Harry Passes Away

Harry Math Becker, age 91 of Gaylord, Michigan, passed away peacefully on February 26, 2023, with his family at his side.

Harry was a loving and beloved husband, father, and grandfather, who lived a full and adventurous life.

Born April 27, 1931, in Glendive, Montana, to Henry Bernard and Amelia Josephine (Strohmayer) Becker, he spent his early childhood years on their family dairy farm. At age five, his family moved to Whitefish, Montana, where he spent most of his childhood hunting with his favorite uncles, teaching tricks to his horse, and joking and playing tricks on his younger sister, Henrietta.

At 14, Harry worked for his Uncle Roman for two summers as the youngest member of his combining crew harvesting crops from North Dakota to New Mexico. This crew was a 500-person team the US government chose to serve as the Harvest Brigade to provide food for the Allied troops and civilians during WWII. Harry finished his last two years of high school in Glendive, MT, where he found life-long friends. He excelled at playing basketball, track, baseball, and football, and helped Dawson High School win back-to-back state titles in football. He continued playing football at North Dakota State College of Science. In 1991, Harry was inducted into NDSCS's Hall of Fame for his outstanding athletic abilities and achievements during his time playing football for them.

Harry received his associate degree from NDSCS and promptly got a job working for Shell back in his hometown of Glendive. Due to his strong will, perseverance, and the disciplined principle of working hard, Harry quickly rose through the ranks at Shell. In 1962, Harry was reassigned to take over one of the offshore oil rigs off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA, making him the youngest offshore drilling foreman at the time. Harry helped to develop/employ underwater diving and drilling techniques/devices. In 1974 Harry was transferred to Gaylord to supervise Shell’s operations in the growing Niagaran trend. He retired from Shell in 1987, then promptly went to work with Ward Lake Energy to develop the shallow Antrim formation. He has been honored for lifetime achievements in oil and gas through the American Petroleum Institute and the Michigan Desk & Derrick Club.

In 1958, Harry fell in love and married Shirley Jean LaPage, and they have shared the following 64 years together. Throughout life's joys and sorrows, pains and pleasures, they have loved and supported each other, and through their actions have created a beautiful, warm, and tight-knit family.

Harry loved his children and grandchildren and has been there for all their sporting events, joys and heartbreaks, graduations, birthdays, weddings, and other major life events. He's the loudest cheerleader any of his kids or grandkids could ask for, and he loved telling stories of his life and giving memorable life lessons. He was community-minded, participating on many boards.

Harry is survived by his wife, Shirley; two sons, Ronald (Roberta) and David (Joan); five grandchildren, Travis (Alix), Clay (Sheldan), CiCi, Ronni (Tanner), and Rena; one great-grandson, Benji Harry Becker; half-brother, Michael “Mel” Norgaard; and brother-in-law Richard Dietz.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Henrietta Becker Dietz; and his sister-in-law, Maxine Norgaard.

A visitation will be held on Friday, March 3, 2023, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Nelson Funeral Home in Gaylord.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at St. Mary Cathedral in Gaylord starting at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be held prior to Mass at the cathedral beginning at 10:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials donations may be made to either St. Mary Athletic Association at 321 N. Otsego Ave., Gaylord, MI 49735 or Gaylord High Athletic Association at 90 Livingston Blvd., Gaylord, MI 49735-9387

Arrangements were entrusted to Nelson Funeral Home and Cremation Service, P.O. Box 1548, Gaylord, MI 49734.

Posted online on March 01, 2023

Harry was my high school and college boyfriend.  We almost married but parted ways and I went to California to teach school and did not see him till the 2000 Dawson County High School Reunion.

See 50th Reunion in Glendive on the right side of my blog for pictures.

Dick Carney Obituary

 Dick Carney from high school days died this week.  He was the water boy in Jr Hi and then in High School he served with the Dawson football team.

He is in the back row, first one on the left.  This was the 1950 State Champions and the year he graduated. #89 was Harry, my boyfriend, and Dick was a special friend of his.

He was called "Pockets" or "Money Pockets" because he had such a flair for making and keeping money.

At the Class Reunion in 2000 Dick came up to me and asked if I had talked to Harry yet.  And I said , "No."

"He is the only one of us that owns a Rolex watch he said.  He has really done well in the oil business. " "Well, good for him", I said.  "I am very happy for him."

Later I did get to talk to Harry and he said his wife gave him 10 minutes to talk to me.  This is 50 years after high school...  We have talked on the phone a couple of times.  He lived his nice Catholic life and I lived my nice Latter-day Saint life.

Harry 

Obituary for Richard "Dick" Patrick Carney

Richard P. “Dick” Carney, age 90 of Glendive, Montana, passed away on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 in Glendive. Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Monday, January 9, 2023 at the Silha Funeral Home in Glendive. Funeral services will be held privately. Interment will be in the Dawson County Cemetery in Glendive. Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Dick was born on November 23, 1932 in Hettinger, North Dakota, the son of Robert P. and Elsie A. (Funk) Carney. Dick moved with his family to Bismarck, North Dakota, and Glasgow, Montana, before arriving in Glendive in the fall of 1946. Dick received his education at Dawson County High School in Glendive, graduating with the class of 1950. He attended Dawson Community College in Glendive graduating in 1952. In 1953, Dick attended the Hartford Insurance Training Center in Hartford, Connecticut and graduated with honors. Thereafter, he joined his father in business which at that time was known at the Montana Loan and Title Company. Subsequently, he became a Registered Abstractor for the State of Montana. Montana Loan and Title Company owned a small insurance agency and Dick decided to devote himself full time to the insurance business. During the next five years they purchased several other agencies and eventually became one of the largest insurance agencies in Eastern Montana, with offices in Glendive, Circle, Montana, Terry, Montana, Sidney, Montana, and Wibaux, Montana.
On May 13, 1961, Dick married Jean Dalsasso and to this union, three children were born, Robert, Terri and Pat.
In 1966, Dick served as the Secretary of the board of the newly formed Glendive Community Hospital. The hospital board embarked on a $500,000.00 fund raising drive to purchase the Northern Pacific-Burlington Northern Hospital and build a new hospital and nursing home. It was the first major fund-raising effort in Glendive and although it took several months, the community responded and they were able to obtain a Hill-Burton grant to aid in the construction of the new facility.
In 1970, Dick joined Curt Meeds and Tom Hagan and they purchased the Jordan Hotel. After extensive remodeling of the hotel, they undertook to build a forty-unit motel which they operated as a Best Western Motel for over 20 years.
In 1979, Dick and a group of businessmen formed a new bank named First Fidelity Bank of Glendive (now known as Bravera Bank) which they sold in 1985.
One of Dick’s favorite endeavors was working with Home on The Range in Beach, North Dakota, to open a branch facility in Glendive for six to eight troubled youth. This was accomplished, but unfortunately, several years later the State of Montana changed the manner of treatment and the home was forced to close.
Dick was active in many business and community endeavors. He served as President of the Association of Independent Insurance Agents of Montana, and also as President of the Insurance Education Foundation and Public Risk Management. He was a member of Glendive Elks Lodge #1324 and had served as Exalted Ruler. He was a member of the Advisory Board for the Montana State University Business School and served on the Presidents Council for Carroll College. Dick also served on the Montana Chamber of Commerce board for a period of two years.
Dick and Curt Meeds were founders of the Glendive Forward Organization which was instrumental in helping Glendive be selected as the site for the Eastern Montana Veterans Home and the following year the site for the Montana State Regional Prison.
Dick was preceded in death by his wife Jean Carney in 2019, his parents, and his sister Delores (Carney) Coleman in 1958.
Dick is survived by his children, Bob and his children, Esther, Sylvia, Monica, Natalia, Christopher, Michael, and Joey, Terri (Mark) and their children, Leilani, Stephanie, Katrielle, Ethan, Tiana, and Ryan, and Pat (Heidi) Carney, all of Glendive.
In an effort to help with getting the ongoing project of fully lighting the Bell Street Bridge, memorials are suggested to the Justice Foundation, 200 S Merrill, Glendive. Remembrances and condolences can be shared with the family at: www.silhafuneralhomes.com.

Myrna's Daughter

My childhood friend Myrna's daughter.  I met Laura years ago when I would stop and visit Myrna in Manhattan Beach on my way back and forth from Lake Almanor and San Diego.  Lovely lady with a charming husband and two accomplished daughters.  One is in the same medical class as Tanner in Iowa.  Small world...

Classmate Obert Undem Obituary

You surely do not know in high school what kind of life is ahead for each of us.  Obert turned out to be quite a catch, but we surely did not know that.  I do not recall that any of us had dated him.  Very interesting life.   There were 8 of us honored with high grades and he was one of them, he planned on being a biology teacher.  I thought we were listed as honorees according to our rating but he was after me so that could not have been.  He was a brain.  I never knew that local people had financed his education.  That is really wonderful.

 

Obert Undem descended from pioneer Norwegian ranchers, born in the Great Depression and hardened by toil on the family ranch north of Glendive, Montana. Obert Undem later lived an extraordinary life as a lawyer, banker, and philanthropist.

His life was filled with art, music, travel, and gourmet cooking — his own --- any dish that he cooked would be a delicious part of a wonderful meal. He loved to cook a meal for a party of friends or family. Obert enlivened his time with friends through a lively wit and intelligent conversation. He was known for his “Obert-isms”, pithy observations, like “Every good day is one day less of winter” and “I’m not a quitter, but I have a fast watch”.

He was devoted to his steadfast companion, his wife Ginny, who was always at the heart of his life. She, along with many friends, advocated he publish a cookbook of his recipes. That never materialized, although he unselfishly shared them when asked.

Undem attended a one-room schoolhouse on Deer Creek before going to high school in Glendive where a kindly couple, who hired him to mow their lawn and shovel their walks, took notice of his academic achievements. Retired banker, Robert H. Watson, and his wife, Ino DeLong Watson, who he fondly called “Auntie Mame,” underwrote his education at Carleton College, which they had attended, and later his pursuit of a post-graduate education at Harvard.
“My education was provided by someone who gifted it to me,” he recalls. “They paid all my expenses -- that was an incredible thing for them to do -- and all I did was mow their lawn when I was a kid.” 

That memory inspired his work at Rocky Mountain College where he raised millions of dollars to help students through building endowments that would ensure the future benefit of students.

His bachelor of arts degree was awarded cum laude in 1957 from Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota; his master’s in business administration was from Harvard University School of Business Administration, Boston, in 1957; and his Juris doctorate degree was conferred by William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota in 1963. 

Undem came to Rocky Mountain College in 1995, after a 15-year career as a solo practitioner as an estate and tax planning attorney in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Prior to that, he had a 20-year career as a bank president, trust officer, and consultant in Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. He was a recently retired member of the Bar Associations of Montana, Arkansas, and Minnesota. He served 30 years as a director of the Mid-America Arts Alliance in Kansas City, Missouri.
Undem served as a board member of many civic, cultural and commercial organizations, among them the Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts, the Minneapolis Art Institute, the Arkansas Symphony, the Montana Community Foundation, the Billings Community Foundation and the Rocky Mountain College Institute for Peace Studies.

His honors include selection as the Outstanding Professional Fundraiser of the Year 2008, awarded by the Montana Chapter of the Association of Professional Fundraisers, and an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service by Rocky Mountain College in 2010. The Billings Community Foundation honored his legacy by creating the Obert Undem Community Vitality Endowment, in recognition of his determined advocacy for community foundations across Montana.

Undem is survived by his wife of 36 years, Virginia (Ginny) Undem, his son, Steve Undem of Morrow, AR, and his daughter, Carolyn Hollingsworth of Springdale, AR. He is also survived by his grandchildren – Amanda Bayley, Sara Tice, Mia Undem and Zac Undem along with several great-grandchildren. 

My Friend Carla

I called my childhood friend Carla (Berta Mae to me) who is living in a Senior Residence Home in Boca Raton, Florida.  She is really loving it there and spends a lot of time exercising in the gym.  She says she does not get tired.  That is good to know.  She broke her hip a few years ago and then while healing from that she broke her leg so it is wonderful she can be so physical.

I forgot to ask her where her grand piano is...wonder if she still has it.  Her boys are both living there in homes of their own.  Evidently, they moved to Boca Raton to be involved in Addiction Rehab facilities.  She is very proud of what they are doing.

This was when her partner was alive.

This is when she was Miss Montana.

These are from several years ago.

A Good Day--I Get My Hair Cut

Another beautiful morning in Lake Almanor.  I am anxiously awaiting the blossoming of the blooms on the crab apple tree.  It is so skinny, not enough sun, not good earth, but the few blossoms are a gorgeous hue.  I see about six bloomed, should be fully out by tomorrow.

Had another wonderfully restful night on my new mattress.  So love it.  Just as I was settling in for a night of TV, Deloris, a friend from high school called.  She lives in Salinas and her husband died a couple? years ago.  It was so fun to have someone to chat with.  We talked for about an hour.  I do miss having friends to talk with.  She was telling me about Betty B's home on the coast of Washington.  Her husband has a crow's nest as his office as they are right on the ocean.  Evidently it is a really lovely home but too large to keep up in old age.  It is funny how high school and high school friends seem so " just yesterday".  Pictured below is Deloris, her sister Audrey, and Deloris's husband George (passed away).  In dated picture Deloris is third from right.  Called 'Sieve'.

Matt called to say he may be coming up and bring the chain saw.  It would be so good to get rid of my large pile of huge branches.

Had a couple calls with Kristi this week.  She is doing Family Search with the family and then she had Brynn call and say thank you for the birthday card.  Love keeping up on the pix of her family.  She is the only one I got pix from Frenchie's funeral and a very nice report.  I will post some of them as a memory.  She gave a beautiful message of love.

Better get dressed, today I get my hair cut, amazing how quickly the month goes by and I look really shaggy.

Glendive Football Field

The new Dawson County High School football field which cost 1.3 million was featured in USA Today.  It was funded by the nephew of Carole's friend Carole Oakland.  The Oaklands own a farm on the east side of Glendive, close to the North Dakota border and evidently make millions by allowing the ND Oil companies to bury toxic waste on their land. 

 

The city needed to upgrade the track if they were going to host a special state track meet and the Oaklands volunteered to get it all ready and indeed they did.  It is beautiful.

 

I have many happy memories of that place.  It is just a block from my home in Glendive.  Carole said they do not have champion football teams like they did when I was in high school.  Coach Forest Wilson had Championship teams for many years.

Seventeenth Summer

While looking for new books on my audio "Library to Go"  I couldn't believe I saw " Seventeenth Summer", a book I had read when I was around 14 or 15.  There were only two book titles I remembered from my teen age years.  This was one and the other was "Men Are Like Streetcars". 

I was curious to see if it would be as interesting to me now as it was then.  And it was.  Evidently a well-written book can be for all ages.   I tried to go to sleep last night and finish it the next day but I had to keep turning it on until I was finished.  It was so very nostalgic to me.  So much like my high school life.  However, I had read it before my 17th summer.  And strangely enough my 17th summer was the most fun of my high school days so this book was even more nostalgic now than it was at 14.  It is a story of first love and I could very well relate to all those new feelings and shyness and concern for the future.

My family was not as formal as this family but many other things were similar.  My 17th summer was the summer before I was a senior and my boyfriend would be heading for college in the fall.  In the book the girl was headed for college and the boy was moving to another state.  

From a blogger I read that the book was originally written in 1942 by Maureen Daly before she was 20 years old.   I read it in 1947-48.  It was made into an audiobook last year and the book was reprinted in 2010.  I don't know that teenagers of today would really wade through the book.  It was such a different time and circumstances, I doubt they could relate at all.  This particular blogger was a teacher of 7-8 graders and quite enjoyed it herself but also wondered if her students would feel the same.  The only thing I thought was a little strange is that it was written in 1942 during WWII and that was not a part of the book at all.  I assume the author did not want to date the book by that fact or muddy the theme of the book.

It reminded me so much of my hometown and my sister just sent me a poem written by a classmate of the class of 1950 about our hometown Glendive, Montana.  He was the brother of my friend Carla and Hubert had written it for the '49-'52 years class reunion last year (which I did not attend).  I hope he won't mind if I put it in my blog as a good memory.

Glendive-2011

Sandwiched between the Yellowstone and "Hungry Joe"
Our town bears witness:
  To those who lived here long ago
  To those who live here still
  To those of us who were nurtured here and thus can call it our childhood home.

Our town provides a legacy:
  For strong, resilient folks
  Surviving in a tough, demanding land
  Where heat in summer has reached 110 degrees,
  Where days have reached to 40 below in a crisp, snowy, winter freeze.

Before us, the Indians called this land "Makoshika"
Yet, for those of us who call it home
The "badlands" has a beauty of its own.

We who are privileged to come together in this place
To renew our spirits, can say:
We have been here and shared our love and laughter
And will strive to leave it better
For those who come here after.

Hubert Carl Huebl,MD   7-9-2011    Class of 1950

Girl only house party at 17 in Glendive.   As I say we were not as formal as the family in the book.

I told Melissa today that I was surprised the author had the characters doing so much smoking in high school and one even a pipe!!!  In our school it was not so prevalent, at least until they went to college or started working.l 

Santa Update!

While we are at it, here is an update on our very own hometown Santa! No fake whiskers on this Santa. Doing a great job, Bill. Keep up the good work.

Time for Santa...almost

Hard to believe I am old enough to have gone to grade school with Santa but there he is--same age as me and went to Washington Grade School and Dawson High . Looking good, Bill, you are a very authentic looking Santa!

From Sixth Grade to Miss America Pageant

My first date was a double date in sixth grade in Glendive, Montana. I went with my neighbor George and my girlfriend Berta Mae (Carla) went with Bill. Years later when Bill was in the service he learned about Berta Mae running for Miss America. This is the story he sent me today.

Hey, Janet,

I've enjoyed your blog about your Sweden trip and the time you and your girls spent in Copenhagen. It reminded me of the time I made the same trip. It is beautiful and enchanting. Of course, my trip was some time ago while I was in the Service.

I had spent Christmas in Bergen, Norway, and was on my way back to Germany. I decided to stop and spend a week or two with friends in Copenhagen. We shared a small apartment. Quite often, we would go to the public baths as they had a very large swimming pool (I love to swim). On the way back one day my friend suggested we stop by the newspaper building so she could practice her English. She said they put out American newspapers and they're fun to read.

The papers were full of stories, about the 1956, "Miss America Pageant". My friend knew I was from Montana, and right away looked up Miss Montana. Then the question came, "Did you know her?"

"Of course I knew her, I used to date her in grade school."

"Oh!! Bill, you're so funny, I just knew you were going to say something like that."

AND.., that's how I found out that Berta Mae (Carla), was in the Miss America Pageant. I knew it was true I had dated her, and never felt it had to be proved.

Two weeks later I was in Tripoli North Africa chasing guided missiles in the Saharah desert. I never really thought about it again, until you started blogging things.

Thanks, Bill H

Anyway, that is his story and he is sticking to it and so will I.

News from High School Friends

Bill Hayford looks like he is keeping ready for those Santa Claus stints. He sent the news on Chuck and also wondered if I knew that Sugar Loaf had been flattened. How can they mess with a memory like that? At least I can still see it well in my mind. Thanks for the news, Bill, good and bad.

News on Chuck England is that he is recuping nicely from his surgery. He can still drink beer but eating steak is a little harder, bummer, well, at least you have the beer, Chuck. Good to see you are up and around but still couldn't get a smile out of you? Maybe next time.

Carla's son Rhahime is pictured here with the President and one of his administrators. I don't know what Rhahime does but it must be important! Thanks Carla for the pix.

A Great Father

Today I would like to pay tribute to my Dad. He was without a doubt the best Dad a daughter could have. Some things you need to know about him.

In 1934 he brought his family of five (before Carole) from Utah to Glendive, Montana where he was to manage a department store. He and Mom saw that we all attended church and bible school and he quickly became not only a part of the community, but a leader in the community. We rode the Anderson's Float in the 4th of July parade, attended all the band concerts which he supported, went to the Elks picnics and Christmas party which he helped to organize and he taught us to mow lawns and garden. He took us on picnics, took us fishing, took my brothers hunting, saw that we always had a pet dog, took us to Yellowstone Park and Utah to visit our cousins and when I was in high school always drove my friends and me to out of town basketball and football games. My friends were always treated as part of the family.

He taught us the value of work. We worked at the store with him doing whatever he felt we could handle. (I remember making price labels, unpacking boxes, fringing scarfs and later taking inventory long before I was old enough to clerk.) Later I worked as cashier and organized and paid invoices.

His great teaching which always stuck with me was "to always be worth more than you were paid". Once when I was cleaning a house to earn a little cash he told me there were better ways for me to earn money and he helped me get a job caddying and sweeping greens at the golf club, much better.

Dad was a very kind and gentle man, he never raised a hand in discipline or said unkind things. Once when he was tired of a record I played over and over and over he just walked over and softly turned it off. I got the message. In junior high when I wanted to understand the Virgin Mary bit he found something I could read and understand before he discussed it with me.

When I had my first car accident (car slid into another at the stop sign) he was called and came right down. He did not criticize or yell or make me feel badly. He did, however, insist I drive the car home, instead of him. I think he wanted me to know he trusted me and I needed to regain my confidence.

We used to eat dinner at home every noon instead of at night. And always I remember Dad dancing around the kitchen with my Mom and giving her a kiss before he went back to work. Dad loved us and he love our Mom and we knew it. My aunt Erica once gathered us together and told us to be careful what we asked our Dad for. He would want to get it for us. I have long since forgiven him for selling the Shirley Temple doll that was to be my present. He just did not understand the significance of a Shirley Temple doll over just a doll.

Dad had about three children in college at a time for quite a long time. He always wanted us to have a job but this usually just took care of spending money. Lucky for us, he owned a store with great brand name clothes and we never felt deprived. But he worked long and hard to see that his family was provided for and educated.

Being the leader in our little branch of the Church for so many years could not have been easy. He had to prepare so many talks and guide so many people while he ran a store, was a leader in the Elks, on the school board, chamber of commerce, etc. He was a leader who served well but never for his own glory, always modestly, doing whatever was needed.

A kinder, gentler, more caring father could not be had. A better example for his family and community does not exist. I only wish my children could have known my Dad as their grandfather. He died when my youngest was only 2 and my oldest was only 8 but not before he had instilled in John a great love for fishing and Montana.

Happy Father's Day, Dad, I love you.

High School Days

So here I am at age 15 with my friend Carla standing behind me. Earlier this year I had a picture of Chuck (second from the left) and Bill (center) and myself as we looked when we met at Denny's near Roseville where I was working last fall. Bill later sent this picture. Glendive,Montana had this huge round swimming pool with a walk and benches all around the edge. It was our socializing place. This would have been the summer before my sophmore year of high school. It is only interesting to me as it is a picture I had not seen before.

Montanans

Here we are, Class of 51 Dawson County High, Class of 47 Washington Grade School, Now Northern Californians--Bill H, Janet A, Chuck E

High School Memories

Last night two of my high school friends in the Sacramento area played a little joke on me. Actually Bill has a long beard and mustache, today--though it is white--he is a Santa Claus now. I had seen Bill once since leaving high school, at the 2000 high school reunion.

Anyway Bill and I decided to meet and eat since I was working in Sacramento. I thought somewhere in the middle but he insisted on picking me up at my hotel "because he wanted to take me somewhere special". It surprised me when he wanted to go east on 80 (away from Sacramento) (he lives about an hour south of Sacramento, but he insisted he had a favorite "Dennys" that was really special. (I am thinking, how special could a Dennys be?) but I am listening to his nostalgia of this Dennys. We finally get there and though there is an "old cars" meet out in front Bill is anxious to hurry in.

As soon as we get inside some older guy is motioning to us to come and sit with him and I am wondering, "What the heck, does Bill know this guy?" He says to come and sit by him and I am thinking there is something familiar about those eyes but I just can't figure it out. Then he says his name...Chuck E... He had played for Washington at Pullman after leaving high school and I hadn't seen him since he went one way to college and I went another. Chuck had been the boyfriend of one of my friends, Kay, in high school and Bill had been the one who double dated with me in Jr High. He dated my friend Berta and I dated George.

Needless to say we had fun catching up on nostalgia and what has happened to us since. It is always a shock to face the reality of the transition from high school stud to senior citizen but "there we are" and pretty fortunate considering the alternative. Both Chuck and Bill are living the good "retired" life while I continue to work, but so far, I have been enjoying it...

50th High School Reunion in Glendive. Montana, June 2000

For four days I felt like, and we treated others like we were 16, except that we had the poise and confidence gained over another 50 years of being an adult.  We did not just talk to our own group.  It was my 49th school reunion and Marilyn's 51st and we would also see our friends from the classes of 50 and 52.  Jeanne, my older sister, and I both flew to Denver (Marilyn bought my ticket and found one for only $200 which was so nice of her, then we drove to Billings.

Wednesday night we stayed at the former Pat's home.  She was a close friend of Jeanne's growing up and I had played with her little sister Donna.  They were neighbors when we moved to Glendive in 1934 and then also lived on the Heights near them from 1939 on.  I had not seen Billings since I taught there in 55-56 when I came up there for one last chance to see if Harry and I could work out our differences and get married.  He was working in Glendive at the time.  I lived with George's girlfriend Suzy and another lovely Catholic girl named Pat.  She had just broken up with a Mormon boy so it was ironic.  Anyway Pat drove us around Billings and took us to the new Temple.  It is a little whiter and has much more garden and land around it but sits up against a hill, just like Reno Temple.  Pat said the neighbors did not like the lights on at night.  It was very lovely.

We stayed at my sister Carole's and Len's home owned by Mary, my sister-in-law.  There were plenty of beds for all but Len and Carole slept downstairs.  We arrived on Thursday around noon and had a delicious salad for lunch.  In the afternoon we stopped in a few stores down town and I saw Al from my class.  He was not going to the reunion and told me he had dropped out in 9th grade, which I did not remember.  He appeared very old and was having some medical problems, obviously, but still had his cute smile and sweet way about him.  His wife runs the furniture store.

Bernie 

The first event was separate parties at classmates homes.  Mine was at Bernie's home on Kendrick.  It is a beautiful, older home restored perfectly and furnished with lovely antiques which Bernie was an expert at refinishing. Bernie's wife Bev is a jewel--a school teacher he married in 1964.   I had to go to the party alone as Myrna (childhood friend) was getting a ride over with   Eddie according to Maureen.  She has to take medication and needed help walking, possibly.  I was a little nervous about it but rang the bell and walked on in--I thought I was the first one but then heard noises from below and descended a circular staircase.

Myrna with Bandido

Myrna called out, "Who's coming down?  and I said "Janet Anderson Hardy".  She said, "I heard you were beautiful." and then as I reached the floor, "and you are." I said, "Who told you that?" and she said, "I'll never tell."  And we were talking as if we had just seen each other yesterday instead of 40 some years ago.  I shook hands with Flossie who had worked so  hard on making this all happen and she still looks much the same.  Norm, Lorraine's husband, came up and gave me a hug and Bernie came from behind the bar and gave me a hug.  He has slimmed down and is quite good looking with his white hair.  He always was around my locker because his friend Lee's was right next to mine, so I always considered him a choice friend.  Bill came up and gave me a hug.  He earns money being Santa Claus so was easily recognizable with his white beard and mustache.  You can see his beautiful blue eyes now.  He is always fun to talk  to and was always around making us laugh.  He and Berta Mae (Carla) double dated with George and I on our first date in Junior High.  He kept telling me how beautiful I was--probably tells that to everyone or else the improvement from High school was dramatic.

Maria had told me to get pictures of all my old boyfriends so I kept that in mind as I started this journey with high school friends from the years 1947-1951.

 
Bill 

Lorraine came up and we immediately began chatting.  She looks so much the same and has hardly aged!  Mona (divorced from ) came up and Poot, her now husband.  I told Poot the last time I had seen him was when we went out and he said, " I never went out with you, you were way out of my class!"  Actually, we were sitting next to each other when a lot of us had gathered at the Montana Inn during the holidays when we were all home from college!  Harry came in with a date (he and I were broken up at the time) and his chair collapsed and it was very awkward with everyone watching us.  Anyway Poot asked me to dance which I thought was so nice of him as it changed the moment.  Poot was a very fast runner and made a lot of touchdowns for us!  Anyway I explained it to him and he did remember.  I never knew he thought I was out of his class.  I was just dating boys I had met through my sister's group in an upper class.

Poot 

Shirley, our neighbor through all the years on the heights, came with her husband Lou and was very interesting to talk to, as always.  She was one of the brightest students and  I had known her from second grade on,  I used to color books at her house and tried so hard to stay in the lines as well as she did.  Shirley has been great to keep up with the Christmas cards and they always do such interesting things.  She caught me up on where our friend Ellen is now so maybe I can write her.  She was one of the Japanese who was sent inland to live during WWII.  Shirley's hair is still brown naturally, something she inherited from her father, she said.

Lou and Shirley 

  

Joyce still looks very young and she is a great talker, too.  I think she was the one who had a son in Reno.  I did not get her picture.  Myrna and I were sitting at the bar, facing out and watching the crowd assemble.  Kay and husband Al soon arrived.  She was one of my best friends' also and I had seen her two summers ago when I visited Marilyn.  Kay looks just as young and beautiful as she always did, she colors her hair a little and exercises a lot and is very slim and trim.  They are a very good looking couple.

  

Kay and Al 

 

A very striking couple, who none of us knew, came down and she immediately came over and talked to us.  She was Carole's friend Patty and had married Harold from our class.  Hal was a nerdy looking, skinny boy in high school but was now very handsome and charming.  They had worked with her father building malls in Montana and then went to California where he worked for Ernst and Young for awhile.  He has also done bit parts in movies and appeared in the Star Trek series and "Father of the Bride".  He is very fun to talk to and I doubt I said a word to he him in high school.   She is a striking platinum hair beauty.

There were delicious snacks so Myrna and I filled our trays and sat back down.  Soon Myrna, Kay, Lorraine and I were in the corner and talked and talked and talked.  Myrna's medication began to wear off so I offered to drive her home (Marilyn's car).  The car was fogged up so when we got out on the highway we had a hard time seeing and Myrna was directing from her open window.  We were laughing like a couple of teenagers.  I wore my white jeans, teddies and Mickey Mouse shirt.  At each event, some were dressed up and some were casual.

Myrna, Myself, Lorraine, Kay 

Note from 2021...Myrna, I have stayed with several times in Manhattan Beach as I came to and from San Diego, she passed a few years ago.  She has a granddaughter who is in Tanner's Med Classes.  Her daughter always reminded me of Linda.  Her daughter is a friend on Facebook.  I was Maid of Honor at Lorraine's wedding in the Methodist Church and had a beautiful yellow formal.  They had a ranch in Big Timber which I have only been to once.  We do Christmas cards but she is not on social media.  Kay and I still communicate on social media and occasional calls.

Myself, Myrna, and Jackie Braswell Schlict

Friday we looked around some shops in Glendive and I bought a flag for my house and some material for a place mat.  Len, Carole, Jeanne, Marilyn and I ate lunch at a Chinese place.  It was very good. It was a rainy day but we looked at a few shops downtown.  We registered and got our badges and talked a little while Jeanne and Carole waited for us in the car.  The sun was shining again.  Friday night was a get together of all four years with food and drinks down at the EPEC.  I wore my white jacket and beige pants.  I had my camera but ran out of film after only l pix.  I saw Lorraine and we chatted and then decided to pick up our food and then Kay and Al and Myrna and Lorraine's husband came and sat down too with their food.  I was sitting talking when Deloris came up and said, "Janet, now is your chance, Harry is right in back of me."  I said I did not have enough nerve to go up to him and began drumming my fingers on the table and Deloris began imitating me or I would not have realized that is what I was doing.

Lorraine and Norm 

Then Dick Carney, Harry's best friend, came up and started talking to me and so I stood up.  We had a nice chat and he was consoling me about the death of my husband.  I said, "Well, Dick, we always called you 'Pockets'--tell me did you end up the richest of all these guys?"  He said, "no, there is another here and he is the only one wearing a Rolex watch, name of Harry Becker!"  I thought it was cute the way he said it.  I said, "Good for him, how did he do it?" "Just being at the right place at the right time and with the special talents he has." 

Shortly thereafter as I was standing and talking to a group Harry came over and we moved to the left and he put his arm around me and said, "Janet" as if surprised to see me.  I had not been to any of the other reunions.  We filled each other in briefly about our lives presently.  He consoled me about the death of my husband and hugged me again.  He told me about his business that his son is now running and he just checks in and counsels with him.  I asked him how George and Suzy got back together and he told me that story.  Just then Myrna came up and said something about us not having seen each for 44 years and "as many pounds"  I added, and he agreed and touched his waistline.  I said, "You look good, you really do." And he gave me another hug, which Myrna said later was so endearing and that all our friends were watching in interest.  I said, "It felt good, he was always so caring and protective."  When he left, I said he owed me a dance tomorrow and Myrna said, "Yes, you can dance with all us widows."  (That never happened, evidently his wife had given him strict orders to no more than 10 minutes with me.)

It is interesting how we all put ourselves out to go up and talk to everyone and we all said very generous things to each other.  Too bad we were not always that way in high school but managed often to stay within our groups.  We finally left around 10:30.  I could not believe it was so late already.

Saturday there was a luncheon at the Jordan but first we went to look at the house Len and Carole are buying.  Counting the basement there is about 1450 square feet.  I think it will be a very workable situation but they are going to miss their sun porch at Mary's. Anyway I was wearing my matching jeans and shirt and tennis shoes which I then wore to the luncheon which was probably not the best choice.  Myrna was there as I came in and Marilyn had saved a table for us.  Adele and Frances sat at our table and we had fun chatting.

Frances had written down all the deaths in the class of 49 and I was surprised at how many there were.  Claude, Marilyn's boyfriend, was the first.  He was killed just a year after graduation when he crashed his car.  I remember how sad it was when they lowered him in the grave and I had just began to sob.  Marilyn's friend Shirley was also on the list and she had died of cancer.

Class of 49--Marilyn 2nd from left

 It was interesting that Frances was impressed that Harry had come  up and spoke to her, that he was always friendly and that each reunion everyone was talking to more people and in fact that she had spoken to more people last night than she had in all of high school.  This just shows you how people fall in to groups and its hard to move from one to the other in high school.

Eddy and Myrna at 50th Reunion--the Jitterbuggers

 I was lucky because I made friends early on with Phyllis and so got to know the sophomores and then, of course, Marilyn was a junior and so I got to know her friends.  Those three classes had a lot of parties and fun times together, which is why we got to know the older boys and dated them for the proms and such.  The only boy I every dated in my class was Lee and that was when Harry was away at college.

Marilyn Kelly's daughter came up to the table to talk to Myrna and Frances said, "Is that Marilyn Kelly?' and Adel said, "Yes," and I said,  "No, that is her daughter!"  Marilyn does look so young and her husband later told me that when they took a trip recently to Europe, the people were always confused about which was which.  "She works at it." he said.  Adele told us how she and Warren Carlson ( no relation) always pretended to be brother and sister.  Myrna told us she had married a few years after her first husband died and then he had passed away after only six months!

Saturday night was still cool and rainy so I wore my Zoo dress and white jacket and sandals.  We had to be there for pictures in the late afternoon and I brought my camera to do the "boyfriend pictures".  First one in the door was Curt  and I told him I had had a crush on him in the 6th grade (or 5th) so Myrna took our picture.  He married Iris and lives in Glendive.  

Curt 

Also Dale came up and I wouldn't have recognized him.  He has had a hard time health wise--said that Dick and Harry had picked him up in Billings but that his wife could not attend.  We reminisced at how we got in trouble in study hall because we were always talking and that Moody had called me up and told me that I must have been vaccinated with a phonograph needle and to please be quiet.  Dale reminded me of when he and Bill had visited me in San Diego and I couldn't remember where I was living at the time and neither could he.  

Jackie and Bob 

At picture taking Myrna and I wanted to be in the 2nd row so we wouldn't have to show our legs sitting down in the first row.  Shirley and another short girl came up behind us and so I told them to come down in my place and I would move up with the boys.  I ended up between Hal and Bill and they were fun to talk to.  I kidded I would tell my daughter I was standing between two movie stars.  Both do bit parts. Bill is a Santa Claus and was in the beginning of "Basic Instincts". Hal was in the Star Trek series and also "Father of the Bride".

After picture taking I talked to Bernie and Bill for a long time and they told me about Bill being in the air force and Bernie would not join with him and then ended up drafted and both were in Germany at the same time but Bernie got to go home sooner because he only had 2 years and Bill had 4.  I told them about the boyfriend picture thing and that even though they weren't my boyfriends I was going to take their picture because they were always around.  Bill said, "Yeah, how come we were always your brothers and not your boy friends."  Bernie said he was always afraid to ask me out.  My locker was next to his friend Lee and he was around it a lot and then I did date his brother Mike in my freshman or sophomore year.  Then Hal came up and began telling us some very funny stores.  He is so charming.  I was impressed that he even held my arm as I got down off the riser from having the pictures.

Norm Anderson

Marilyn came up and said she had a place saved for me.  Lo and behold it was the next table to Harry and his wife and it was hard to look anywhere without looking at them.  I decided to talk to Kay and Lorraine for awhile as they were not serving yet and then I saw Norm Anderson sitting there so I told him I needed his picture as "one of my old boyfriends."   He said, "Yeah, 47 years ago, (I think it was longer than that though???)

We began to talk about his family and especially his older son and then Harry walked by and I said, "Oh, I haven't your picture yet, my daughter wanted pictures of all my old boyfriends.  "All your old boyfriends" he mimicked.  (He is right, there was really not that many).  I said, "Your wife won't mind, will she?"  And he mimicked "My wife won't mind?"  Anyway Andy took our picture but Harry moved too soon to ask me a question and so he had to take it again.  The camera does a lot of noise before the flash goes off and people are always thinking it is done.  I later learned he was not supposed to talk to me Saturday night at all so it is good I didn't know that or I would not have gotten his  picture.  The only pictures I could not get were George Samuelson, my grade school friend as he and Suzy were tending their grandchildren;  Mike who had passed away, and Dean, who I dated once, and he has also passed away, and Lee, who was not there.

Harry 

Harry 

The dinner was buffet style and they started at our end and we were the second table so we got plenty of food but I could hardly eat anything at all so I just talked and laughed with Myrna.  The speakers finally began and were good.  Lowell spoke for the year 49, Harry for the year 50, Emory for the year 51 and Don for the year 52.  

Each speaker got progressively funnier. Harry spoke well and I told Myrna he talked like Johnny Carson and she said she had never heard him speak that way and I said I hadn't either but neither of has had heard him talk for a long time.  He spoke about how he did not reminisce about the past but moved forward into the future! 

 Emory did a lot of reminiscing about our wonderful class and made us feel that we were the smartest, the brightest and the best.  He flattered me by adding my name to the homecoming queens as the "cuties" in the class.  It was a good talk and brought back a lot of memories so I asked for a copy of he talk and he said he would email it to me.  Don had us all laughing with some very fumy jokes.

Emory was one of those late bloomers, not noticed in high school by me and is now very handsome and has a great command of speaking.  He was a pastor for 35 years but told me how hard it was for him to learn to speak.  He supplements his retirement as a painting contractor.  His wife is really beautiful. Lovely couple.

Hubert Huebl and Maureen H Skillestead

They handed out T-shirts to the winners of the golf tournament and then said that they had all tied and so gave them all one.  Some of the rest of us requested one also and they will order some more.  It had "Red Devils" on it.  I made sure that I got pictures of all my girlfriends and their husbands.  I talked to Hubert and he took our picture to send to Berta Mae( Carla) and said he would give her our email addresses as he did not have hers.

I even had enough nerve to go up to Warren and his wife "Oh, yes", he said, "we did have a date."  His wife is very pretty and they were interesting to talk to about Washington.

On Sunday morning Maureen asked me if I had accomplished my mission and I said I had except for the ones that were not there!

Continuing on Saturday night, we were sitting and talking at the tables furthest from the dancing and at one moment I looked up and caught the eye of Norm "Andy", who was was sitting alone.  I smiled and he came over and we had a long talk about our lives which I do not need to go into here.  But we had a nice camaraderie and I enjoyed talking to him.

Betty Barkema Seiler

Sunday we went to a breakfast buffet at 8:30 and sat with Myrna, Maureen, Eddie , Hal and his wife.  I got pictures of them all and then we said our goodbyes.  I also took Shirley and Louis picture and Betty .  Myrna said she would call when she got home.  There was a huge line by now so glad we were there early and on our way to Church.  Deloris, Audree, and George were just coming in so was able to get their picture, too.  It was a great reunion and it was fun being 17 again--now back to 67.

Deloris and George, Audree, Judy

Deloris (Sieve), Audree and George 

Sunday afternoon we drove out to Makoshika Park and they have really made a big deal out of it now with a Visitor Center and a new stadium.  Monday morning we started for Denver.  It was a great trip.  The flight home was a little scary--huge dust storm plus rain coming into Phoenix.  Found out later one plane had been hit by lightening and another had slid in and landed on a wing.  I was imagining I was going down for sure.  The plane was 2 1/2 hrs late so I stayed in Susanville and picked up up my monitor the next day--yea!

Suzi and George 2008
Not at Reunion

 

Carla and Aaron. Not at reunion