Around Town

Duame Family, vacationing in Italy

From: Mike Duame

To: simonson@accessmn.com

Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Subject: italy

Good chilly morning Don,

 

We just returned from a 10 day vacation to the Tuscany region of Italy. We toured many areas, San Gimignano,Siena,Florence,and Pisa. The duomos were amazingly beautiful, The Uffizi Palace-45 rooms of artwork and statues, the Accademia-the David, Ponte Vecchio- Arno River the only bridge not destoyed by the germans in WWII., the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the pictures of the certainly do not give them justice, but I hope you can enjoy just alittle of our once-in-a-lifetime adventure.  We concluded our trip to the Chique Terre region. (Monterosso) on the aqua blue Mediterranan ocean.

 

Kathy Duame

 

Jim, Rachel and Cade Endrizzi, Kirsten Kujala, Chad and myself enjoyed the trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roger Arola, retirement party

September 11, 2009, the City of Cook put on a very nice retirement party for Roger Arola in honor of the twenty one years he worked in the Maintenance Department. He was a very faithful worker, be it winter or summer he was on the job. He was always pleasant and helpful. Over the years he was called out after hours many times for a water problem or a snow storm. He will be missed by the people of Cook.

Penny Buckingham of the Cook Ambulance Squad and Susan Stone of the Cook City Hall served coffee and cake.

Roger holding his retirement cake. It was also his 66th birthday today.

 Roger spent many hours driving the City grader, summer and winter

Mayor Richard Edblom presenting Roger with an award for his many years to the City of Cook. 

Roger Arola's brother-in-law Roy Ridlon (Kathy's brother) shown in the background provided the beautiful music for the occasion.

Roger and his wife Kathy

Roger's neighbor Pat (Greg) Lund gave him a bag of "honey-do" items now that he will have more time to work around the house.

Roger visiting with his cousin Jacob Laakkonen and his wife Kathy

Roger with Bud Ranta whom he worked with for the past twenty one years. Bud has worked for the City for 26 years

City Administrator Theresa Martinson, Liz Storm of the City Council and Rev. Reuben Rosnau of the Cook Fire Department.

Other members past and present of the City Council and many friends attended this event to honor Roger this day. What a great compliment to Roger at this time. May he have a wonderful retirement.

Ben Nibbe

September 2, 2009, at the Montana Cafe this morning came a man to our coffee table who introduced himself as having read the cookmn web site for the past nine years. He was Ben Nibbe of Red Wing, Minnesota.  This morning Ben was having breakfast with his bear hunting partner Bob Klosterman and son Danny of Madison, South Dakota. Ben has been hunting here for many years. They both said how much they enjoy this area. It is good to be reminded of what a great place we live. Ben was a Goodhue County Deputy Sheriff, now retired after more than 35 years of service in law enforcement. We had a very enjoyable visit.

It is good to see tourist coming into the Montana Cafe even with summer being over. It is good that we have something to bring tourist our community year around.

 Ben Nibbe and Bob Klosterman and his son Danny.

Homing Pigeons

September 5, 2009, over a thousand Homing Pigeons were in Cook this morning at the Doug Johnson park. The birds were in a specially built trailer. The Pigeons were from a number of Clubs in the Twin Cites that annually send their birds north to see how fast they can return home.

Toni Swanson visiting with the driver of the vehicle that brought the birds to Cook. The driver was waiting for the exact time to release the birds as he received information over his cellular phone. The first birds were sent off at 0730 and the second at 0830.

Toni Swanson, Rachel (David) Fultz and her daughters Samantha and Olivia (Granddaughters of Jerry & Valerie Ohotto) waiting for the birds to be released.

Ray Ranta and Earl & Bette Grano waiting for the birds to be released.

David & Rachel Fultz's children; Isacc, Olivai and Samatha excitied about seeing the Homing Pigeons soon to be released.

The Homing Pigeons right after being released, they looked very confussed, but they knew what they were doing.

Once the birds gained elevation they look to the sun for directions to fly to their appointed distinations. They fly at about 60 miles per hour.

It was rather fitting when the birds headed south that they flew over the Dan Swanson Field which was named in memory of this fine young man who passed away on July 27, 2005. Dan is the son of Terry & Sharon "Toni" Swanson of Angora. Toni is the lady at Zup's grocery store that is always smiling, and always very helpful.

The Leander Family Reunion

From: Annette Pare

Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009 8:02

Subject: Leander Reunion

 

Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009

Subject: Leander Reunion

Last weekend we atteneded the Leander Reunion at Mahoney State Park in Nebraska.

We had a great time, and 86 of George & Eva's descendants were able to be together - I think we counted only 17 of us not able to attend.

We are so thankful for the heritage that Grandpa George & Grandma Eva have left for us.
Annette

 

The Maurice & Betty Lou Leander family, Susan, Kevin, David, Joan - in order of birth.

 

The Wallace & Peggy Leander family, Kristie, Keith, Becky

 

The Bette & Earl Grano family, Jon, Reid, Gregg, Lynn

The Carol & Bill Forsline family, Kaili, Kirk, Kent, Kyle, Kris

The Byron & Ginny Leander family, Annette & Dan Pare', Anita & Wilf Flroes, Allison & Doug Thiel, Brandon & Becky Leander. Allison and family were not able to attend as she is expecting soon.

The Rose & Larry Schwensen family, Shawn, Corey, Deanna

 

 The Swedish Flag cake

 

 

This photo is the original Leander place where it stands now.

In 1892 George's father Peter Leanderson homesteaded 160 acres of farm land four and a half miles south of what is now Cook, Minnesota, on what is now the Leander Road. The same day his best friend John Edblom homesteaded on the adjacent land to the east. Both were immigrants from Sweden and lived for a time in Tower.  In 1902 the railroad crossed Peter's homestead. A railroad siding and depot was constructed. The Railroad named the rail siding Leander, thus a community name was born.  Peter lived the rest of his life on the Leander Farm as did his son George and grandson Byron. 

 

The Leander Farm is the only Century farm in the Cook area. 

 

 

 

 

The Dall Family

August 8, 2009, The family of George & Ruth Dall gathered at Camp Siegel on Esquagama Lake south of Biwabik for a family reunion. There were about 75 family in attendance.

This information and pictures sent by Arlene Blake of Parkville. She is the daughter of George & Ruth (Peterson) Dall who lived at Silverdale before moving to Parkville and Mt.Iron.

George 62,1973 & Ruth 92,2005 were the parents of; Kenneth & Joyce Dall, Roger Dall, Ronald & Phyllis Dall, Arlene & Russ Blake, Gordon & Joann Dall, Russell & Yvonne Dall, James & Teresa Dall, Glen & Debra Dall and Sharon & Kenneth Taylor.

Clara Dall (Walter 71, 1983) Gustafson of Cook is an aunt to the above children as she is a brother to George Dall.

 

Arlene (Dall) & Russell Blake and their children; Doug, Chris, Lauie, Bob.  ..

Russ and I with all of our descendants.......and then some. We now have 8 grandchildren and 9 stepgrandchildren. All but 4 of the step grandchildren are in this picture.

The four up front are AJ Alto, Michael Alto, Josh Bovitz, Anna Bovitz
second row ~ Jeff Bovitz, Arlene and Russ. Kaila Blake is behind and between Russ
and I. Daniel Franklin next to Russ, Victoria Franklin next, just behind him and
next to her mother Betsy.(Bob's new wife.)Bob is directly behind her, to the right of
his daughter Cassie.
Third row is Laurie Bovitz, Jenny Blake, Ashley Alto (grey t-shirt)behind Russ with
her sisters Kayla Alto and Amanda Alto behind her.(orange shirt)
Far left back row is Darin Alto, Chris Alto holding son Thomas.
Back center is Doug Blake and son Wes.

.........................................    

Alan & Joan Ojanen

August 11, 2009, Alan & Joan Ojanen were at the Montana Cafe this morning with his parents Arne & Shirley Ojanen.

Alan & Joan live at Plainview, Minnesota. Last June while I was at the Mayo Clinic we took a ride one evening and we drove through that town, not knowing they lived there. It was a very nice little city in a farming community.

Alan was in Cook to visit his parents and family and to attend his school class reunion. He graduated from the Cook High School in 1973.

Alan is the son of Arne & Evie 63,1996. His siblings are Patricia Ojanen, Alan, Donna (Harvey) Hickok, Robert (Mary) Ojanen, Jane (Terry) Melhorn, Tom (Lisa) Ojanen and Glen (Bonnie) Ojanen.  

 

 

Arne, Shirley, Alan, Joan

The Jacobson Brothers

August 8, 2009, Warren & Connie and Kermit & Carol Jacobson were at the Montana Cafe. They were back home to attend school class reunions and to visit relatives.

Warren & Connie live in the Minnesota Twin Cities area and Kermit & Carol live in Washington State. Their parents were; William 80, 1983 & Melia 91, 2004 (Kinnunen) Jacobson. They have a sister Anne (Ron) Kruger and a brother Paul (Celia) Jacobson.

Kermit graduated from the Cook High School in 1951, Warren in 1952, Anne in 1954 and Paul in 1963.

 

Warren, Connie, Carol, Kermit

Otto & Louise Anderson

August 8, 2009, the descendants of Otto & Louise (Hasselblad) Anderson gathered this day for a reunion. It has been 101 years ago that Swedish immigrants Otto & Louise homesteaded on the Sassas Road, a mile north of the Leander Road.

The homestead later became the home of two of their sons, William Godfrey 61, 1960 & Edna 73,1971(Branstrom) Anderson, and Albert Walfred 68, 1973 & Myra 79,1989 (Huseby) Anderson. 

Godfrey & Edna Anderson became the parents of two sons; Bart & Agnes 53,1972 (Johnson) Anderson, and Gordon & Lillian 69,1992 (Trygg) Anderson. Gordon & Lillian had six children; Janice & Paul Bernier, Dan & Linda Anderson, Karen 51, 2003 & Leslie Harrison, Jeannie & Jim Taylor, JoAnn & Joe Knutson and Jeff & Beth Anderson.

Albert & Myra Anderson had three children: Louise & Bill 74,2008 Trygg, Roger & Jan (Seiffert) Anderson and Ronald 53, 1989 & Eva (Fillmore) Anderson.

Otto & Louise Anderson had other children that did not stay in the Cook area.

                                      Louise Anderson (Bill) Trygg

Eva Fillmore (Ronald) Anderson and daughter Kathy

Gordon and Bart Anderson

Roger & Jan Anderson

Roger, Heidi, Jan, Jorliena

 Charles Anderson, Kristen (Charles) Kidd, Karin (Clyde) Peterson

 Rex Erickson (Heidi) and brother-in-law Aaaron Isaacson (Jorliena)

Cousins; Jorliena Isaacson and Dan Anderson

 

Jeannie & Jim Taylor, their son Jesse and his wife Kelly and their children. Next to Jim is their granddaughter Summer, the daughter of their son Travis.

Linda (Dan) Anderson with their son Dustin and his girlfreind Andrea.

Jeff & Beth Anderson and a picture of the family tractor he restored

Charles Kidd (Kristen Trygg), he is always happy, and today more so as it was his 54th birthday

Rodney & Margaret Edblom, long time neighbors

Rodney Edblom visiting Bob Branstrom of Virginia. Bob is a cousin to Bart and Gordon Anderson as his father Ivar was a brother to Edna.

Audrey (Bob) Branstrom and Dorothy Branstrom (William) Schuknecht

Jonathan Anderson, son of Ronald & Eva. He looks so much like his father.

Shirley & Dave Woods and their helper Bethany. The Anderson reunion event was held at their home in the summer kitchen and dining room. If you need a catered meal they are great and they have fine food.

The home and catering service of David & Shirley Woods. This is the place Shirley grew up in as the daughter of Milton 74,1994 & Martha Edblom

Jim & Dorothy Saari

August 9, 2009, Jim & Dorothy were in for breakfast at the Montana Cafe this morning. They were enjoying the cool weather as they live in Texas and it has been very warm. They are visting friends and realives and also attended a school class reunion. 

Jim graduated from the Cook High School in 1945. His father Henry "Hank" 68,1963 was a very well known Deputy Sheriff in this area. His mother was Ida Belle (Lahti) Saari 66,1968. Jim's sister Audrey and her husband Keith Leenhouts visit the area each summer.