Farewell

"Farewell, farewell, to you and you and you..."

A great catchy tune from Roger and Hammerstein's famous musical, The Sound of Music. Somehow I don't think Karlyn will be dancing and singing around the facility in her alpine outfit. She will be blubbery and gushy more than anything. Sob, sob, choking back big luminescent tears.

Today is her last day (4-29) as Souris Valley Care Center. Home to many and forever in the hearts of hundreds, maybe thousands. Twenty-five years of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears (don't forget prayer) she heart fully gave to the facility.

Her duties began as a Nurse Aid in 1985 as she reinstated her RN license. Shortly after her training at the now defunct St. Luke's Nursing School in Fargo and subsequent licensure, she married and raised her family of four wonderful children. As they grew and became big enough to fend for themselves, Elton gave her the employment boot.

As she tells the story: "I went to work crying and will leave the facility in the same shape."

Isn't the life we travel bittersweet??

After her RN reinstatement she went on to be Charge Nurse, Quality Assurance, Infection control and Staff Development nurse. She was an exemplary employee as she wore her many hats. Three people will take over her positions. Interesting.

I was lucky enough to give her a send-off speech at her retirement party last Thursday. In composing some notes I kept coming back to one theme: her devotion to our motto: "IN CHRIST'S LOVE EVERYONE IS SOMEONE."

I have a plethora of friends whom I love and cherish, but Karlyn is the one I need to walk behind. The one who very VERY seldom condemns, judges or criticizes (then she is really mad!!). She prays for the good of Christ to shine in all of us and is there for the weak, the strong, the good and the bad; the broken hearted and the downtrodden - and everybody in between.

She came into my life on my first day of my employment at SVCC (23 years ago) and hasn't left; although she may have wanted to a time or two. When the chips were down, and when they weren't, she was there. I am just one story of many; what a gal and what a friend!

So now it is for the rest of us to say a prayer for Karlyn as she walks down this lonesome trail of her last day. It is time for all of us to give her a hand, much like she did for all of us, (you do not know how may times she included YOU in her prayers!!)

She has a new road ahead and all of us will be there for her, like she is and was for us.!


Karlyn and her sisters.



Karlyn and her husband Elton.



The cake.



It looks like the tears are dry and she is ready for the new road ahead. Happy retirement to my special friend. Welcome to the other side!! My that sounds like the pearly gates story, how about - HERE'S TO RETIREMENT! Love, Mary Liz

Die Ermordete Familie

Many years ago (at least twenty) my comrade and co worker, Vivien Hammer, and I were driving to Bismarck for a workshop. The trip to Bismarck is about 100 miles to the south of Velva. We folks from around here have our own little routes that involve lesser traveled roads and shorten our trips. To Bismarck we must first go to the small town of Turtle Lake, about 40 miles to the south on Highway 41.

On this particular day we turned southwest just shy of Turtle Lake and took a little gravel road, another "shortcut" to the pavement a mile down the way. She asked me to slow down as we went past a cemetery, the Turtle Lake Cemetery. There in a long row, with a back drop of towering lilac bushes, were eight uniform tombstones lined up behind the fence.

She proceeded to tell me of of the family murdered in the 1920's and had long held her rapt attention. Vivien was born in the twenties, some 25 miles north of Turtle Lake. As a girl she would clip news articles, probably not many, but clipped any reference to this family or the tragic events.

The murdered family, the Jacob Wolf family, was killed on their farmstead. A hired boy of 14 - and a nephew, was also slain. In Jacob's family, those who died were five little girls from age 3 to 12 and his wife Beata. For reasons unknown, a baby of eight months was spared. Little Emma was found almost two days later dirty, hungry, wet and crying in her crib behind a bedroom door.

They were found dead in the barn and cellar by a neighbor who wondered why a requested piece of farm equipment for spring seeding was never picked up. They were murdered on April 22, 1920. It has been ninety years since that fateful day.

"I have always been so interested in the story and how awful it was." lamented Vivien.

She also told me an eery story that unfolded for her many years before our conversation. She was in the hospital having one of her three children. Back in those days women weren't discharged at the rapid rate of this day and age. In five to seven days we got to know our roommates. I have two roommates I still see now and then. Anyway, she was telling her roommate of her fascination with the Wolf family murders. Vivien, who could spin a good tale, goes on to tell me of her roommate's comment.

"I am the baby that survived, baby Emma."

I still get goose bumps just writing of what she said so many years ago. Vivien died in 1992 of cancer. She was in her sixties, too young to end it all. She would be ever so excited over this latest book on shelves.

The Murdered Family was written by Vernon Keel. As the book jacket reveals, he began his journalism career at the Turtle Lake newspaper, his hometown. I think he deserves squatter's rights to this sad saga in North Dakota history.

I just finished the book this afternoon. It is a recommended read for anyone whether you are a local or a "firiner." Mr. Keel has a nice easy writing style and takes the reader down the road of question.

Time travel again to this century: "Baby" Emma and her husband became residents of our Nursing Home. But at the time, I didn't know that was her. They were a very nice enjoyable couple who lived long comfortable lives.

Not the case of the "convicted" murderer.

I do have to remind you it is a novel, but at the end the author states the first twenty chapters are based on newspaper accounts, court documents, sworn statements and historical data. The actual investigative documents were lost in the Attorney General files when the North Dakota State Capitol burned on December 28, 1930.

It is well worth the $15.00 or a trip to the library for this haunting book.



By the way, Die Ermordete Familie is German Russian for "The Murdered Family."

Double click on The Murdered Family, off set in green, a few paragraphs up to see a heartbreaking photo of the actual funeral at the Wolf Farm. Baby Emma is the infant in white with the X on the tail of her dress.

On the far left, by the sliding barn door, there is an erased X, this is suppose to be Henry Layer, the so called killer.

Velva Prom 2010

Another spring prom is but a memory. Thanks to the KODAK moments we can remember the day a little better as time goes by.

The event got off to a shaky start with late hair appointments, other dates not ready and one date missing, but it held up no one: THE SHOW MUST GO ON.

I will share some of my favorites photos, out of 150 shots I do have a few. Going into this "picto" moment, don't forget - Carsten hates to have his picture taken, thus the glum looks. But hey, no middle finger present so I think it was a success.

Carsten's date was Hope Peterson, her mother Brenda Glinz is in many shots helping the kids while I fired away.

Karlie's date was Tyler Mitchell, but we kept calling him Collin. He was a trooper!!




























This shot is probably my favorite, from a photography perspective. This girl, Brittany, was the first here with her date Michael Duchsherer. She said many times,

"I just don't feel like this is me. I never dress like this. This just can't be me."

When she picked up the tulle and looked at it, she was almost convincing herself,

"I might like being a princess."









Hope's mother, Brenda, my assistance.



Kasey Keller and April Finneseth


This picture just happened, but it almost deserves a caption.
















Who invited her?






This is Ahnna, Hope's sister. I like the blur.









THE END