Do Days are the second and fourth WEDNESDAY of each month, at 1:00 p.m. Please feel free to join us!
MAY 2022 Submitted by June Torrison
Former member Ruth Bassler Bohlen has a new book out. Her parents were Edwin and Irma Bassler. They were members at Le Roy Lutheran back in the 50s and 60s. She had a brother Carl, and several sisters. Later they moved to the Stewartville area. I have seen her a few times since then.
Ruth has been a Court Commissioner since 1978. She is well known for performing a lot of weddings. The book is TALES OF A COURT COMMISSIONER/WEDDING OFFICIANT. There was an article about this in the March 29 issues of the Rochester Post Bulletin. (Ruth died April 7, 2022 after I wrote this.)
Speaking of books, former Pastor Gary Olson has written a book of poems titled IN THE MARGINS. The copyright is 2018. It is available on Amazon. Or you may borrow my copy. It was wonderful to see him and Jean at our church anniversary and have them sing in the reunion choir. When we had a church anniversary at Evanger Lutheran Church, we were pleased to have them come and do a special program. As I recall, he did a reading of his poems here either at the church or library. I know he signed my copy.
Former Le Roy teacher, Margaret Forrester wrote SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY in 1998. Her son, Pastor Keith, is married to Vicki Gronert and they live in Alexandria, Minnesota. They were also in church for our anniversary celebration. You will definitely enjoy Margaret’s recollections about growing up in Beaver Township, Fillmore County. This book is also available on Amazon and I would hope it is in our local library.
Another former teacher, Laura Johnson, wrote a lovely book of poetry. My daughter memorized an inspirational one many years ago and still remembers it – she recited it to me the other evening.
Some of you remember when Chaplain Lance Kittleson from St. Ansgar was guest speaker for one of our guest nights. He wrote the book MEDITATIONS FROM IRAQ about his experiences. His wife, Gail, spoke at one of the local library events more recently. She has also written several books. One is historical fiction about the prisoner of war camp in Algona, Iowa. And the book RAIDER was written about his father, Gaylen, and made into a movie which I saw. He was part of a group that went behind enemy lines to rescue prisoners in WW II and later. I like to claim them, because we are related on my mother’s side. Lance recently retired as pastor in the little town of Toeterville, Iowa. My husband did some pulpit supply there before Lance was called.
She never lived or spoke in Le Roy, but my sister, Joanne Tesch Ortman wrote a book called BENT OUT OF SHAPE. You may think that is a very strange title, but her hobby was origami. What is origami? it is the art of paper folding and she was really good at it. The book contains many of the articles she wrote as editor of Manifold Magazine. In the introduction she says “I first learned about origami from an article in Farm Journal magazine while growing up in a small Iowa town”. She lived for many years in Munster, Indiana. At her memorial service over three years ago, we had samples of her origami on all the tables in the fellowship hall. And it has been displayed in the Art Room at South Square in St. Ansgar. I recently read her book again. She had a unique sense of humor. You don’t expect a book about art to be funny. We found out after her death that she did comedy routines at the MENSA conventions.
Let me know if you are aware of other authors with Le Roy connections.
