11/4/69 Drove a few more nails into valence and stood back to give it one more admiring glance. A gude yob! Left Jernbergs at about 9:30 - our usual warm feeling for our kids, and their kids. Stopped at Hinckley and had lunch with Charlie and Blanche Williams at Cassidy’s. A good visit. On home by 4:10 for a 5 1/2 hour trip, counting lunch. The distance from here to Cities has shortened up considerably since Uncle Olaf and I spent 13 hours going from Hibbing to Buffalo. The Rose Barge people called to say we were expected in St. Louis next Sunday morning. Much preparation.
11/5/69 I knew darn well that boat trip would not be a success if I was thinking about our two deer hanging at island. Went there about 10 a.m. and by 2:30 had both critters skinned, cut up and wrapped. A good stroke of business. As usual, a twinge of regret when I pulled out last of our boats.
11/6/69 At Daveys’ at 10:00 a.m. as per schedule. A very pleasant day followed, clear skies, temperature in 50’s. Much good talk, a few more good laughs, especially when Harry walked out of Cassidy’s in Hinckley without paying. Holed up at Howard Johnsons in Mpls.
11/7/69 Decided to take longer but more scenic route thru LaCrosse. Altho the leaves gone for most part, we found a beautiful drive. All of us have a sense of appreciation for the beauties of nature, but it is particularly keen in Grace. On to Muscatine where Harry’s nephew, Jon Pearce, had made reservations for us. We cleaned up and the Pearces (Jon and Donna) took us to the Country Club for dinner. Great repartee at table. A great day.
11/8/69 Written Monday morning (11/10/69). This was a nightmarish day. At 4:45 we were awakened by Harry pounding on our door crying, “Don and Layna, something has happened to Grace. I think she is gone!” By 5:30 the coroner had come and pronounced her dead. Great God, what a tragedy for all of us! She had passed away in her sleep with scarcely a move. Now what to do with Harry? I won’t go into the details of how we got him on a private plane and sent him back to the Falls. He had the same instincts as a wounded animal - get me home! Layna and I stayed to make numerous calls. Broke the news to Dwight, then Nancy. No fun there. We called St. Louis and told the barge people. They offered to fly a man down to help us take care of things. How considerate can you get? We were able to pick up the loose ends and take off for home by 9:30. Both of us rather quiet, minds heavy with thots of Grace - and poor Harry. A beautiful warm day and we rolled mile after mile toward home. We too must have felt the same instinct as Harry because we kept at it until we rolled into our yard at 10:30. Thirteen hours and 700 miles from Muscatine. Karen and Robin here. A short visit and to bed. Bushed and crushed.
11/9/69 Karen, Layna and I had chance to talk of many things, mostly life, death and religion. Even to Karen, I have found it impossible to give my views concerning immortality. I feel very strongly that Grace Davey, certainly the epitome of a true Christian lady, is just as dead as the deer our boys shot yesterday, with no after life but in the memories of those who loved her. Layna, Karen and I to Daveys at 10 p.m. People coming and going. All bringing something. We stayed for lunch at Harry’s insistence. Home to get our kids fed and on way to Duluth then back to Harry. The house full of people, all sympathetic but Oh, God! What an ordeal we must make for that poor man. He got me alone and said “Don, how I wish this were all over.” I told him “When it is, we will do our damnedest to help you pick up the ball again.” He answered, “You bet, and when I do, I’ll run with it!” There is plenty of guts in that frail frame, too.
11/10/69 To see Harry about 10 a.m. The relatives are gathering and he is fully occupied. We did not stay long. Home for a bit and I never have been more restless. A beautiful day and I took off for island. Stumbled around, tried to reappraise life in general and my own in particular but arrived at no startling conclusion. Layna and I to Daveys at 7 p.m. We acted as host and hostess while Harry and Nancy went to mortician. People coming and going. Stopped to see Grace on way home, place full of flowers. We are not the only ones who felt she was a very, very great lady.
11/11/69 The Faith United Church, the one Grace helped build, full of friends who came to pay last respects. Dr. Walter, Paul Anderson, Earl Belangers, George Esslinger, Don Eisenach and me pallbearers. I have always admired people who could control their emotions at a time like this but it was great comfort to see that Eisenach was having as much trouble with his as I was. Said he “I am not very good at this.” Amen. Harry doing fine. He is made of firmer stuff. Back to church for lunch. Father Upson drove 13 hours from Fond du Lac to be there! Many out of towners there, sharing our loss. Layna and I home by 1:30. I felt a great compulsion to get away from it all. By 4 p.m. I was walking the woods back of Cliffs shack. Don’t know if I would have seen a deer if he walked into sight.
11/12/69 Snow. Cliff and I out at daylight. I must have covered at least 6 miles without seeing a thing. Light snow. No tracks. Yes, the deer are scarce. Cliff skunked, too. Well, we are not desperate. I have two deer in the freezer and he has two young bucks hanging at camp. We had a good gabfest at night.
11/13/69 Lou came out at 3:30 and Harry soon after. A good visit. He showed us a letter, written anonymously, about Grace. A tearjerker, for sure. He wanted our opinion as to using it in his column. We gave our OK.
11/15/69 Byrne and Jane called to talk about Grace Davey. It went on for about 20 minutes. Good! Had a good scare at dinner. Blue smoke came billowing out of all our heat registers. We called the Rural Fire Department who got here in jig time. We discovered that the blower fan was burnt out on furnace - Praise de Lawd!
11/16/69 Buck, Dale and family (Terry, too) here for dinner. A fun gathering. We asked Harry out but he had commitment to eat at Eisnachs. He joined us later. He is doing OK, outwardly.
11/17/69 Layna and I had a date to visit Irene MacKellar in p.m. We decided to leave early and see Sammy & Toots. I am glad we did. Both in fine form. Sammy’s mother, age 88, still with them. Getting feeble - but why not? Bob Meyer called to ask me to attend Masonic Lodge 3rd degree next Friday. It is at least two years since I was there last. I think I had better go.
11/18/69 We have had snow every day for a week and I gave up the idea of shoveling our driveway. Called Ray Stock who did the job $4.00 worth. It was about 10 inches deep. Don Thomas came to put new blower motor in furnace. As Layna said “We didn’t need to leave home to spend $50.00 today.” Lou Bruggeman out for dinner, alone. We had a good chance to talk to her and learn that she is getting along reasonably well. She has always been a solid, intelligent person, one of our favorites.
11/19/69 Shoveled snow off of roof, it was more than a foot deep in places. Tonight’s paper carried news of death of Pat Paterson. He was 91. He had shoveled snow from roof of his home and went down in basement to die. Can’t believe I’ll be climbing onto roofs when I am 91 - only 28 years to go, however.
11/20/69 Watched our astronauts on TV most of day. A spectacular picture taken by command module as the landing craft came up from behind for docking. One question keeps running thru my mind, along with millions of others, I am sure. “Why, oh why, can’t we solve our social and economic problems when we have such brains and resources available?” Lord, how I resent the part of my taxes that are poured into the project. Our government has done a damned poor job of selling its citizens on the justification for all this.
