Bright Ideas

I don’t usually write articles about recent deaths, but I hope you don’t object to my words. The first recent death was Gary Brower. He was welcomed to the Beaver Lodge Cemetery Board about the time I resigned. He quickly became president and made important changes to the cemetery, and at the same time or soon after began cleaning, removing and remodeling one old home in our neighborhood.

With help from his wife, Birgit, the couple changed their old home and worked together on the finishing touches in our neighborhood.

Other men helped, but Gary got the ball rolling.

Another death was of a woman just across the street, Ruby Ayala. She was Pat Kalstrom’s mother. Ruby had a red pickup, and I’d see her every Wednesday pick up Dorothy Johnstone to go grocery shopping; that’s when groceries came in on Wednesdays. The same two went to church; I don’t remember if they went to senior meals, more recently Terry Stieg delivered their meals.

Ruby’s house was where Jerry and Pat Kalstrom raised their four children, three very close in age with our two. They moved out and soon Ruby moved in. Now the house has received some redoing, and I think young relatives will move in. Goodbye Ruby.

The most recent death is Dorothy Johnstone, just next door to Ruby. Dorothy lived in that house when we moved to this house in 1990. She watched the kids walk to school; those were Summer Kalstrom and Katie. Four years later she saw Reed and MAK Kalstrom and probably Bill Kalstrom too. He was two years older and likely led them at first.

Dorothy watched them grow. When I began writing Bright Ideas, she would call me occasionally to say she agreed, or liked my words. She was one of the first to buy my book, and told me she would no longer complain about her back, because I didn't complain. She was 25 years older than I and deserved to complain when things hurt!

I will miss her flower box, unless it is still watered. Then it will be a reminder of a wonderful lady.