sanders Washek Henrietta Born in 1920    –    Died of cancer in 1946 Deceased
16 Sanders Carpentier Lodena Burns, OR (541) 573-6524 Son Dan lives next door 541-573-3254
13 Tennancour Larson Easter Sister to Alice Evans Berube Deceased
14 Watkins Charles Born March 3, 1917    –    Died December 7, 2000 Deceased
15 Wicks Gwendolyn Courtrie or Courturie?? Nebraska Unable to locate
Class of 1935
1 Jolibois Wilkie Martha unable to locate Married John in 1938. John died in the 70′s
2 Murray Agelina Unable to locate

Martha Lamb’s (68) Wedding provided by Neola Kofoid Garbe:

Folks,

Part of the article was cut off and omitted with yesterdays Blog. I am reposting this today with the complete article.  I did not notice that until after it was sent. 

Gary

Lamb, Martha 2173Lamb, Martha 2174