Powder River Examiner -

Thursday, May 18, 1989

Karen’s day care home

Of the several day care homes for children of working mothers in Broadus, Karen Gunther has seniority in years of “active” care of local small people. She said, “Raymond Rolfson was one of those in my first group 22 years ago. Then I worked a year outside the home and knew that I wanted to get back with my kids again.” She has been licensed for over 21 years at her Crane Acres home.

The youngsters also refer to Mrs. Gunther’s family familiarly, as “Ken (her husband, Kenneth), Carla, Kent and Kevin,” as well as “Grandma Ann who always takes videos of our birthday parties and comes to help Karen feed the small kids and babies at noon.” (This is Karen’s mother, Ann Carroll).

The children at the party included quite a number who are only “at Karens” for a brief time after kindergarten or the early school grades, as well as, perhaps, one or two who came to help Alaina Burley celebrate her eighth birthday, which had fallen on Sunday, May 7. Mrs. Gunther says she has only (only?) ten or twelve for the entire day.

Weekend birthdays are noted on Mondays, at Karen’s. And part-timers, like Billy and Marianne Stuver who spend three half days a week there get the full birthday treatment and may come just for the birthday even if it isn’t their “day” to be there.

The mothers bring cupcakes and other foods on order from the children and often take time off work to join the party. They are presented with the video tape of the feasting and activities from Mrs. Carroll; priceless treasures to them, and truly the only way to capture the natural charm and beauty of the children.

The children won’t need tapes to remember those happy birthday celebrations at Karen’s. Mrs. Gunther gives each one a gift at birthdays, and at Christmas she fashions something very special by hand.

Those who gathered for a picture included 19 very good children who made no protest at the unexpected delay in the usual gaiety of a birthday party with gifts, favors, ice cream and finger jello and cupcakes with candles, which they were prepared for. The kids present were Marianne Stuver, Chelsey Billing, Kristal Lemke, Jenny Brewer, Shannon Wetherelt and Carrie Wetherelt, Ben Brewer, Erika Barnhart, Courtney Wetherelt, Erin Weisser, Alaina Burley, who was the birthday child of the day, Megan Rogge, Jared Isaak, Justin Billing, Elliott Barnhart, Brian Williams, Tyler Hopson, Ty Brewer, Clint Mainwaring, and two sleeping babies, Alex Weisser and Emilee Barnhart. Part-timers Billy Stuver and Shanna and Lyle Huckins were not present that day.

Bits and Pieces

Mr. and Mrs. Buster Fruit have been making an extended visit at the Fruit Ranch on Pilgrim Creek with Lee and Sonia Fruit, helping calve, lamb, brand, and also visiting their many friends and other relatives here. Buster and Gertie have their own self-contained trailer home which they tow from their home of several years near Kalispell, to live in at the ranch and Gertie says “It is a wonderful time for both of us when we come here to visit.”

LaVeta Irion of Billings visited over the weekend at the home of her daughter and family the Vic Ullrichs of Broadus, and also delivered some designer centennial costumes which she had fashioned to order. She reports that she has made 79 costumes so far this year, besides managing her own regular business in Billings. She also attended the style show at Powder River Manor to see the fashions and hear her granddaughter, Amy Ullrich, as choreographer of the show. When small Doug Ullrich was asked, “Who made your two sharp 1889 costumes?” he chuckled and whispered, “It took both my grandmother and mother.”

Glen and LaVerne Perkins moved from Broadus to Miles City where they are both attending the community college. Glen had operated a successful vehicle repair business in Broadus for several years.

Staff at the Powder River Manor and the women of the Lutheran Church worked very hard to entertain and serve a gracious tea to the houseful of visitors for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14. Tables were decorated with floral arrangements and appropriate motif and the demand for more chairs grew beyond expectations.

Two graduate from McConnell

Dave Lockwood of Volborg and Laurie Jergesen of Broadus have accepted positions with airlines, following their recent graduation from the McConnell School at Minneapolis, MN.

Lockwood has accepted a position with Midway Airlines, and Jergesen, with Tyme Air. Both are in Minneapolis.