Stopover in Glendive Montana

1961 August to Estelle from Glendive Montana
Letter written by Ina Erickson from Glendive Montana to Durward and Estelle Titus Box 224 Route1, Carlos MN USA

Dear mother and dad,
Thank you for Paula‘s darling pajamas as they are really very cute. Thank you for sending the nappy and Paula‘s PJ top. The kids have been fairly good. Tom has had a couple of bad nights, but on the whole he has been pretty good. Paula is so slow to make up with people here. She still doesn’t go to grandma and grandpa or Helen. She does love to play with Vicki and Greg unless they try to pick her up. She is pretty happy though, playing around here. She enjoys having her daddy around to play with her. After I let her out of the crib in the morning she seems to go wake up daddy.

Glendive is all excited this week because the Babe Ruth Little League World Series is being played here. Teams from Germany and all over the US are playing. We have gotten to see a few. One of Al’s uncles is just home on furlough from Africa. They plan to stop here today on their way to Fergus Falls. Their children will be going to school in Fergus. Tommy has settled down and is much better natured now. I guess I told you that he weighs about 12 pounds. Grandma Erickson surely thinks the sun rises and sets on him she keeps reminiscing when ‘Son’ was a baby.

Paula has developed an entirely different jargon now. Still not understandable yet. She has gotten so she can go up and down the stairs standing up and hanging onto the railing. She so loves Tommy and pulls his ears and licks him, poking at his eyes and wanting to hold him. He kind of grunts and rolls his eyes and goes back to sleep - ‘putting up with his sister’.

Monday night the people who live next to Helen, Al’s sister, killed a rattlesnake in their yard which put everyone on alert. She lives so near the Badlands. They seem to come out when the weather gets hot during the day.  Thanks for sending the girls letters. I love to read them.

Rejoice in the Lord again I say rejoice...Read the rest of that passage of Phil 4. and nothing to be anxious but in prayer and supplication and Thanksgiving and let your request be known to God and the peace which passes all understanding keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Love all, Ina, Paula and Tom

Alvin and Louise Erickson, Glendive MT

Grandma Erickson holding Tommy, August 1961 during the Alvin Jr and Ina’s stopover in Glendive, MT

 This photo was taken Christmas of 1960 but it shows Grandpa and Grandma Erickson in their home in Glendive MT. Also cousins Vicki and Greg with grandma Louise Erickson holding Paula. Photo in background is Al and Ina’s wedding photo.

1961 Aug Charlie and Helen (Alvins sister) Mason with Greg and Vicki

Alvin and Louise Erickson’s house in Glendive MT, known to all extended Erickson family as they hosted travelers from Minnesota to Montana and California as Alvin Sr’s brothers furloughed from mission work in Africa during the 1930’s-1980’s. This photo taken in 2000 with Alvin Jr and Ina Erickson and some of their grandchildren.