Big Sandy High School - Pioneer Yearbook (Big Sandy, MT)

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We purchased land about 20 miles east of Sacramento and built our retirement home. Joyce and Don Thompson have four children and live in Bremerton, Washington. Jean and Rick Kurtz have two children and live in Bonsall, California. Chuck and Linda Jordan have three children and live in Orangevale, California. December 19, 1990, Charles and I were headed for Bonsall via 1-99 when we stopped at a traffic light at a notorious intersection called the Livingston Light near Merced, California. The big rig behind us didn't! Thank God we were in a heavy vehicle (Chevy Suburban) or we'd be history. Results -the first seven vertebrae of my spine are fused. We have purchased property in Great Falls and plan to build there when our California home sells. I shall miss our variety of fruit and nut trees and flowers and warm, sunny weather. I’m not sure how the Montana weather and my broken back will fare, but we have an R.V. so will probably go south when the temperature drops and the snow birds take flight. LOUIS F. BEELER Box 639 Big Sandy, MT 59520 (406) 378-2114 As my high school education in Big Sandy had been sporadic due to helping my folks on the farm, I had decided to bag getting involved in class history and class reunion for the 50th anniversary of the class of '45. A personal call from Joe Quinn, who I believe could sell most anything to anybody, encouraged me to write this little background of my history of the past 68 years. Born in Yakima, Washington I moved with my parents to Hoquiam and Aberdeen, Washington at an early age. My next move was to Seattle where I attended the Longfellow grade school. Graduating from there in 1939 we then moved to my grandfather's farm 26 miles south east of Big Sandy. This move was due to a tractor accident which resulted in my grandfather's death. Misinformation from the Iliad school teacher telling my parents that my State of Washington diploma was invalid in Montana caused me to take the 8th grade over at Iliad. I then had two 8th grade diplomas. Starting high school in Big Sandy with the class of '44 and going two years I believe, I then dropped out to help on the 29

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Island of Terceira, Azores, Portugal (mid-Atlantic). This was probably the biggest thrill period of my life. A tropical island 7 x10 miles complete with maid service and a ceramic shop! The Air Force mission there is refueling and maintenance of aircraft; plus some excellent USO entertainment en route to Europe from D.C. Our tour was for 3 years and, mid-tour, we toured Europe. We chose the Scandinavian countries. Oslo and Bergen, Norway are my ancestorial ties. England is Charles'; plus some forget- me-nots from WWII. Our return to the U.S.A. placed us in Turner Air Force Base, Albany, Georgia. Truly Southern living and a very different view point of the Civil War for our children to re-learn. Throughout these periods and locations, I kept busy at the chapel activities. I've always sung in choirs. I belonged to the Officers' Wives Clubs, Cub and Weblo Scouts and Girl Scouts. United Methodist Church, taught Sunday school and all those Mom things - yes! pre-school and P.T.A. too. In these later years, one presses on to Quilter's Club, knitting and crocheting. I worked for a few years as an Assistant Director in pre-school and took some college classes to be qualified. While in Georgia, we were zeroed in on by Cuba Bay of Pigs .... an exciting time! This also is the period when the Martin Luther King, Jr. marches were in process and President Kennedy was assassinated. Charles was assigned over seas again to Southeast Asia June, 1965 and the children and I returned to our old home in Spanaway, Washington near McChord. By now, Joyce had graduated and was working, Jean was in her last year of high school and Chuck, Jr. in junior high. Home without Dad is hard, but it teaches some very valuable lessons too. Decision making, money management, appreciation, and you fall in love with that old mail box!! We turned our faithful tape recorder on at super time and rehashed the day's events to mail off to Dad, arguments and all! Our retirement assignment came at last. Weather Reconnaissance, McClellan Air Force Base at Sacramento, California. By now, Joyce was a stewardess, Jean was in college at Wenatchee, Washington and Chuck in high school. Charles retired from McClellan A.F.B. Sacramento in July 1969 after 28 years of military life and I miss it! All three children were married by now and grandchildren had started to arrive. 28

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farm. I then came back to school and joined the class of '45. I again dropped out my junior year to help on the farm due to my father's health, never to return to finish my high school education. In 1945 I married Ann M. Fisher of the Iliad community. Not only will I be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the class of '45, but Ann and I will also be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. Ann and I have four children: Gary, Ron, Wayne and Luanne. To these marriages add twelve grandchildren and four great grandchildren. My wife and I have retired from farming but still own the farm which has been leased out to a nephew. Happy 50th to the class of '45 from Louis and Ann Beeler. LOUIS V. BEIRWAGEN HCR 67 Box 41 Loma, MT 59460 (406) 378-3125 I was born on the farm where my father homesteaded and still live there. For my first three years of school I attended the Ray school on the prairie, eighteen miles west of Big Sandy. Then I went to school in Big Sandy with the class of '45 from fourth grade through ninth grade, and dropped out the following year to help on the farm when my brother Art went to the Army. I never returned as later served on the Big Sandy school board for I met June Zanto from Highwood, when she came to Big Sandy to teach Home Economics in 1952, and we were married in 1953. We have three daughters, one son, and seven grandchildren. Our son is now managing our farms and is the third generation on the home place. A daughter and her husband have recently moved out to join him. Our oldest daughter and her family live in Portland, North Dakota and our youngest daughter and her family live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I I feel fortunate to have been involved in the occupation of farming all my life which I enjoyed and it has been good to me. I am now semi retired. a student, but nine years. 30