How many stories have started out with this line?
July 1, 2023 Ellis and I were driving kitty corner across North Dakota, admiring the yellow fields of canola. We were in a hurry so we didn't stop long enough to get as many pictures as I wanted.
As we cruised along I thought of another summer long ago. Sixty years ago, in fact.
My parents lived in Graceton MN. They were part of North Cental Conference, a group of Mennonite churches located across the top of these states. Eastern Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Here is a bit of a time-line.
Arnie and Leona were married April 8, 1960. Dad was halfway through his 1W Service in Fort Wayne IN so they lived in an apartment in that city the first year of their married life.
Dawn Kaye was born February 9, 1961
Six weeks later we moved to Graceton Minnesota
Ladina Joy was born April 10, 1962 in Baudette MN.
Dad needed a job. Emmett and Tillie Drawbond (because of health troubles) needed help with their farm. How did these two families find out about each other? Was it through the Gospel Herald - a periodical published weekly and distributed to Mennonite families across the United States?
In early spring of 1963 we moved to Fortuna, North Dakota.
A house was provided with the job. We lived
north of Emmett and Tillie's house in The Peterson House. This was a big, two story house.Tillie's grandson and his family live there now.
The house had indoor plumbing. (This seems like a side note but in reality it was quite wonderful. Somewhere along the line Dad and Mom bought a property across the road from Grandpa and Grandma Skrivseth near Graceton. Then they moved a house on that property and began pioneering. No indoor plumbing, cooking on a wood cook stove, heating the house with a wood stove in the living room.) Here my thoughts trip me up and I think, "I wish I could ask Dad what year he bought that land. What year did he move the house?"
Maybe Uncle Sid will remember. I can ask him.
While we lived in ND we went to church in Coalridge, MT where the Harshbarger family lived. Because of the time change we could leave at 10:00 am and get to church an hour later at 10:00 am. The trip home in the afternoon wasn't as restful because then we lost an hour at the border of Montana/North Dakota.
I have been told so many stories of this year in North Dakota that it seems I can remember it. There are faint glimmers of things I remember.
This is where I met my future husband - when I was two and Ellis was three. Ellis, Sharon Drawbond and I were three toddlers out to terrorize the baby chicks on the farm. Ellis remembers being so pleased to show us the chickens. While we were in the hen house anyway, why not gather the eggs? No basket? Let's just fill every pocket with eggs. This went well until Ellis tripped and fell and smashed the eggs!
After the field work was done on Emmett's farm we moved to Grenora ND where we rented a basement house. I can remember this house - very faintly. Dad worked for Darrell Kueffler at Darrell's Westland Service.
Apparently after a year my parents decided to move back to Graceton. The reason I know this is because Trenda Lee was born May 5, 1964 in Baudette MN.
We met life long friends that year. People we keep in touch with to this day. June 25, 2023 Matilda Drawbond celebrated her 100th birthday!
I wish we could have been there to help celebrate. We missed it by a week because of schedules not cooperating. So we made a flying trip out to MT for a wedding July 1st. I was able to wish Tillie a happy birthday yesterday at church.
Happy July everyone! Enjoy your summer to the fullest!
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