If It Weren’t for Ruth Simonson and Reigelsbergers . . .

June 8, 2009 by

(For background information to this post, please scroll down to the first post in this blog, “Watercolors to John Deere.”)

Last September, my father’s (Deane Gunderson) former farming neighbors, Joe and Norine Reigelsberger, returned to my father three of Mother’s (Marion Gunderson) watercolors. (Mother passed away in 2004 at the age of eighty-five.)  Each painting was of an Iowa grain elevator including one at Gilmore City, one at Pocahontas, and one at Rolfe, painted in 1951, 1949, and circa 1950, respectively.  I am fortunate to now display these paintings in my home.

Last spring after I left the three paintings at Wild Faces Gallery (aka “Mona’s”) in Rolfe for Mona Majorowicz to frame, Ruth Simonson from Rolfe was in the gallery.  Ruth noticed Mother’s paintings and took a more…

Posted in Barr Art Association, Gilmore City, Grain Elevator, Iowa, Marion Gunderson, Pocahontas, Rolfe, Watercolor | Leave a Comment »

Grain Elevators and Teenage Dating — Part II

June 6, 2009 by

To understand the “story” better, if you haven’t already read my last post (Grain Elevators and Teenage Dating – Part I), you might want to scroll down and read it and then come back to this post. Click here…before or after reading Part I.

Posted in Grain Elevator, Iowa, Rolfe | 8 Comments »

Grain Elevators and Teenage Dating — Part I

June 3, 2009 by

Think small town (population ~ 800) and rural northwest Iowa, early 1970s…

I started dating my (now) husband and love-of-my-life when I was a sophomore in high school.  Bill Shimon was a Rolfe (Iowa) High School senior at that time and I had just turned fifteen.  The first time I remember knowing of Bill was when I was in sixth grade and he was in eighth.  During the awards assembly the last day of that school year, our junior high principal, Lyle Foster, presented an award to Bill based upon Bill’s work ethic and character.

I don’t recall having much interaction with Bill until my sophomore year in high school when he was consoling me about “boy problems” I was having.  Within a few weeks of that conversation, Bill asked me out.

Where do Bill’s character, grain elevators and dating fit it?  I’m getting there! More…

Posted in Grain Elevator, Iowa, Rolfe | 2 Comments »

Watercolors to John Deere

June 1, 2009 by
Mother's signature on one of the returned watercolors

Mother's signature on one of the returned watercolors

Decades ago, my mother, Marion Gunderson, sold to a neighboring farming couple a few watercolors she painted in the late 1940s/early 1950s. Since she painted these before I was born, I was only vaguely aware these watercolors existed.

Last September my father, Deane Gunderson, a retired farmer who also worked in the 1940s as an engineer for John Deere, celebrated his 90th birthday. (Engineers are artists in a way!) In honor of my father’s 90th, the neighboring farming couple (now retired and moved into town—Rolfe, Iowa) returned three of these paintings to my father. My father had me ask more

Posted in Deane Gunderson, Iowa, Marion Gunderson, Rolfe, Watercolor | 15 Comments »

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