Cousins
Today my cousin, Stan Oftedahl, along with his wife and their foster son met us for lunch here in Duluth. They live in Cameron, WI south of Rice Lake. For many years Stan was a farmer, spent some time pastoring and now just lives out in the country. He had a son who committed suicide when he was about 16-17 -- Alan was the baby of the family. Stan has two daughters --one married with two sons and another baby coming later this year and the other who is divorced with no family.
Stan and I were both only children. Our maternal grandparents were good friends in New Jersey. Stan's dad, my dad's brother, settled in New Jersey after WWI. My dad went to visit Albin, found work, met my mother and the rest is history! When Stan was 14 his folks moved him to Cameron WI when his dad bought the farm across the road from my Grandpa Oftedahl's farm. Ten years later when I was 14, my dad retired and moved us to Rice Lake.
Now Stan, who is nearly 77, is really the only relative nearby who knew me when I was a baby and a little girl. I remember his Grandma Larson and his only aunt--and he remembers my Grandma Sorensen. I have one cousin on my mom's side of the family but he and his family live in Texas. Joe is 14 years older than I am so he was in Montclair until I was 4. He also was an only child! I have a ton of cousins --about 26--on the Oftedahl branch but only a couple are near me in age. They grew up in Southern Wisconsin and I only saw them when they would come up during the summer. With e-mail I keep track of Cousin Dorothy who is back in WI after living in Louisiana for quite a few years. Her brother, Don, sends an occasional email.
I have friends who have lived in Duluth for the better part of their 80 or so years. They talk about the folks they graduated from high school with and how they had lunch with them. They talk about friends they have had since kindergarten and about their friend's parents. Many of them have lived in their neighborhoods for 40 plus years. There are times when I feel I was gypped because I was taken 1200 miles away from my grade school and junior high friends and then I only was in Rice Lake for my high school years. Except for my MYF friends in Rice Lake I didn't make that many friends there. Then I was in Mpls. for almost 7 years -- my nursing school classmates gradually scattered as did I to Duluth. In Duluth, I had my co-workers and gals who were also active in the Minnesota Nurses' Association. I just haven't had the same friends for 60 + years. I should be satisfied with 40+!
It was fun to be with Stan and Edith today. We hadn't seen each other for quite a while. My dad spent a lot of time with Stan when he was little and then after we moved to Wisconsin they spent time together hunting and fishing so Stan always felt close to him. Good to have that family connection! And good to celebrate yet another birthday! May we be blessed with many more!
Stan and I were both only children. Our maternal grandparents were good friends in New Jersey. Stan's dad, my dad's brother, settled in New Jersey after WWI. My dad went to visit Albin, found work, met my mother and the rest is history! When Stan was 14 his folks moved him to Cameron WI when his dad bought the farm across the road from my Grandpa Oftedahl's farm. Ten years later when I was 14, my dad retired and moved us to Rice Lake.
Now Stan, who is nearly 77, is really the only relative nearby who knew me when I was a baby and a little girl. I remember his Grandma Larson and his only aunt--and he remembers my Grandma Sorensen. I have one cousin on my mom's side of the family but he and his family live in Texas. Joe is 14 years older than I am so he was in Montclair until I was 4. He also was an only child! I have a ton of cousins --about 26--on the Oftedahl branch but only a couple are near me in age. They grew up in Southern Wisconsin and I only saw them when they would come up during the summer. With e-mail I keep track of Cousin Dorothy who is back in WI after living in Louisiana for quite a few years. Her brother, Don, sends an occasional email.
I have friends who have lived in Duluth for the better part of their 80 or so years. They talk about the folks they graduated from high school with and how they had lunch with them. They talk about friends they have had since kindergarten and about their friend's parents. Many of them have lived in their neighborhoods for 40 plus years. There are times when I feel I was gypped because I was taken 1200 miles away from my grade school and junior high friends and then I only was in Rice Lake for my high school years. Except for my MYF friends in Rice Lake I didn't make that many friends there. Then I was in Mpls. for almost 7 years -- my nursing school classmates gradually scattered as did I to Duluth. In Duluth, I had my co-workers and gals who were also active in the Minnesota Nurses' Association. I just haven't had the same friends for 60 + years. I should be satisfied with 40+!
It was fun to be with Stan and Edith today. We hadn't seen each other for quite a while. My dad spent a lot of time with Stan when he was little and then after we moved to Wisconsin they spent time together hunting and fishing so Stan always felt close to him. Good to have that family connection! And good to celebrate yet another birthday! May we be blessed with many more!
posted by Lois at 6:56 PM
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