Archive for the ‘Deane Gunderson’ Category

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Help the Lions Help Others

July 7, 2010

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Daddy is on the left with (I think) auctioneer Jay Arnold during a Lions Club auction when it used to be held at Rolfe's Post Office parking lot. The view is looking northerly. Daddy was in charge of the Lions Club auction for several years. I remember he'd contact area residents, including all of the business owners in town, for donations. (Click photo to enlarge.)

A previous post includes information about my dad’s (Deane Gunderson) “Bubbles in the Wine” weekly column that he wrote in the ’70s for The Rolfe Arrow. Below is another of his “Bubbles” columns, this time having to do with the Rolfe (Iowa) Lions Club annual auction.

This Saturday, July 10th at 11:00 AM, during Greater Rolfe Days will once again be the Lions’ annual auction. It will be held at the gazebo on Main Street. (I’ll be in the library across the street selling prints of Mother’s watercolors. The prints profits will go toward digitizing 101 years of Rolfe newspapers so they will eventually be accessible at no charge on the web.)

Before my dad passed away last week, he requested that in lieu of flowers, any memorial contributions be made to the Rolfe Lions Club (P.O. Box 101, Rolfe, Iowa 50581). He’d be just as glad if you stopped by the gazebo this coming Saturday and bought something for way more than it was worth in an effort to “Help the Lions Help Others.”

Also, at 10:00 AM on Saturday, just before the auction, will be the Greater Rolfe Days parade…with the Rolfe Lions as Grand Marshals. How fitting!

BUBBLES in the WINE

In the March 6, 1975, issue of The Rolfe Arrow

by Deane Gunderson

Elsewhere in this issue is an ad about the annual Lions Club sale which this year will be held March 8 at 1:30 p.m. The proceeds “Help The Lions Help Others.”

The Lions, officially known as Lions International, has over a million Lions club members in 147 countries. The purpose stated in the constitution is to serve others. Our club has [?] members. Roger Witt is our president; Pat Wood is our secretary and has been a Zone chairman.

The main projects of the national organization are related to serving the blind. They are:

(1) Operation of an eye bank — a storage of eyes in medical centers for the replacement of faulty eyes.

(2) Sponsoring a school for leader dogs.

(3) Collecting discarded eyeglasses which are checked and redistributed through a national center. (We’ll take yours.)

Our neighboring towns of Palmer, Gilmore City, Laurens, and West Bend have Lions Clubs. Some towns have clubs that are more for fun and the pulling of practical jokes on each other at the meetings. Our Rolfe club is a serious club and is very intent on the service angle. Proof of this is this list of local activities:

(1) Easter sunrise services.

(2) Easter Egg hunt.

(3) Scholastic banquet for honor roll students.

(4) College educational fund for two handicapped children, one now in college.

(5) Summer Little League program.

(6) Eye glasses for the needy students in Rolfe School. The students remain anonymous as far as the Lions are concerned.

(7) Christmas baskets for the elderly and/or needy.

(8) Ushering for basketball games.

(9) Installation of house numbers, street signs and sidewalk benches.

The Lions are grateful to the merchants and other people of Rolfe for their generous support of our projects. Almost every merchant will be donating some new merchandise for the sale, and other people will be donating worthwhile used items — some real goodies. Homemade baked goods will be donated. The auctioneering and clerking are donated.

We have some fun too. Several years ago we sold one bushel of competing seed corns (buyer’s choice). The price got up to $70. Les Allen and Art Sellers were bidding against each other, but Les had the advantage because he charged half to his landlord*.

So, Saturday, March 8, be in Rolfe, bring your money, take home some bargains, and “Help The Lions Help Others.”

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*Hmmm…..The inside joke is that I think that landlord just happened to be someone with the initials of D. G.! That Les was certainly a prankster.

Most likely next week I’ll include information about the Rolfe Lions Club’s current projects. My intent is to later this week post the second audio segment of my conversation with Sharon (Wickre) Rickard. I’ll wait until July 21st to post my dad’s official obituary. His memorial service will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 31st at the Shared Ministry in Rolfe.

(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

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What do you use for a title on the day that your father passes away?

July 1, 2010

My dad, Deane Gunderson, passed away today.

He was (still is, in my mind…you know…the present tense) 91 years old — almost 92. He fell a second time on this year’s Father’s Day, after an initial fall two months ago. He had been hospitalized since June 20th until yesterday when he was transferred to a hospice house.

Wow, what a G-R-E-A-T guy. Always a loving (even when strict) “teacher,” always looking for the best in people and always trying to make the most of life (his own and others’).

I feel so incredibly lucky that I’ve been able to spend so much time with him these past several years (my whole life, actually), especially recently. He exemplified the “if life gives you lemons, make lemonade” philosophy.

I wanted to post maybe a couple of pictures that captured some of his unique traits. Just starting to look, I came up with 40 photos…and I knew I had even more. I want to post them ALL!

I’m pooped. So, for now I’ll post just two of my favorite “a picture tells a thousand words” images that tell about my full-of-life dad. Yes, I know…almost every dad is “great.” So, thank you for indulging me in the past, today, and in the future by letting me express my joy in relation to my dad.

From the Iowa State vs Missouri football program, Homecoming, October 17, 1981. (Click photo twice to read text.)

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Daddy (Deane Gunderson) dancing with Peggy at Katie's and Joe's wedding two years ago, July 2008. At age 89 he was the life of the party. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

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Click here for another post about my dad’s statue of Cy. It includes a photo of him with Cy in 1975 and another photo of him with Cy from 2007. Cy will be in Rolfe on the Karras RAGBRAI loop on Monday, July 26th.

My dad’s memorial service will be in Rolfe, Iowa, sometime on Saturday, July 31st. By next week I’ll post more details.

(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

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Posted in Deane Gunderson | 7 Comments »

Gifts: Crawler Tractor, Bonding, Walking

May 7, 2010

Jackson and Great-Grandpa Deane with the John Deere 40 crawler tractor. (Click photo to enlarge.)

Monday of this week was Jackson’s fourth birthday. Jackson and I had a fabulous day with Great-Grandpa Deane (my father). Grandpa Deane’s wrapped gift to Jackson was a John Deere 40 crawler tractor — $27.00. The gift of the rest of the day — priceless.

Great-Grandpa Deane and Jackson outside of Farm & Home in Pocahontas, Iowa. (Click here to enlarge.)

Jackson and I went back to Rolfe Monday evening. Late in the day on Tuesday, Grandpa Deane took a spill. Fortunately he has no broken bones, and was back to walking (albeit very gingerly) and joking yesterday. He does have a very sore rump and is receiving lots of TLC.

On Wednesday I dashed up to Rolfe to be with my dad and other family members; I arrived home today. I’ll go back next week. Needless to say, I’m a little pooped but also want to keep current with blog posts. If I don’t post often and/or thoroughly for a while, you’ll know why.

Within the next month or two I hope to post about Bill’s and my refinishing our basement using wood from the home place barn that was built in 1904.

(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

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Mouser and D.C.G.: A Match Made in . . .

February 6, 2010

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Mouser and D.C.G., fall 2009. (Please click photo to enlarge...to "see" the chemistry.)

I remember when Clara, my oldest sister, called me on the morning of November 30th, 2004, to tell me that Mother (Marion Gunderson) had just passed away. I immediately drove from Perry, Iowa, to Mother and Daddy’s rural Rolfe farm home that we so fondly refer to as “Gunderland.” Several family members and I were at Gunderland with Daddy for the next several days.

“Right now” I so wanted Daddy (Deane Gunderson) to have a pet. I thought a pet would help comfort him with Mother being gone…maybe even help increase Daddy’s longevity. On one of those mornings while still at the farm I was SO EXCITED because I looked out Daddy’s (and Mother’s) kitchen window and saw a dark-colored cat roaming near the garage. I was just sure this specific cat was sent by God to be a companion for Daddy.

Later that morning, I realized that God had awhile back really sent the roaming cat to the farm home of Mick and Sue Reigelsberger (neighbors 1/8 mile down the gravel road). It turned out the cat was temporarily visiting Gunderland and would soon meander back to its Reigelsberger home.

In the following year or two, every couple of months I’d make a half-joking-half-serious comment to Daddy about how fun it would be for him to have a cat. He made it known that under no uncertain terms should any of us give him a cat. It’s funny how, when I was little in the ’60s, it was ok for us to give to Grandma DeElda a parakeet, but two years ago it wasn’t ok for us to give Daddy a cat. (Although it wasn’t so funny when Grandma died and the parakeet then came to live with us at Gunderland! No one competed for the honor of cleaning Pretty, Pretty’s cage.)

However, within the last year, Mouser showed up at Gunderland. As Sue Reigelsberger indicated in her comment regarding a previous post, Mouser is a transplant from the Reigelsberger farm (although, I didn’t know that until awhile after Daddy claimed Mouser as being his cat). Any cats showing up at Gunderland had been shooed away by my dad…until the day Mouser showed up. On that day it was like love at first sight for my dad. I’m sure the feeling is mutual.

(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

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Posted in Deane Gunderson | 5 Comments »

Reflective Thought about the Reflector

January 14, 2010

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My 91-year-old dad and his cat, Mouser. Fall, 2009. (Click photo to enlarge.)

This photo is an example of where I’m thinking using a reflector (mentioned in the previous post and also two posts ago) could have been helpful. Since I haven’t yet used the 5-in-1 reflector that my next-older-sister Peggy gave to me for Christmas, it could be that I’m way off base here.  But, I’m thinking that if the reflector would have been at my dad’s (Deane Gunderson) left side in this photo there wouldn’t be so much of his good friend, Mouser, shadowed.

I know that my dad’s face is shadowed some, as well. But, with my 22″ reflector, I’ll take one little step at a time.  Who knows if using a reflector for this photo would or wouldn’t have been advantageous.  I do know that the first time I saw this photo on my computer monitor, I just loved it.  I still do.

* * * * *

(This blog contains also includes 11 archived posts about my dad.)

(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

Posted in Deane Gunderson, Photography | 6 Comments »

Cy’s Favorite Alum With His 11.5-foot-tall Cy Sculpture

October 12, 2009

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Deane Gunderson, Cy and Jackson in Rolfe, Iowa near the Bud Barn. (Click photo to enlarge.)

Deane Gunderson, Cy (the statue made by Deane) and Jackson in Rolfe, Iowa, near the Bud Barn. The "rest-of-the-story" about Cy is below. (Click photo to enlarge.)

Today Jackson (my grandson) and I went to just outside of Rolfe, Iowa, where my 91-year-old father, Deane Gunderson lives. Dan and Rog Allen, loyal friends of my father, saw to it that my dad took Jackson and me for a drive in one of their tractors (John Deere, of course).

Jackson, my dad and I also went into Rolfe to see the Cy that my dad built in 1975. Cy now resides near Rog’s and Dan’s Bud Barn in Rolfe, where there is also their “World’s Largest Clydesdale Hobby Horse.” Lastly, the three of us visited the Rolfe Public Library with which Mother was so deeply involved for thirty-five years.

In the photo above, if you were looking down from an airplane, you’d see that the boulders design (created single-handedly by Dan) is in the shape of a cyclone.  You’d also see that there are steps on the far side, behind Cy.  Also, on the right side of the point boulder, nature has created its own red cyclone-shaped image.  In case you didn’t already notice it, this natural image is more easily visible if you enlarge the above photo.

Immediately below is one story about Cy.  This article was prepared for RAGBRAI’s 2007 ride through Rolfe.  It is a sweetheart of a story. Clicking on the photo will provide “large print” sized text.

Microsoft Word - D.C.G. RAGBRAI Cy doc for FedEx Kinkos[1].doc

(Click photo to enlarge.)

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Posted in Deane Gunderson, Iowa, Rolfe | 2 Comments »

The Perfect Football Evening (depending on how you look at it)

September 4, 2009

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Iowa State, 34 --- North Dakota State, 17, September 3, 2009. (Click photo to enlarge.)

Iowa State, 34 --- North Dakota State, 17, September 3, 2009. (Click photo to enlarge.)

I’m mostly clueless about football, so shouldn’t express an opinion about the Iowa State team’s performance last night.  However, I do have a strong opinion that it is almost sacrilegious when AC/DC blaring painfully loudly (to the point of speaker distortion) drowns out the sound of the Iowa State fight song.

Early in the game when the band played the fight song (with no AC/DC competing this time), there were only a few people in our section that stood up and clapped.  When doing a quick scan, it appeared to be the same throughout most of the stadium.  It seems the football environment Iowa State is trying to create is not at all the counterpart of ISU’s basketball Hilton Magic (although, maybe that has changed considerably, too?). more…

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Posted in Deane Gunderson, Iowa, Rolfe | 5 Comments »

Next post on Wednesday evening — No Bologna (Or, maybe there is!)

August 4, 2009

I thought I’d have a new post on the blog by today, but I’ve been away from home “playing.”  I’ll have a new post up by tomorrow evening, the 5th.

I do have to say that I was with my father (Deane Gunderson) overnight and talked with him about material for this blog. more…

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Bubbles In The Wine by Deane Gunderson (February 27, 1975 — Part II)

July 27, 2009

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(You probably won’t understand Part II below unless you first read Part I.)

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“Bubbles In The Wine” by Deane Gunderson, February 27, 1975 * (Part II)

My father, Deane Gunderson, played on this John Deere softball team during his 1940 to 1945 employment with John Deere in Waterloo, Iowa. (Click photo to enlarge.)

My father, Deane Gunderson (back row, far left), played on this John Deere softball team during his 1940 to 1945 employment with John Deere in Waterloo, Iowa. During this employment he attended the meeting described in his February 27, 1975, "Bubbles In The Wine" article. (Click photo to enlarge.)

About thirty years ago [in the early- or mid-1940s] the John Deere Experimental Men’s meeting was being held in Moline and a good friend of mine from the Waterloo factory, Emil Jirsa, was to give a talk on the development of the John Deere Powr-Trol (hydraulic) system, then in its infancy.

Emil wasn’t much of a talker and he didn’t have the handsome, slippery appearance of John Connally. He was, as a matter of fact, just the opposite, and I suppose the audience was expecting a dull halting speech, hoping to get on to the next topic or to get into the bar, where each engineer would have the opportunity to brag about what he had dreamed up. more…

Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson, John Deere | 4 Comments »

Bubbles In The Wine by Deane Gunderson (February 27, 1975 — Part I)

July 26, 2009

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For background information about my father’s (Deane Gunderson) mid-1970s “Bubbles In The Wine” newspaper column, click here.  The article below is the first of his “Bubbles In The Wine” articles appearing in the weekly Rolfe Arrow from early 1975 through mid-1977.  The article below is also his favorite!

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“Bubbles In The Wine” by Deane Gunderson, February 27, 1975 *

My father, Deane Gunderson, in the mid-1970s, the same time period during which he wrote his 114 articles for his Bubbles In The Wine column.

My father in the mid-1970s, when he wrote 114 articles for his "Bubbles In The Wine" column.

On a recent Sunday morning yours truly was sitting in the Presbyterian Church of Rochester, Minnesota, when the minister said something that prompted the going ahead with this column. The idea of a column for the Rolfe Arrow had been tossed around a lot over the last several years. If you don’t like the idea, you’ll have to blame it on going to church, and that’s a pretty tough argument. more…

Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson | 2 Comments »

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