Gilbertson: an American Family Adventure

AuthorHouse™

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Phone: 1-800-839-8640

© 2014 Verdi Gilbertson. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  10/27/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-4695-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-4696-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-4754-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014918430

Artist Name: Keith Gilbertson

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1    Writing Adventures: The Book Branches Out

Expectations from writing the first book, Verdi

Where is Verdi (the book)?

Suggestion from Claire in China

Verdi: The Joys of Writing the Book

Comments about Verdi from readers

Our daughter Kay reads the book to her second graders

Verdi in China

Comments from students at Changsha University, China

Verdi in Nepal

Sales of the Book Valentino’s and Bill’s Supermarket

Tony Smith’s Review of Verdi

Review of Verdi by Aladdin Al-Haddad

English as Second language (ESL) classes read Verdi

Comments from International Students

Souha Kousa from Damascus, Syria reviews Verdi

Shep the Weather Forecasting Dog read in Keith’s ESL classes

The book branches Out

Book Tour with Grandkids

Kay’s review of the Verdi book tour

Book tour review from Neil and Becca Toov

Meeting the game Warden in 2010

Dr. Brathen and Mrs. Brathen from Norway

2    The Norwegian Immigrant’s Adventures

Gilbertson Ancestors

Abraham Gulbrandson

Jens Gilbertson

My Grandfather Jens Gilbertson

Bestemor Caroline Falla

Caroline Olsen Myhre Falla

How Grandma Falla kept the farm for several years after Grandpa Falla died

Margrethe Falla An Immigrant’s Adventure

Pioneer Marks Anniversary of Arrival in America

Pioneer Describes Life in Mandt Township 65 Years Ago

Stephan Abrahamson

3    Adventures at our Home Place

My Home Place Jan 2013

Clarice and Clifford’s Wedding July 1933

Quiet time on the farm: A time to think and dream

One of my first childhood duties 1929

Tree houses

Gerhard Gilbertson and Farming

The Snowstorm

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Helping the Neighbors during a snowstorm 1943

The Armistice Day blizzard November 11, 1940

Story that was printed in the Minneapolis Tribune, Nov 12, 1940

Entertainment for Farm Kids

Adventures in The Cities

The Home Front while the boys were off to war

First Jobs

It doesn’t always pay to be a great worker

Stories from Nieces and nephews at the home place

Mandt Lutheran Church

Memories of Grandma Selma

Memories of Grandpa Gerhard

Fall Harvest on the Farm

The Bell at Mandt Lutheran Church

Farming with Grandpa Gilbertson

The Chippewa River

From the Chippewa River Watershed Project web page

4    Life Adventures: Encouragement and Motivations

What can I do to make a fishing rod work a little better?

Grandpa Gerhard Gilbertson and his buggy car

Mustard Plants: Pulling them out by the roots.

Motivations

Curiosity and Wonder

Will it fly?

I wonder what the carving studio will look like

The wonder of building.

Encouragement from parents

I see a wooden airplane in that peach crate.

Projects in the woods, bag swings

Country School: manual training

Milan High School Class Reunions

Learn early and often.

Motivations and Challenges

Motivated Kids

Education

What keeps me motivated?

5    Letters from the Front Lines

Letters found in the attic

Marseilles, France October 20, 1944

Our prayers are that God keeps his protecting hand over you.

The First Day in France

The beginning of the combat for me

Epinal, France in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains

Is this real?

Letters from the Front Lines

A gopher has nothing on me.

We have so much to be thankful for even if the war is still going on

That will be a wonderful day when the guns are silent again

All we can do is pray to God that this terrible fighting will end soon.

We feel the true meaning of Christmas so much anyway and that is the main thing.

Eat some lutefisk and lefse for me will you?

I sure could go for some of your lutefisk and lefse and potato soup now.

The Yanks don’t take no monkey business from anybody.

Now don’t start worrying anymore about me

Minnesota Farm Boy in France/ Tell Shep Hi/ I am figuring to milk the cows tonight/New Year’s came in with a bang (ha, ha)

Time to go out and milk

I’m just swell

A few nights and days in a ghost town

Wish I could be there driving the John Deere

I could try and slip it in

I’ll wrap my rifle barrel around a tree

Our 100th day up at the front

Too many rats to hunt around here

Behind the Lines

Teeth fixed for nothing

Fifty years later Kilroy was Here 1995

A new secret weapon

We’re squeezing the Krauts

Living in a dugout

Sunning myself

Wish I could be driving the John Deere

We’ve Got the Krauts back in their own hole now.

I’ve been in Germany a little.

Busy Chasing the Krauts

Services in a church for the first time

It can’t last much longer

How’s Johnny running?

I hope everything will be peaceful again

It can’t be over too soon for me.

Tell Shep Hi

I sure could go for some potato soup now.

That sure is bad news about President Roosevelt

Plenty of stories to tell

The Church Bells are ringing

170 Days on the Front

They’ve got Mussolini now and Hitler is sick.

We are rid of both Hitler and Mussolini now.

The war ended today

Hitler count your men

I’m so thankful it’s thunder

Wonderful to know that the war is over

6    Civilians in France and Germany during and after the war

A letter to my family back home

The story is not often told

Motivations of Civilians after the war

Polish Civilian Prisoners

Money to the Wind and to the Civilians

Compassion when our guy gave money to the German woman where we stayed.

Infantry guys pulled off of our tanks on the edge of town in Stuttgart

Sermon: Love your neighbor as yourself

Humanity in War Time

One of the guys adopts a homeless German boy

Visiting with German prisoners after the war

Me want to go back to jail

Reviewing the troops and military courtesy

7    Airplanes Airplanes

Fascination with Piper Cubs

Letters from the front lines to my brother Curtis.

I’ve had some good ringside seats

I’ll get a crate of some kind when I get home

Ma waved her dish towel

This was a fun day!

Have a spirit of Adventure

Finding my old Stearman on the Internet

My most recent Stearman Flight

I Wanted to be a Bush Pilot

Verdi and the Folkestad brother’s flying adventure to Fargo

Verdi, Merald, and Stan in a Stearman with only two seats

8    Honor Flight 2010

A Special Trip to Washington, DC

9    Adventures of Our Traveling Family

The Map on the Studio Wall

Travel stories written by our family

Cerro Tres Kandu (2762ft) - Roof of Paraguay

Barbados: Mount Hillaby

Keith Gilbertson

Fishing with Grandma and Grandpa

Elizabeth Kangas

Rebekah Kangas

Laura Dammer Hess

Kenya, East Africa

Mark Toov

Palm Sunday in Positano, Italy

Motorcycles Going West

The Unexpected Flight

Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima

Road Trip to the Rockies

Teaching in Japan and a day in Thailand

10    Working at North Western Bell

Line crew uses horses after a snowstorm

11    More Lutefisk

Lutefisk shopping At Bill’s Supermarket in Montevideo Christmas 2011

Lutefisk at Home

Hold Off the Norwegians Bill’s Supermarket, Montevideo, Minnesota

Lutefisk in Saudi Arabia

12    The John Deere Tractor Adventure

Restoring the 1938 Model B John Deere

John Deere Advantages Video

Pulling out a Walnut stump with a John Deere tractor

13    Adventures with Many Projects

Technology at Valentino’s

YouTube Videos

Videos around the World

Comments about the Piper Cub videos

Tracking the number of YouTube views

Acanthus Wood Carving

Jens and Sara Woodcarving

Norwegian Table Prayer

Norwegian Knife Making

Ruby’s Giant Potato

Cooking Beans on the Wood Stove

School Days: hunting and snaring gophers

How to filet Glendalough sunfish

Backyard Flower Garden

14    Closing Thoughts

Dedication

Dedicated to my wife Agnes, our children Gregory, Kay, Kathy and Keith.

Our ten Grandchildren, Emily, Danny, Bryan, Mark, Neil, Sarah, Laura, Eric, Matthew and Jacob

Our great grandkids, Elizabeth, Rebekah, Violet Kay and Jack

Acknowledgements

To my parents who were my first teachers. You learn in the school you go to, was of one of my mother’s a favorite expressions. My parents taught me very well at home. My ancestors who told me the stories of settling the prairielands of Mandt Township. My teachers at District Fifty Four country school who helped to build my creative spirit. The teachers at Milan High School who fostered my interest in the world beyond.

Our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and our extended family members who have contributed stories for this book. Ruby and Lyle Gilbertson and their girls Dawn, Robin and Tracy for keeping our home place looking great and welcoming us for so many years. My son Keith’s English as Second Language students from all over the world who have read our first book and contributed many kind and interesting comments. The YouTube viewers who have taken the time to watch and comment on many of our videos. My daughter Kay’s second grade class who have read and listened to my stories about growing up on a farm in the 1930’s. All the good folks at Valentino’s in Montevideo who make sure I enjoy my delicious breakfasts with good company. Thanks for listening to my stories, some of which are in this book.

Thanks to the many readers of Verdi who have offered kind and generous comments. We hope you enjoy our second book.

Introduction

When our first book, Verdi, was published in 2010, many people were reading it and every so often someone would ask me, Verdi, when are you going to write another book? The response to our first book has been a pleasant surprise for us and we never expected so many people would like it. This gave me motivation to expand on the first one with a few more stories about life on the farm and more of my World War II experiences. We decided to include some of my thoughts about inspiration, motivations and the challenges of bringing out our best every day. Time for me is well spent when working with a wide variety of creative activities.

Other people wanted to know more about our extended family experiences. One reader suggested we include stories about the next generations in another book. This time we decided to include a chapter with adventures of our traveling family. The kids, grandkids and even our great granddaughters, Elizabeth, Rebekah and Violet contributed stories about places they have travelled to so far.

Inspirations: You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream, CS Lewis. These words are on a wall plaque in my studio.

With this new book we hope to inspire young and old to set goals and keep wondering. I very often think about what I can do now to pass on something that may be of use to someone else. It may be setting an example, working on a variety of projects; maybe I can be an inspiration to others. As a means of inspiring we include on the pages, examples of a few projects that are happening in our studio and in the workshop garage.

My earliest motivations came from my parents and my country school teachers when they took interest in my school activities. Parents taking notice and acknowledging accomplishments helps children.

Many of these stories were recorded on a video camera by Keith. He collected them on YouTube and then transcribed my stories into a written form. Then we went back and added, subtracted and generally edited the stories to the words you will read in this book. As Keith sends me the chapters he has typed, I pull them up on my computer or droid to review, make any needed changes and then pass them on to him. The primary motivations for putting this book together came from our enjoyment in writing the first book and the reader’s generous response.

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By Keith Gilbertson, editor

Another book? When my dad first told me that people were asking him about writing a second book, I smiled and thought, well, that’s great but I am not really ready to work on another long-term book writing project. One autobiography is definitely a tremendous accomplishment for Dad and I figured he should be proud and satisfied with, Verdi. The more Dad mentioned putting together another book, the more I could tell he was serious. I asked myself quite a few times, Why not? The experience of working on a book together with my father was such a life altering and enriching labor of love that it would be a shame not to tackle another writing project again.

During this very enlightening and enjoyable time of writing both books we’ve had many deep, truly personal, meaningful, and engaging conversations about the old days of course, but also about the present and the future. Beyond telling old stories, we have opened up many spiritual and philosophical discussions about faith, family, life, wonder, inspirations and motivations. These types of conversations with a parent do not often take place over the phone, email or even during a large family get together. They are more likely to happen one on one by a wood fire, near the typewriter and over the course of long thoughtful conversations with each other.

With the idea of another book in mind, the thoughts, feelings and nuggets of advice from my dad became the focus of the words we chose to share with our family and the many others who have shown more interest in Verdi’s life than we ever anticipated.

Chapter One

Writing Adventures: The Book Branches Out

The cover from Verdi published in 2010

Expectations from writing the first book, Verdi

T he initial purpose of writing and publishing our first book, Verdi, was to give our immediate family and extended family, stories about of my life and the people I have been associated with. This included the people I have depended on for help like my parents, my brothers and sisters, pastors and teachers. We wanted to give some kind of credit to the people that have helped form my life. When we started, the main audience was intended to be our own family circle so they would have many of my stories to read and remember now and as the family continues to grow. It started with just our children, our grandkids, great grandkids and maybe a few relatives beyond them. It was a history of my life and my family. So that is what the expectations were. Well, then we saw that other people who I had never met were picking up this book, looking at the pictures, reading and they became interested.

The photo on the front cover attracted many people. It included my home farm, my home church a half mile away and the road leading from one to the other. A short time before Mandt Lutheran Church was torn down; I flew over my home place in my J3 Piper Cub and took some aerial photos of the special places that were so much a part of my early life.

We included the photo to show the values that go along with the name, Verdi, which in Norwegian means, value. In this picture are what I value most; my family and my faith in God. One woman I know grabbed the book and upon seeing the picture of Mandt Lutheran Church, said with a big smile full of enjoyment, Oh that is the church I was married in. She could read a whole story just from the front cover. As she looked at the cover photo it brought back to her memories of the church and walking down the road to her country school. It wasn’t just a book with a cover when she could recall her wedding day. A lot of her personal history was recalled by looking at the photograph. Then she found more childhood memories as she flipped through the book.

The pictures in the book were very important and it seems like people always look at them first. As we were putting the book together, I kept adding more pictures. Finally Keith said, Let’s stop at 86 because you are 86 years old and we have 86,000 words. Let’s save some stories and pictures for the next book. I’m not sure either Keith or I were really planning a second book at that time but here we are now with more stories and photos. People who bought the book have said to me, We got real interested when we saw all the pictures of the early days."

Where is Verdi (the book)?

The book has been going out all over the world. There are about a half a dozen readers in Changsha, China. So far there are over 300 copies of the book out there across many states and countries. Five copies are in the library of The Excellent Boarding School in Waling, Nepal. We know there is one copy of our book in Roa, Norway and it is shared between Ragnild and Marie Oppen. They are the twin sisters that Eric and Matthew enjoyed a wonderful visit with in the summer of 2011. Around Christmas time I wrote them a thank you letter in Norwegian and sent them a signed copy of the book along with a bunch of photos that Matthew and Eric printed for them.

Some nights when Keith calls, I am ready to tell him, I sold another book today. That is always something fun to talk about. The list of states so far is Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Missouri, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Nebraska, Washington, DC, and Tennessee. We are grateful for all of the relatives and friends who have embraced the book and shared their gratitude. We had no idea how many people would like the book. We thought it would just be our family.

During the 2012 political campaign, Keith gave a copy of the book to his Kentucky Congressman, Ben Chandler. Keith pointed out the politics section and the reference to me having never voting for a non-Democrat. He laughed and told Keith Your dad sounds like a real true Democrat. We need plenty of them this time. Maybe Congressman Chandler will read the book back in DC and get this mess straightened out after reading a few of the positive words in Verdi.

Now it has spread out to many several foreign countries. We know it is in China, Nepal, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Singapore and other countries. Keith tells me that his students from over forty countries have read many of the early farm stories in the book. This is all amazing to me and way beyond any of my expectations. This is fabulous as far as I am concerned. People called me and I maybe hadn’t talked to them for many, many years but at one time we knew each other. They told me they really liked to hear about some of the experiences that were the same as their own. It may have been at school or church where we attended together or going out in the meadow to pick strawberries and working on the farm. They liked to remember riding to school in a sleigh, walking on the country roads and going across the fields on the way to country school.

People want to remember what the kids did when they were growing up on the farm back in the twenties and thirties. Others had questions about what kids did when they were small and growing up on the farm. We lived without telephones or radios or electricity, indoor plumbing and many other basics things that we take for granted now. It is fun to think back about our days while growing up on the farm.

Suggestion from Claire in China

Claire was one of Keith’s students and read the book in her dormitory at Changsha University in Changsha, China.

I have an idea; maybe the book Verdi can be passed through generation to generation as a family gift. What should be changed is to add more stories about the new generation.

Claire (Chen Cong)

We took her suggestion and in Chapter nine, added travel adventures stories from our kids, grandkids, great grandkids and some extended family members. Thank you to my nieces and nephew for including some of their memories from our family farm and church.

Verdi: The Joys of Writing the Book

We sat down to write a few memories and pretty soon it turned into a full scale book of 228 pages. We never really thought how far and where it would go.

Editor: Here is a favorite scene that came about as a result of the book:

Verdi was down at the Montevideo Public Library with his Kindle eBook reader up close to his ear. He was listening to a computer voice reading the second chapter of Verdi. The reader was doing very well until he had to read the Our Father in Norwegian. Verdi was laughing and having a great time. The reader just could not seem to pronounce the Norwegian words with the same gusto as a true Norwegian. The computer kept on, and by gosh he pronounced Jens Gilbertson’s name with the proper Y sound, as in Yens not Jens. Watching my dad laugh out loud was worth the price of the Kindle and the time spent working with the book.

Listening to the Kindle read Verdi to Verdi at the Montevideo Public Library

The first royalty check. My real royalties come from hearing people say to me, You know Verdi, I really like your book, and from my kids and grandkids thanking me for telling my stories.

Another favorite scene: Father Jim Devorak during Sunday Mass at Saint Joseph’s church in Montevideo holding up Verdi’s book and saying to the congregation. I read much of Verdi" and it is awesome. It is a story of faith, fidelity, family, farming and flying. He will have a book signing at Valentino’s next Saturday morning so I encourage you all to go down there to see Verdi and his book."

At the book signing we told the Toov boys what Father Jim had said about their Grandpa’s book. Bryan smiled and said "He should have added fly fishing. Father Jim looked at the boys with a big smile and said, I can add fun too."

Comments about Verdi from readers

Keith,

The book arrived a couple of days ago and I’m already halfway through it. Keith, this is a very special project and I so appreciate being able to read it. I have so many fond memories of sitting around your house in Monte and talking with your parents. This is icing on the cake.

All the best,

Joan Wellman

We spent a lot of time together with Joan when the girls were in high school. She went along to the farm with Kay and Kathy to go riding and take care of the horses. She bought the kid’s horse, Cody, from us and joined the girls every night to feed him and to clean the stalls.

Kay, Kathy, Greg and Keith with our first colt we had from

our mare named Lady. She had two colts. The kids chose names they saw

and liked while we were traveling, Cody in Wyoming and

Rebel Highland from a horse farm near Lexington, Kentucky.

Keith,

It sounds like you had a great crowd at the book signing. I’m looking forward to reading the book!! I’ve always respected your family and this is just one more neat thing you’ve done together. All the best to you and yours.

Mike Gulden

Mike graduated with Keith and they are also cousins. Mike lives with his family in Wisconsin. Thanks Mike

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Hi Verdi,

Sorry that I haven’t got back to sooner. I want to thank you for your interesting book. I really appreciate it. Reading portions of it brings back many good memories. I always looked forward to spending my summers on the farm. Some of my favorite memories include the bag swing, climbing up in the apple tree to eat apples, and catching snapping turtles to place in the water tank.

Arnie Gilbertson

Arnie is my cousin and we always enjoyed his visits to our farm in the summer. He gave me a great start in building model airplanes. His career was in aeronautical engineering.

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Hi Keith, I just want to tell you what a wonderful evening we had last night with your father. I got Denny and my son-in- law each a Verdi" book for Christmas and they were so thrilled that we decided to take him out for dinner and have him sign the books.

We really had a great time visiting with him and seeing his shop. Last night we all went away smiling and impressed. He is an amazing guy and so talented, smart, and fun. I told my grandson that this is the way to get old.

Barb Dawson.. (Denny’s Wife)

Barb is the wife of my nephew Denny Dawson

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Verdie,

When Brad spotted your book at his Mom’s house he asked her if he could read it. He started reading when he got home and it was fun to watch him chuckling every once in awhile. When I asked him what was funny he told me, I can’t tell you or it will spoil it for you. When he started reading your war stories he got real quiet and said that he hadn’t realized the many battles you were been in. When he finished reading he rented, A Band of Brothers and said it had a whole new meaning now that he realized how much you were an integral part of those battles. I think you have a real winner here and my dad will be excited to see it.

Thanks for writing the book, From Brad and Becky Dawson, my nephew and his wife Becky

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I chuckled quite a few times reading these stories and imagining Grandpa telling them.

Eric Gilbertson MIT 2008, 2010, 2014

Grandpa’s book is fun to read. It’s just amazing all that Grandpa went through as a line man with the telephone company. It makes hiking up Mount Washington, New Hampshire in January seem like hiking along the beach.

Matthew Gilbertson MIT 2008, 2010, 2014

Grandpa doesn’t talk about the fighting during the World War II. He talks about the many towns he went through and the people he met. He thinks more about the good things and experiences rather than dwelling on any bad ones he might have had.

Jacob Gilbertson St Vincent College 2012

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Full of stories that’ll make you smile

My sister Vernice Gilbertson Underthun’s great grandson, Riley Linngren attends high school in Chisago Lakes, Minnesota. He read Verdi and presented a report in his 11th grade class. Riley commented that the book is Full of stories that’ll make you smile. The teachers enjoyed his report and asked if they could read the book. We think that is great!

From Judy Underthun Peterson (Vernice and Astor’s granddaughter).My grandson would be honored to have his comments in the new book and is excited to read the next one. He really enjoyed reading Verdi.

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Our daughter Kay reads the book to her second graders

By Kay Gilbertson Dammer

For several years I have been teaching second graders. I always enjoy reading, Verdi, to them and they enjoy it too; especially when we are studying about rural communities and what it was like growing up on a farm outside of Montevideo back in the twenties and thirties. Every once in a while the kids will ask me, Mrs. Dammer, will you read a story from your dad’s book? Of course I always say, Yes, because I enjoy reading it too. Last year on the day after Christmas, we went out to eat at the Copper Kettle in Osseo and sure enough I saw one of my former students with his family so I went over to their booth to say hi. I told them, I am here with my husband and my dad. Well, after they were finished eating they came by to talk with us. My former student Eddie came up to Dad and he was pretty shy but he looked at Dad and said slowly, I really liked your book. Of course Dad smiled and said to Eddie, Well, thank you.

The book sure has branched out in my classroom. When we study rural life I get on Google Earth and we look at all the land around Montevideo. We see how it is all grain fields, farms and open spaces. The kids got excited about this and they all wanted to do a project. I gave them a design and a pattern to make a barn, a silo and a chicken coop. Then they took the patterns home and worked with their families to make a little farm on a big piece of tag board. They really enjoyed decorating the farms with some kids adding little tractors and a bunch of farm animals. Others had hay bales and corn stalks on their farms. The projects turned out great and I’ve heard from parents and kids that they really enjoyed working on this farm project.

As a part of social studies classes we also talk about our ancestors so I got out Dad’s book and I showed them pictures of the Gulbrandson farm back in Norway and also pictures of his ancestors. As a result the kids got interested in ancestry and went home to find photos of their ancestors. They brought