You are the bows-Dan Rye,part four

Dan attended Collette elementary school which was about five blocks from our home.When I'm at the lilbrary computer I will add pictures of the kids on the way to school.When we moved to Gramercy place where we had an acreage, he attended Twin Hills school. I believe that at the end of the term of his 5th grade his then teacher obtained a science kit that really excited Dan. He could hardly wait for the summer to be over so he could have access to that kit. Sometimes things do go awry and he was enrolled with a different teacher. She picked up on his frustration and informed Dan that she was weak in the field of science and asked him to be her helper. Dan came home and I dragged out my college science books and he devoured than and even started working on the periodic table.It was a happy year for Dan because of a very insightful teacher.
During this period Dan and Randy played Little League softball. Dan played catcher and Randy played an outfielder. I've forgotten the coaches name(Mr. McCullum, it just came to me) but he was a teacher and his boys were pals of Dan and Randy.We actually have some movie film that captured their excitement and enthusiasm of the game.
Each of the children had two ewes(that's female sheep for the urbanites) and we had a ram that was rather fierce.I have mentioned the ram in the segment on Randy's experience with him. Each years Dan's ewe produced two lambs. The other ewes had mainly single births.The lambs were born in March and by September we were ru;nning out of grass.We then sold them to Mr. Diiaz down the street who I am sure buthered them. They were like pets and we did't want the children to know their fate. If fact, when Dan was at Collette School his teacher took them to a supermarket,(Dan now puts in and owns supermarkets) and they took the students to the instore butcher shop were they actually processed much of the meat. At supper that night he asked if the meat was from that store. We assurred him that it was not so he agreed to eat the meat.
We also had mallard ducks, geese, a peacock,a guiena hen,two horses, a donkey, Cinnamin, my gift to Donna and Gus the goat which Donna gave to me for my birthday.The children hatched out eggs in an incubator and the closeness to the animals affected our later life.
Dan and Randy attended a Hunter gun training program at the Cornona police firling grounds.Dan's uncle,,Jim Entenman, gave Dan an Ithica 20 gauge shotgun, a real beauty.(It was made Ithica, N.Y. where years later Randy would get his MBA at Cornell)
Well, anyway, we all had guns and shoot our first mallards when we moved to Cdolorado. I cleaned them but no one at the table would eat them.We also laid in a blind near Ft.Collins and Randy shot a Canadian honker.The guy in the next blind claimed it and I went to the owner and he awarded the bird to Randy.
But his success was short lived for someone higher up gave it back to the other guy.
Oh yes, with the proceeds from the sale of his lambs, Dan invested it in Disney stock.

You are the bows-Dan Rye,part four

Dan attended Collette elementary school which was about five blocks from our home.When I'm at the lilbrary computer I will add pictures of the kids on the way to school.When we moved to Gramercy place where we had an acreage, he attended Twin Hills school. I believe that at the end of the term of his 5th grade his then teacher obtained a science kit that really excited Dan. He could hardly wait for the summer to be over so he could have access to that kit. Sometimes things do go awry and he was enrolled with a different teacher. She picked up on his frustration and informed Dan that she was weak in the field of science and asked him to be her helper. Dan came home and I dragged out my college science books and he devoured than and even started working on the periodic table.It was a happy year for Dan because of a very insightful teacher.
During this period Dan and Randy played Little League softball. Dan played catcher and Randy played an outfielder. I've forgotten the coaches name(Mr. McCullum, it just came to me) but he was a teacher and his boys were pals of Dan and Randy.We actually have some movie film that captured their excitement and enthusiasm of the game.
Each of the children had two ewes(that's female sheep for the urbanites) and we had a ram that was rather fierce.I have mentioned the ram in the segment on Randy's experience with him. Each years Dan's ewe produced two lambs. The other ewes had mainly single births.The lambs were born in March and by September we were ru;nning out of grass.We then sold them to Mr. Diiaz down the street who I am sure buthered them. They were like pets and we did't want the children to know their fate. If fact, when Dan was at Collette School his teacher took them to a supermarket,(Dan now puts in and owns supermarkets) and they took the students to the instore butcher shop were they actually processed much of the meat. At supper that night he asked if the meat was from that store. We assurred him that it was not so he agreed to eat the meat.
We also had mallard ducks, geese, a peacock,a guiena hen,two horses, a donkey, Cinnamin, my gift to Donna and Gus the goat which Donna gave to me for my birthday.The children hatched out eggs in an incubator and the closeness to the animals affected our later life.
Dan and Randy attended a Hunter gun training program at the Cornona police firling grounds.Dan's uncle,,Jim Entenman, gave Dan an Ithica 20 gauge shotgun, a real beauty.(It was made Ithica, N.Y. where years later Randy would get his MBA at Cornell)
Well, anyway, we all had guns and shoot our first mallards when we moved to Cdolorado. I cleaned them but no one at the table would eat them.We also laid in a blind near Ft.Collins and Randy shot a Canadian honker.The guy in the next blind claimed it and I went to the owner and he awarded the bird to Randy.
But his success was short lived for someone higher up gave it back to the other guy.
Oh yes, with the proceeds from the sale of his lambs, Dan invested it in Disney stock.

FAREWELL

For some we loved,
the loveliest and the best.
That from his vintage
rolling time has pressed,
Have drunk their cup
a round or two before,
and one by one
crept silently to rest.

-Omar Khayyam

Uncle Tommy, continued

Tommy's wife, Lillian, at times had felt that maybe Minnesota was a step or two below the quality of life in California but after all of the relatives back there surprised them by honoring them on a wedding anniverary at the Legion Hall in Hills, Mn.she never ceased to sing your praises and as a person was not generous in the praise of others but you folks broke down that barrier.
Opal Nelson arranged for the burial of Tommy's ashes and for a plague to mark his place next to his brother, Nels Thompson, in Valley Springs, S.D.The relatives conducted a memorial service and Gary Rye(Norris and Lorraine's son) played taps. I gave Tommy's trumphet to Gary who will contiue to bring joy to others in its use as Tommy did for so many years.
Thirty days after Tommy's death Lillian was asked to leave her apartment in San Diego. She wasn't a fun person but she was a human being so Donna and I took her to Loveland, Colorado.She was able to try our patience but we did endure.
In November o;f 1985 Lillian passed away. Opal and others made arrangements to put her ashes next to Tommy.Lillian had always said that she would like to have Alfred Lord Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar" recited at her funeral. Marilyn Sather Nelson ( Duane's wife) is a fine dramataicc reader and she or maybe my sister Eldora read it.
It brought us pleasure and pride that Tommy was one of our relatives.

RIP

Uncle Tommy, continued

`I remember Uncle Tommy(when I was young) as the Uncle who left Vallely Springs, S.D.and as the Uncle who no one every talked about very much. I seemed to pick up the impression that he was the black sheep who abandoned our community and roots for the glitter of California I liked him because he gave me a ride in the rumble seat of his 1931 Chyrsler convertible at a familly gathering at the Roy and Ella Savold farm.
I was fortunate to the become reaquainted with him when I was in the Army in California in 1945. Later, in 1947, I accompanied my Mother and Odin Bly to California in his 1940 Dodge convertible where we visited with Tommy and Lillian and left my Mother with him to fend for herself. She took the bus back to Minnesota and gained the courage to take bus trips all over after that experience.
The next meeting was whe he visited Donna in the Riverside hospital after giving birth to Daniel Gene. I was in the same hospital with a back injury.

s

Uncle Tommy, continued

`I remember Uncle Tommy(when I was young) as the Uncle who left Vallely Springs, S.D.and as the Uncle who no one every talked about very much. I seemed to pick up the impression that he was the black sheep who abandoned our community and roots for the glitter of California I liked him because he gave me a ride in the rumble seat of his 1931 Chyrsler convertible at a familly gathering at the Roy and Ella Savold farm.
I was fortunate to the become reaquainted with him when I was in the Army in California in 1945. Later, in 1947, I accompanied my Mother and Odin Bly to California in his 1940 Dodge convertible where we visited with Tommy and Lillian and left my Mother with him to fend for herself. She took the bus back to Minnesota and gained the courage to take bus trips all over after that experience.
The next meeting was whe he visited Donna in the Riverside hospital after giving birth to Daniel Gene. I was in the same hospital with a back injury.

s

Uncle Tommy

Our "Tommy" brought happiness and excitement to everyone he touched. Everyone was his friend and he made friends with everyone.He sang with the San Bernardino and the San Diego barbershop choirs(200-300voices) that placed in top places in world competition.
He clowned around with a group called the slushpumpers. At the senior citizens group in San Diego he played for the guest of honor, Preisdent Ford's wife, Betty. He was recognized by her for his contribution to keeping the elderly young and happy.
My brother Norris and I visited this group once ahd danced with some of the members including Bill Bly's wife, Margaret.
After the concerts that Donna and I and the children attended, Tommy would gather several guys together and gave what is called an
Afterglow for Angela, Randy and Dan.

The Anderson connection

Keith's father, Merritt, had a brother named Loften. As I understand it,Kayo Erickson pictured in the last post had a sister that was engaged to Loften. Loften passed away.
So Keith's father and his family were even closer to Kayo than Uncle Tommy.
Kristi, pictured on the right, is along with her husband Mike close friends of Bridgid and Dan.
Kristi is now expecting.
The girl on the right is Beth. last summer Randy metioned to Dan that My Granddaughter Rye was trying to get into California Institute of Technology. Dan mentioned it to Kristi and she calle Beth whose father-in-law is on the faculty and very renowned in his field. Beth arranged for my granddaughter, My Granddaughter , to speak to this gentlemen who was kind to My Granddaughter to a fault.
Keith, Jr. on the right, back row, was visited by my son, Greg, as took a course in appraisal in San Diego. As understand it, Greg and Keith had waterguns and they sqirited a person at a drive-up window. About 2 in the morning the police woke up the Anderson household to see if indeed, theree was only water in the squirt gun.
Keith,Sr. and Lois do relief work for pharmacists in and around Alaska so they can go on vacations. They do this along with other missionary work much of which is done in their quiet and unassuming way.
By the way I have again hit a key that changed the script. Oh well!
I do not know the date of the picture but it looks as if the children were in their teens.

The first relative to visit Daniel Gene in his birth hospital was Uncle Tommy. He is shown here in a photo from the 30's.
Kayo Erickson, pictured here with Tommy was a friend of Merritt and Elsie, Loften, Otis Anderson and their parents, Elof and Mary Anderson(Mary was my Mother Emma's sister)
Kristi Anderson Wang and Mike are friends of Dan and Bridgid, and cousins fairly removed
Merritt and Elsie were her grandparents. Elof and Mary were her great grandparents.Kristi and Mike are expecting and we couldn't be more happy for them.
Kayo was a small person. He starred in The Wizard of Oz. Look for him in reruns of that classic.

Labor Day-05

Yes, I know it is past but I had a great one because Dan called and said that he and Summer were out looking at kayaks.I met them at a Japanese resturant that I can't spell and we had a great time. As you notice the change in script it's because my clumbsy hands struck some key that effected the change and I don't know which key it was. Well, anyhow, variety is the spice o;f life.
I was a guest teacher for three days this week and kept an apppointment at the VA on Thurday.
As I was in the service for over 18 months that is considered WW11 service. I have had benefits from them that are almost too many to count but I will share a few. A VA farm loan that I recieved when I began farming with my brother, Norris; A VA loan on our first home at 10010 Hedrick, in Riverside, Ca.; We sold the house after we had put in a lawn(2mos.) and the buyer walked away and it was reoppoed. Guess who resold and recieved a commission; Another VA loan for 4029 Jones in Rivrside; A Va loan for a tri-plex at 1010-13 on E. 16t StLovelandc Co. (street not recalled, recalled later); and last,but not least, a four year liberal arts degree from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S..D.
I believe that the place where my VA records were sto;red in Kansas City burned down and maybe this helped when I was dealing with people that didn't know what the left hand was doing. That beinging said, the VA Health Service as efficient as any I've seen and I told them yesterday that they give the private sector a bad namen. I go to the Sun City Singles dance this evening and there are usually over 200 people in attendance. There is one problem however, but I try to deal with it as best I can. There are over 6 women for every man but someone has to do it!
Tomorrow I am again blessed to have lunch with Dan.

Saturday lunch with Dan

This is a December, 1959 photo. The little guy on the right, Dan, will be buying me lunch at a Greek resturant this noon. I go to his office and use up the extra minutes on his cell phone. I get the five finger discount and I call people who don't even want to hear from me.
This Saturday lunch has been a cherished traditon to us and I am, among all men, most richly blessed
Summer has completed her first week of school and Brigid is already deeply involved in helping out at the school.
Dan & Bidgid have season tickets to the Diamond Backs and forunately they are so busy that I have to go to many of the games for them. Well, someone has to do it!

Senior Moment

In my 08/31 post I said that this picture was taken in 1962. It was not. It was taken in January of 1957 probably at Grandma Rye's house in Hills , Mn.
I will identify as best I can.
Left to right, first row: ?,Steve Bakk, Jim Bakk, Emma Thompson Rye, ?. Dale Rye
2nd row, Valarie Nerison, Bobbie nerison, Randy Rye.
Back row: Duane Nelson, Roger Nelson, Barbara Bakk and Laurie?, Carol Nelson and ?.
Gary Rye.
Thanks to my patient and generous grandson, Court Rye, son of Randy Rye, I am able to share these memories with you.