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Ted Dragland Sr. 1904 - 1983

Ted Dragland Family
Photo: Ted Dragland family...
L-R Back Row: Gordon, Doris, Marjorie, David
L-R Front Row: Winnie, Ted Jr., Ted Sr.

By Doris (Dragland) Kimmitt

My Grandfather Michael O. Dragland came from Lodengren Church Farm in Norway in 1887.

He worked for three years on a fishing vessel to earn enough money so he could come to America. His last name in Norway was Olsen but changed it to Dragland after a farm in Norway when he moved to Grandforks, North Dakota. He was a cabinet maker by trade. Business was poor, so he bought a butcher shop. In 1893 he married Mary Gullikson, who also came from Norway. In 1910 Grandpa filed on a homestead in the Conquerville district. They had nine children: Oscar, Christine, Alma, Rudolph (Rudy), Ted, Alice, Oren, Ken, and Marion. They were all born in Grand Forks, North Dakota except my dad Ted, who was born in Roseau, Minnesota.

Grandpa was born May 13, 1866 and died April 19, 1940. Grandma was born July 7, 1871 and died September 15, 1924.

In the fall of 1925 my mom, Winnifred Talbot came to teach school at Conquerville, where she met my dad Ted Dragland. They were married July 8, 1926. Dad was a farmer. They enjoyed playing cards, ball games, dancing, and visiting. They moved to Lethbridge in 1961. They had 5 children: Ted Jr. died at the age of 41 with cancer. Marjorie Cote lives in Pincher Creek. Gordon, David, and myself (Doris) all live in Lethbridge. Dad and the boys all played baseball. Dad and Gordon were catchers. Ted Jr. was a pitcher and David played first base.

Dad suffered a stroke in 1971 and he was confined to a wheelchair. He had a final stroke and died March 19, 1983.

Mom was on the dietary staff at the Municipal Hospital in Lethbridge for 10 years. At age 65 Mom walked from Lethbridge to Taber in a walk-a-thon. She was the oldest lady entered and won her first trophy. Mom loved the mountains. She wrote several poems. She passed away January 18, 1994.

I, Doris Evelyn, the youngest child of Ted and Winnie Dragland was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta on April 28, 1939.

I received all of my education at Conquerville. The first part of grade one was in the little one-room school, where Harold Norden and I shared a desk as we were the only grade one students. That January we moved into the big Consolidated School. This big school burned down in 1949. We heard the fire alarm, and we thought it was another fire drill, but as wewere going out of the building we saw flames coming down the hallway. Within twenty minutes there was nothing left but the chimney and the foundation. Everyone got out. Several of the old one-room school buildings were moved in so that we could continue our schooling. Later another big Conquerville School was built.

I enjoyed playing all kinds of sports; baseball, basketball, volleyball, even hockey. In Bow Island I played for a number of years on the “Super Moms” slo-pitch team.

I married Joe Kimmitt on August 3, 1957. We had four children: Randolph (Randy), Shelly, Dwayne, and Calvin. The first three took all of their schooling in Bow Island, and Calvin took his in Lethbridge. We have nine grandchildren. Randy, Liz, Stephanie, Susanne, Gene, and Joe Kimmitt live on an acreage at Aldersyde, Alberta. Shelly, Blair, Leanne, Suzanne, and Ryan Kultgen live in Grassy Lake, Alberta. Dwayne, Joy, Corry, Cole, and Carlyn live on an acreage south of Lethbridge. Calvin lives in Lethbridge.

I have had many jobs. Some of them were: caretaker at St. Michael’s School for seven years, two years at Bow Island Elementary. I was flag person for Baldwin Construction on the road from Highway 3 to Foremost when it was first paved.

We moved to Lethbridge the end of June, 1979. For the past sixteen years I’ve been working with special needs students for the Lethbridge School District. I enjoy dancing, playing cards, walking, reading, and watching the Grandkids doing their things.

Source: History of Bow Island from Sagebrush to Pivots
ISBN 1-55383-025-3 (2004)



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