Ryder News Aug. 20, 2015

Ryder News for Aug. 20, 2015

   We heard from Byron Paulson’s daughter, Gina Paulson Laney, regarding her father. She said she wanted to provide an update on his situation. He started feeling weak in June so his cardiologist had him go through a series of tests. It was determined that he needed two heart valves replaced and one bypass. The surgery was planned with a heart surgeon in Atlanta, but he was hospitalized on August 2nd as a result of complications from the heart catheterization test. This hospital stay made him weak so he is now at Healthsouth Rehabilitation in Montgomery to allow him to regain his strength for the heart surgery. She said they appreciate all your thoughts and prayers. So….let’s get to praying for him and get him on the road to recovery.

Ryder Calvary Church youth musical group, “The Furnace”: L-R: Remington Bigelow, Kaylee Capp (Garrison), Haylee Rustad, Nathanial Brown, Daniel Starks.

   The youth group from the Ryder Calvary Church took part in the “Rock the Leaves” three-day musical program at Minot. They performed on Sunday afternoon. They call their group “The Furnace”.

The Ryder Class of '65: L-R: Rod Bofenkamp, Judy Hansen, Janice Johansen, David Olson, Lee Sorenson, Gus Mueller, Bob Otteson, Joann Hansen, and Bill Jones.

   The Ryder class of 1965 celebrated their 50th Reunion in Minot on August 21st.  An impressive 60% (9 of 15) of the class were present. Also joining the festivities was former Ryder teachers, Paul and Nancy Pearson. Acquaintances were renewed, stories were told, and during the "program" class members attempted to stump each other with a series of trivia questions from their high school days--the best provided by Paul Person--who knew he was such an entertainer?  Certainly the most puzzling question of the night concerned what 50-year-old item Lee Sorenson brought in a sealed box. Turns out it was the embroidered "Jan" from Janice Johansen's 1965 cheerleader skirt. Why he had it, and kept it for 50 years remains a secret. A good time was had by all.

   A week ago Jim Zieman, Scott Zieman, Terry Scheer and Kenny Bradley loaded up some tools and headed to the Ryder Cemetery to make some much needed repairs to the ground surrounding Howard Bradley’s gravestone. The gravestone was in danger of toppling over so with the help of some gravel etc. they got it fixed.

   Getting together recently at the Doris Ann and Jim Zieman home at rural Makoti for an afternoon of visiting and reminiscing were Phyllis Anderson Townsend of Rapid City, SD; Mary Ellen Traynor  Iverson, NewTown; Delina Johansen, Ryder; Lorraine Nelson, Douglas and host Doris Ann Zieman. Phyllis had attended a year of grade school in Ryder and wanted to get together with some of her former classmates. The Anderson family lived at Roseglen and a short time in Ryder. Several of her older siblings graduated from Ryder High. The family move to Cyrus, MN, where Phyllis graduated from high school. She went on to college and taught school in various places, including Newtown. Her husband was killed in a plane crash in Iran. They had one daughter who lives in Rapid City.

   Faye Karna and daughter, Kyann, took Faye and Bud’s 5 grandchildren to Medora last week. They spent lots of time in the pool as it was so hot; but did enjoy the first half of the musical. Then, the storm chased everyone away! They played the mini-golf course there with 3 of them getting a “hole-in-one”! Fun time for Granny Faye!

   On Monday Aug. 13th I attended a very nice luncheon at the café in the old Parshall Nursing Home with some classmates and old friends. It was such fun to visit and recall old times and catch up on new things with Karen (Miller) Jorgensen, Bonnie (Kilber) Libner, Kristi (Hilleran) Cabbage, Joan (Howen) Nelson, Leona Hauge, and Nikki (Miller) Mandt. It was a little strange for me to be driving by myself as Kenny is the one that usually drives. When I do get to drive, I usually have the boat behind me and it was a little disconcerting for a moment when I looked in the rear view mirror and didn’t see a boat!

   Kenny and I have been helping with a rummage sale at daughter, Staci’s home for the last 4 days. Kenny and I managed to sell some of our “stuff” too. It sure is unbelievable what sells and doesn’t sell at a rummage sale. Ken’s old boots sold, while baby clothes hardly moved at all, a broken desk sold while brand new shirts didn’t. I guess there is just no accounting for people’s tastes on any given day! Well, we came home exhausted but with a few extra dollars in our pockets.

   Somehow I managed to get a blood clot in my arm last Wednesday so had to go to ER and have an ultrasound and all that good stuff. I am now on blood thinner for at least a month to six weeks and off of chemo for that time. My type of chemo doesn’t work with blood thinners. I guess when a person has a port to allow chemo infusion, you have a chance of getting a blood clot and I did!

1935 Baseball picture: Back Row:  Oscar Lewis, Ed Mahoney, Benny Lewis, Anthony Brandt, Herman Mueller, Bernhard Mahoney, Oscar Larson, Albert Brandt, Elmer Wilson

Front Row:  Derald Larson, Jim Mahoney, Ervin Mueller, Donald Mueller.

   August 22nd: The Mueller’s will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of their family farm. Join them on the farm for a day of mirth, music and merriment on Saturday, August 22nd. Baseball has always been an important activity for the Mueller’s, and in the 1930s, it was common to have baseball games every Sunday afternoon at the Mueller Farm (see photo from circa 1935).  In keeping with this tradition, the old baseball field has come alive, and part of the Centennial Celebration will be Wiffle Ball games--fun for young and old alike, with an ice cream social as a bonus. And besides ball games--there will be some great music happening on the farm too. Mid-Afternoon: The talented Jeremiah James will be performing your favorite songs from the ‘60s and ‘70s on the Lakeview Patio. Sundown: The dynamic “Highway 6” band takes the Lakeview stage for a night of rockin’ and dancing. The Mueller Centennial Farm is 2.5 miles SE of Ryder—Follow-The-Tracks--Come early-Stay late!

   I have reached the end of this week’s column. I appreciate the news everyone is getting in to me. How about some combine pictures and stuff like that. Tell me  your adventures out there in the field, the almost mishaps, etc. Our readers will enjoy hearing about your lives to relive memories from theirs.

   See ya next week, watch out for the big machinery on the road and the farmers that are always in a hurry. Move over for them and try to stay out of their way.