A message from the Trailboss. . .

Lorlee sez:

Since I have dial up at home and at the office, we are blocked from u-tube things -- I don't have a clue as to what you said. So, I am sorry, you just have to keep posting things. We need to know who died, cried, graduated, prommed, won state championships, etc. etc.

Trailboss responds to this dear one:

Geez Lorlee, we're still gonna post. Honest. We're just not going to put up the stuff that we're making up just to keep everybody interested and draw an audience. So keep checking. When gold comes, we'll post it. Somebody is going to send us something that matters and sure enough, we're going to post it, post haste! So stand by, my sweetheart! Somebody will give us something! And when they do, it's up there! In the meantime, check the other sites for personal stuff... like my granddaugther....

Oh. And if you missed the YouTube thing, Tom Obert thought it might be a bit like Allistar Cooke, and Diane Hoffman compared it to Charles Kuralt, but, I don't know about all that. Stick with the dialup. Trust me, it's not worth the investment.

By the way, Lorlee, it's just not looking good for Hilary. I know, I know, she's got Puerto Rico, but somehow I don't think that's going to be a deal-maker. What's Mr. Dzuik saying about all this? Dziuk U needs to provide some leadership here. What's next? Nothing helpful or insightful from that limosine liberal Strandberg, of course.

Email from Bonita Olson Gilbertson:

Hi Stan,
I am SO bummed about the blog. I understand what you're saying, but nevertheless I still feel bad. I usually check it daily. Even my daughter Kristi, class of '85, checks it as do many other non classmates. Writing in can be intimidating for people. They maybe think "oh who cares about things that I have to say or tell about." They might be surprised. When I sent in my granddaughter Brittney's Prom pictures I received quite a few comments from people I never knew even looked at the blog. People enjoyed them.

Of course I live in Alex but as I said before, people are watching and enjoying us, no matter how trivial the information is.
So Stan,take the summer off, play some of your beautiful music (and don't forget to listen to Norah Jones)! Enjoy golfing, babysitting, taking pictures and whatever else you do, but please, once in a while put a little something on the blog.
EVERYONE PLEASE HELP STAN OUT. Send SOMETHING in.
Till next time...Bonita Olson Gilbertson

Stan says: Hey Bonita, I will post original stuff that comes from classmates and friends who are talking about themselves and their loved ones. That stuff is gold and we love it. I am just saying we don't get much of that anymore, so we've mostly just been making up stuff about the weather, etc. If someone writes and says they had a crush on Paul Strandberg, believe me, it will be posted. ;)

Email from Kathy Skadsberg:

Dear Stan,

Oh My.
If your YouTube presentation had not been so wonderful, I would be sad to see the blog cease (for a time).
Thanks for all your time and creativity! Will check back with the blog periodically in hopes of catching a glimpse of more classmates and their busy lives. Congratulations to John and his talented family.
Keep in touch and I will be watching you on your family blog.
A big hug,
Kath

Grad, Grad, Grad, Grad, and Dad -- Mom too

John Herdan writes:

The Herdan family may have set a record last week with four graduates in the family in one week. On Saturday May 17th our oldest son Michael (bottom photo) graduated from the University of Minnesota, Morris with a BS in Social Studies. Michael did his student teaching at Maple Grove Middle School and is currently looking for a job teaching and coaching next year.

Later on that same day our oldest daughter Katie (right) graduated from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls with a triple major BA in Spanish, Music, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Katie graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.98 grade point and was selected to sing at the graduation ceremony. She will be heading to Taiwan on July 16th to participate in an international jazz festival for one week. She then will remain at the same university to teach English for a month. When she returns in late August she will finish with plans to move to South America somewhere to teach English for the next year.

On Friday, May 23, our twins (below) graduated from St. Cloud Cathedral High School. David was the winner of the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award and is headed to the University of Wisconsin, River Falls to major in instrumental music with a performance emphasis. Jennifer was the winner of the High School Choral Award and is headed to Winona State University to major in accounting or some other math-related field.

On Saturday, we hosted a party that was attended by over 300 people, including 75 members of David and Jennifer's graduating class. Lot of musicians showed up with a jam session on the back patio running from 4 p.m. to after 8. Now we can relax and enjoy the summer.

Top photo: John, Judy, Katie, David, Jennifer, and Michael

Raymond Bakke, 62

Raymond Gene Bakke, 62, Alexandria, died May 20, 2008 at his lake home in Burtrum.

Ray was born in Alexandria on April 8, 1946, to Clifford and Frances (Loch) Bakke. He attended local schools in Alexandria and graduated in 1964 from Jefferson High School. As a high school student he was an avid wrestler.

Ray attended Alexandria Technical College and took part in theirindustrial machinery program. He was then employed by the FMC Corporation in Minneapolis and worked there for 23 years. When the company had massive layoffs, Ray decided to go back to college in his
40s.

Ray then attended St. Cloud State University where he received an education degree in industrial education. He then taught for seven years at the Iowa Central Community College prior to moving to Alexandria.

Ray was known in the sports officiating business for umpiring baseball all over the state as well as being an international wrestling official.

He is survived by his mother, Frances Bakke of Alexandria; brothers, Duane Bakke of Alexandria, Rodney Bakke of Alexandria, Allen Bakke of Alexandria, Richard Bakke of East Bethel; sister, Cathy Miller of Denver; and son, Greg Bennett of Brainerd. He was also the proud grandpa of Samantha and Isabella Bennett.

Ray was preceded in death by his father; and his companion of more than 30 years, Sandi Bennett.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, May 24, at Oscar Lake Lutheran Church in Farwell with the Rev. Denise Croskey officiating. Sara Rensink was the organist. Interment was at the church cemetery with Brian Bakke, Kevin Bakke, Daren Bakke, Scott Bakke, Chris Bakke, Chaz Bakke, Fred Bennett, Brad Holmquist, Travis Holmquist and Bill Bursch serving ascasket bearers. Honorary casket bearers were Kelly Miller, Kacie Miller, Isabella Bennett, Samantha Bennett, Cassandra Bakke, Jodi Holmquist, Debbie Bakke, all umpires, referees and Ray’s friends.

Flowering crabs are out!

We're sorry about the nasty things we said about spring. All is forgiven.

Ribs, live music near Lake Agnes

Mark Weston of Weston Station cooked up some ribs last night at the big rib festival in Alex. According to cub reporter Tom Obert, Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer - in Alex, with the Awake the Lakes festival that began tonight with the RibFest and live music along 2nd Avenue overlooking Lake Agnes. Because every month since December has been below normal temperature-wise (except January, which was normal, i.e., quite cold), last night was a particularly pleasant surprise - a tad windy, but otherwise lovely (last year Awake the Lakes featured gale force winds with qwind chill temps in the 20's).

Ray Bakke, Cathy's big brother

Raymond G. Bakke

Bakke, Raymond G. age 62, of Alexandria, died May 20. He worked at FMC for over 20 years. High School Sports Official. Member of MN-USA Wrestling. Services 11 am Saturday, May 24 from Oscar Lake Lutheran Church, rural Farwell. Visitation 5-7 pm Friday, 5/23 at Anderson Funeral Home, Alexandria. http://www.andersonfuneral.net/

We await an obituary, but believe Ray to be Cathy's brother and multi-year varsity wrestler for the Alexandria Cardinals, before graduating a year (or two) ahead of the Class of 1965. Our sympathies to the family.

Look what's bugging Lorlee these days

"Well," Lorlee writes, "I am hoping this guy turns into some sort of beautiful butterfly."

Cheers for the red and black

Cardinal red tulips with their black interiors are finally greeting the long-awaited springtime. It is still chilly and bleak this mid-May, but these colorful additions to the landscape make the wait a little easier.

(Backyard photo by the trailboss - click to enlarge)

Diane's Family Racing for the Cure

Stan,

Today my daughters and some friends walked at Race for the Cure. It's unbelievable, 50,000 plus wearing pink, representing mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends who have been touched by breast cancer. My daughter, Heidi, was diagnosed in March. She is going through chemo and radiation.

Please don't forget the monthly breast checks and yearly mammograms, guys. You have to be proactive...One in eight of us will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Diane Hoffman O'Brien

Happy Mother's Day

( Photo by TB)

May 2 was official ice out date in Alex

This was the latest ice out in Alexandria for 29 years, according to those who sit beside the lakeshore and keep track of this sort of thing.
(Photo by Tom Obert. Not sure if this is Darling or Le Homme Dieu. Photographer may have lost his bearings.)

Count us in, Nolan!

Carolyn and Harland Hoffland's grandson Nolan suffers from a rare disease. Recently his family set up a blog to communicate about it. If you'd like to visit, just click on the link in the right hand column of this blog.
Carolyn and Harland Hoffland write:

This is a site that our daughter, Missy, has set up for Nolan. She did a wonderful job! We hope you will visit it and help keep Nolan's spirits up and preoccupied. If you wish to make a contribution to Nolan's medical journey, the information is on the site for that as well. If I have missed someone that you think may like to know of this site as well, please forward their information to me. Thank you for your love and support.

Carolyn & Harland

JHS Prom happens, after all

Minnesota's wintry blasts postponed the Alexandria Jefferson High Prom this year, but, based on this trove of photos from a proud grandmother from the Class of 1965, they recovered nicely and in style.
-
Grandma Gilbertson writes:
Hi Stan,
I shared these pictures with Kathy Skadsberg and she insists that I send them to the blog. I don't know how to edit so unfortunately I am sending them all. A couple that are my favorites are: No. 1893, 1932, 1888, 1918 and 1929. Kathy said, send them all and just let Stan edit them. Sorry.
Anyway, as you know from a previous email, the prom was cancelled and rescheduled due to the blizzard. It was held Sunday, May 4.
My granddaughter Brittney is a Sophomore at Jefferson. Her date is not her boyfriend, just a friend. He is the foreign exchange student from Norway. He wanted to take a girl who reminded him of the girls back home in Norway. Tall, blonde and of course, Norwegian. He is a VERY nice young man and they had a great time.
The reason that they have golf clubs and carts in some of the photos is because they went to dinner at the Geneva Golf Club. The Grand March was held at Discovery Middle School and the dance at Jefferson. Sounds like they spent a lot of time going from place to place.
The girls are sure a lot more glamorous than when we were in school and going to the prom!!! [I don't think so! -- TB]
Bonita Olson Gilbertson

Here's a peek at the email from Bonita's daughter:

Here are a few pictures from Brit's Prom on Sunday night. She went with Karsten, a foreign exchange student from Norway. He was the NICEST guy and I was very impressed with his manners and maturity. Even though prom was postponed a week due to weather and they had to have it on a SUNDAY night, she still had a great time. One down...two to go!!
Kristi

Do you love looking at prom photos?

You'll Luv the EchoPress show at

http://www.echopress.com/multimedia/slideshow.cfm?id=13

Click on it.

Remember Sherry Gorder?

She just checked in
Someone gave Sherry Gorder Winter the trailboss's email address. Sherry left Alexandria in the ninth grade, but many of us have good memories of her. She wanted to know how everyone is doing.
Here's her first note:

Hi Stan, I am writing to inquire about former classmates. I left Alexandria when going into 9th grade. Is there a place/resource I can access the classmates who graduated in 1965, maybe pictures too?
Thank you,
Sherry Winter (Gorder)

Today, after being directed to the class website, she sent this note:
Hi Stan,
I have spent some time perusing the website. How fun! I recognize many names and wish I had an annual from that year to see each person as they graduated. Forty-some years later, we all look just a little different. I am wondering if you remember Jane Johnson? Gail Hanson is another person as is Cathy Bakke. Is there a way to connect with those who set up the reunion, Mark and his wife, to get a list of addresses/e-mails? I would love to connect with Cathy Bakke and maybe a few others. Do you know where Jacobson is in California? Was his first name Richard? I remember him from Junior High and I now have a 14-year-old grandson who truly reminds me of him back in Junior High. And how do we submitt information or pictures to your website? I may have overlooked that option. Thank you for your time and information Stan!
Sherry

How about it, JHS Boomers. If you can give Sherry some help with any of this, please send a note to the trailboss@swpub.com and he'll send you her email address. (We try not to publish too many email addresses on line for obvious reasons.) Reach out to Sherry, somebody.

A class father with style and Grace

Our '65 classmate Bud Bruzek (Yes, Gramma, he's the same age as we are.) faithfully supported his eldest daughter, Brittney, through her entire career as a Cardinal sports star in hockey and softball. Now here's Gracie, the next daughter in line. She is the point guard for the Alexandria basketball team and the shortstop for the softball team. Our cub reporter took this windblown photo today sheltered by a dugout - the Cards were hosting a four-team tournament. It was a bright sunny day, but with wind chills probably in the 20's, so a fashionable buff serape proved to be the wise wardrobe choice. You go Bud!

(The Cardinal Girls Softball team is hot. They're 11-1 so far.)

Finding some joy in a dreary day

Kathy Skadsberg writes:
Hi Stan,
I really enjoy Lorlee's beautiful Texas flowers. Like Bonita, I wonder if we will ever see ours. In the meantime, here are two flowers picked from my children's garden. They are granddaughters Priscilla, 2, and Taylor, 3.
Think Spring!

Kath

(Thanks, Kath. Exactly what we need today. This dreary morning an old grouch hoped for just enough May weather to be able to belt sand a sheet of wood out on the garage apron, and let the cold, gusty wind carry the dust away. We've learned to not expect much any more, but apparently even this was way over the top. As soon as the raw wood was carefully clamped in place, sudden rain drenched it. @#X! - Defeated, we have retreated indoors, posted Priscilla and Taylor's delightful photo, lit a fire, and put on Norah Jones. Don't Know Why, but it's better now, and there's no alcohol involved. Yet. Thanks for your help.

Stan)

Clinton or Obama? Here's what our libs say

Either, neither and a lesson on yellow dogs
In our never-ending search to tap all the talents of the Alexandria JHS Boomers, we journeyed to the DFL mountain top seeking wisdom from our favorite pundits on the burning question, Clinton or Obama? The question seems to dominate media play these days, so how about some fresh local insight, we thought. Here's what we got:

Sue Engstrom
Clinton or Obama? Neither!! Because I can't make up my mind, and I'm still mourning Kucinich's chances!! I proudly wear my Kucinich t-shirt from four years ago to my gym classes!! In this Republican community, I doubt anyone at the gym even knows who he is! My grandson in St. Paul, tho, checks everyday for the Kucinich car parked two blocks from their home - it is completely (except windows) wall-papered with Kucinich bumper stickers from four years ago. YEA!!!

McCain is so scarey, I guess I'll support whichever seems more likely to beat him. Lots can happen between now and the convention. (Shades of Chicago??)

Lorlee Bartos
Loyal Democrat will vote for either.
After eight years of Republican failure, a yellow dog would be better.
(Lorlee, apparently now exhausted by the subject, pastes in the following background info. That's her at right with the founding father of Dziuk University, the original JHS liberal.)
The term, Yellow Dog Democrat, blossomed during all of the Hoopla which surrounded the 1928 elections, when Al Smith ran for President against Herbert Hoover. During that campaign, Senator Tom Heflin, of Alabama, declined to back his fellow Democrat, Al Smith the Governor of NY. In fact it was much worse than that, Senator Heflin decided to back Herbert Hoover, who would then go on to become President- a Republican President no less. Heflin's controversial actions were considered heresy, especially in the South. As you can imagine, quite a large number of Alabamans vehemently disagreed with Senator Heflin's decision to cross his "Party Lines". Hence, the popular saying, "I'd vote for a yellow dog if he ran on the Democratic ticket" was born! It was adopted as the proud slogan of the staunch party loyalist. At the time, this phrase certainly did not reflect well on Senator Heflin .

Tom Obert
I'm doing laundry - in anticipation of Ruthie's return from Indiana tomorrow. So what better time to respond to your request?

Initially, like most Democrats, I was excited about the prospect of finally breaking the stranglehold of "aging white males" upon the presidency of our country. In recognizing there is little to quibble about from a policy basis between Obama and Clinton, I decided Obama had the best chance to be an inspiring president in the way Kennedy was for Democrats and Reagan was for Republicans. Then the media intervened. Some how matters such as the war, health care, education, infrastructure, et al, have taken a back seat to the "gotcha" mentality that only sees fit to report on such silliness as nutty pastors (although that seems to have put to rest the "secretly a Muslim" balderdash) and American flag lapel pins. Even an old political wonk such as myself can't stand to watch this stuff anymore.

And now we have the issue of 300 jobs going wanting at the new fortress that is the American embassy in Baghdad. The proper response to this is, of course, to question the patriotism of the professional diplomats in State Department on the basis of mental competency for not applying for those jobs. As Linda Ellerbee says, "and so it goes."

- Cubbie

(There you have it. Three opinions from three liberals. Not sure what to conclude. Would have been more, but Strandberg just couldn't get his assignment written in time to turn in to Dziuk U. Some things are eternal. Elder statesman Riggs is AWOL. As always, we welcome aggressive and immediate comment on anything printed here. Please respond to trailboss@swpub.com before the rage subsides, as it is always more interesting that way.)

June Kiehne, 82, Tom's mom

June Avis Kiehne, 82, died April 25, 2008 at Douglas County Hospital in Alexandria.

June was born June 1, 1925 in Richfield to Frank and Myrtle (Thompson) Gullgren. She attended high school in Alexandria. June was united in marriage to Merill Kiehne on December 16, 1943 at the Methodist Church in Alexandria. The couple was blessed with four children and are lifelong residents of Alexandria; they wintered in South Texas for many years.

June was a consummate mother and homemaker during her child-raising years. She also was a waitress for numerous restaurants around the area, including Geneva Lodge, Hillside, Swede and Sally’s, and Garden Center.
June was active in the Methodist Church in her younger years, teaching Sunday school and singing in the church choir. She also enjoyed home decorating, fishing, bowling, knitting, crocheting and crossword puzzles. Most of all she loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her devoted husband of 64 years, Merill, who has been her loving caregiver in recent years; sons, Jerry (U.S. Navy Commander, retired) and wife, Patricia Kiehne of Punta Gorda, FL and Tom (U.S. Army Colonel, retired) of Austin, TX; daughter, Jill Aspelin of Willmar; 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; sisters, Donna and husband, Ron Hopkins of Alexandria and Sally and husband, Swede Falk of Alexandria.
June was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Myrtle Gullgren; daughter, Cheryl Brennan; and brothers, Milo and Gale.
A funeral service was held April 29 at Anderson Funeral Home Chapel in Alexandria with the Reverend Roger Parks officiating. Music was provided by organist, Pam Noetzelman and soloist, Missy Radermacher. Interment was at Kinkead Cemetery in Alexandria. Casket bearers were Jerry Kiehne, Tom Kiehne, and grandchildren, Nathan Aspelin, Chad Cooper, Jeff Kiehne and Pam Johnson-Keller. Honorary casket bearers were Thomas Kiehne, Steven Kiehne, KaTina Austin, Kari Haugen and Stacy Hindt.
(From the Echo Press)