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Todays Gazette is brought to you by Edward Claussen. 9/9, 1920 - 9/8,
2006
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The current temperature is 43 degrees.
Yesterdays H/L temperature was 51/30
Normal H/L temp for this date is 64/40
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
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I'm sure many remember former teacher and basketball coach Ed
Claussen. The Claussen's have spent the past several years in Kenosha,
Wis. Ed passed away Sept. 8 of this year at the age of 85. The Claussen
family left Grafton for Kenosha Wis. in 1962. He leaves his wife, in
Kenosha and a son Edward "Chip" (Audrey) Claussen Jr., Michigan City,
Ind,; brother, Robert, Houston, Texas; and two grandchildren.
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I am pleased to welcome Tony Feltman and Armando Serrano Jr. to "our"
Gazette family.
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===== ARDELL FORTIER =====
Ardell Fortier, 80, of Grafton and formerly of Drayton, North Dakota
passed away at MeritCare Hospital in Fargo on Monday evening, September
25th, 2006.
Ardell T. Fortier was born March 23, 1926 to Edmund and Aurelia (Bushaw)
Fortier at Forest River, North Dakota. In July of 1955 he married Judy
Fischer at East Grand Forks, Mn. Ardell settled near Drayton and farmed
in the area for many years. On July 24, 1981 he was united in marriage
to Beth Helgason at Grand Forks. Family members include his wife, Beth;
a son, Larry, Drayton; six daughters, Susan Fortier, Detroit Lakes, MN,
Kathleen (Tom) Hankins, Aurora, CO, Julie (John) Kirkeby, Oslo, MN, Kim
(Brian) Thompson, Grafton, ND, Mary Lynn (Charles) Quann, Chesapeake, VA
and Lisa (Alan) Nixon, Ithaca, NY; four step children, Terry Helgason,
St. Paul, MN, Les (Bev) Helgason, Grand Forks, ND, Craig Helgason, Grand
Forks and Roberta (David) Phillips, Walhalla, ND; 13 grandchildren; a
sister, Darlene Plutowski, East Grand Forks and a brother, Harley
(Marilyn) Fortier, Boyne City, MI. Funeral services are Saturday,
September 30th, at 10:00 a.m. in the Drayton High School Gymnasium.
Visitation will be at the Adamson-Austin Funeral Chapel in Drayton on
Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m.
++++
Lee Bratlie would like to share the following tribute to Ardell.
----- A Tribute To A Tough Old Bird -----
A feeling of deep sadness passed over me as I read the last
paragraph of the Wednesday edition of the Gazette. The world lost a
great person in the passing of Ardell Fortier, which was reported by
his son-in-law Brian Thompson.
When I was younger I worked part time for Ardell during the spring and
fall on his farm, probably 12 or 13 years total. I welcomed the
change of working outside during the late afternoons and
evenings after working inside all day. Cultivating in the spring,
and swathing grain, harrowing stubble, and plowed in
the fall. Although I didn't know him as well as some people, I think
I knew the "real" Ardell better than many people. So I'd like to share a
few thoughts of Ardell, and if you see fit you have my permission (as
always) to print my comments.
I remembered the time he removed the broken water pump from
the engine in a Versatile swather in the time it took me to drive a
couple miles into Drayton to pick up a new one at Bondys Carquest, then
had the new one installed in the time it took me to drive the two miles
to the farm to get anti-freeze and water. We laughed about that this
summer one afternoon when we were reminiscing about "old times."
I remembered the time he brought me home a set of golf clubs from his
winter stay in California, and when I asked how much I owed him, he
replied, "NOTHING RIGHT NOW MISTER, but you'd better plan on working
for me this spring when fieldwork starts to pay them off."
I also remembered the times we'd "go for parts", and he'd talk of
nothing but his kids, and tell me how proud of them he was. I wish I had
a dollar for every time he told me he had "6 beautiful daughters, and
one lovely son." I thought of that, and hoped that he had taken the
time to tell them how much they meant to him, and how proud of them he
was.
Then I thought about the fall my wife and I were expecting our second
child. I was a member of the union at American Crystal at the time,
and there was talk of a strike. Ardell asked how it would effect me,
and I told him if we went on strike my medical insurance would be
cancelled, and with a family to feed, a new baby on the way, and no
job I didn't know what I would do. He looked at me and said he hoped I
knew I had a full time job with him if we should go on strike. I
thanked him for the offer, but reminded him nobody knew how long the
strike would last if there was one, and I didn't want to leave him
short a person if I had to return to American Crystal before harvest
was complete. He replied that would be his problem, not mine, and
he'd worry about his problems, and I should worry about mine. He said
that in that gruff voice he had, but I understood the real meaning of
his words that night.
When the ballots were counted the vote was something like 112 for a
strike and 3 against, me being one of the three voting against the
strike. Ardell had told me to stop out at the farm after the vote so
I did, and after hearing the results he told me to be back at 7:00 AM
to work. I drove potato truck for him during the strike, and when it
would rain he would tell the truck drivers not to bother coming to work
for a few days, except for me, he'd tell me to show up the next morning
and he'd find something for me to do. I always showed up, and he always
found something for me to do. And I've thought of that generosity quite
a few times the past couple days.
Then I thought of one evening shortly after the strike had began. I
drove in the farmyard at quitting time and was walking to the shop. I
heard loud voices, actually Ardell was yelling something at the top of
his lungs. As I walked in the shop a silence fell over it, and both
Ardell and his son Larry stared at me. Larry grabbed my arm and said
"let's go" about the time Ardell yelled, "DON'T YOU SAY A WORD ABOUT
THIS TO HIM." After we got in Larry's pickup I asked him what was
going on. Had I done something wrong? Larry told me it didn't concern
me, and not to worry about it, but I knew that wasn't true. Several
years later, after plying Larry with more than a few adult beverages
I again asked him what had happened that night in the shop.
He made me take an oath of silence, and told me I'd better never
tell his Dad he told me. I agreed and heard "the rest of the story"
about that evening in the shop. I've kept my word and never told this
story before, but in light of the circumstances of this note in the
first place, I think both Ardell and Larry will forgive me for
breaking the silence.
Larry told me that a neighbor of Ardells, and a long time friend,
someone who had a stake in the place I worked, had driven into the
farmyard and asked if it was true "that Bratlie was working for him."
Ardell told him I was, and this person responded that Ardell should fire
me, because if I wanted to work I shouldn't have went on strike. If I
told you what actually was said after that you wouldn't be able to
print this, so I'll give you the "Readers Digest Version."
Ardell told this person that he would run his "DOGGONE" farm the way he
saw fit, and it was none of this guys business who the "HECK" he had
working for him in the first place. He "suggested" that the person may
want to leave his yard before he figured out a new use for a 12" Cresent
wrench. But the person wouldn't give up, and Ardell finally told him
this. "I gave Lee my word that he would have a job if he needed one,
and I won't go back on my word. Not for any reason, not to you, not to
anyone. So get the "heck" off my yard before I get really "mad."
The easy thing for Ardell to do that day would have been to tell me
that my working for him was causing problems, and ask me not to come
back. And I would have fully understood that. Or he could have told that
person he was short drivers, and although he didn't like having me out
there, he had no choice. Or he could have came up with a million other
excuses for me being there, but he didn't. He said he gave me his word,
and he wouldn't go back on it for anyone, for any reason.
Ardell and Larry probably forgot this story years ago Gary, as it
happened in 1981. My daughter Kristi who was born that fall is now
married and the mother of my first grandson. But I haven't forgot.
And I won't forget it as long as I live. I learned a lesson from Ardell
that fall, one that I've tried to live up to ever since. Say what you
mean, mean what you say, and above all make sure your word is worth
something.
So if someone asks you what kind of a person Ardell Fortier was Gary,
tell them this. Tell them he was a man who loved his family, and he was
a man of his word. Can you think of a better means of measurement of
a persons worthiness on this earth? No wonder God left him here for 80
years before calling "the tough old bird home."
Rest in peace my friend.
Leland Bratlie
>>> Thanks for caring and sharing Lee. We would all be so blessed as to
warrant, and have, someone share such wonderful words of us someday.
Gary
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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The Gazette works best, when the folks that read it, write it. Or so it
seems to me.
Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they are,
before it's too late.
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