Perginar Kasander "Pergie John" Rodvold

Born: 7 October 1910, Lake Preston, SD
Died: 29 July 1984, Sioux Falls, SD


MEMOIRS OF PERGIE RODVOLD

Hi-Well do you know back on October 7, 1910, a little boy was born into this world. He showed his homely face sometime during the day and for heaven's sake, he is still around.

I grew up on a farm and as kids are carefree, there were 7 girls and five boys. I remember Sis Ag and I got lost. I suppose Ag was 4 or 5 and I was younger. The folks and others looked all over for us, we had walked to the schoolhouse, which was about 1/4 mile from home. They found us in the outhouse, looking at a Montgomery Ward catalogue, sure was a relief for the folks.

I started school and as the years went by, when I reached 10, I helped Dad plow and in the 8th grade I was helping him and had missed 1-1/2 months of school and the teacher stopped and told Dad he'd better send me to school, so I went back and finished the 8th grade. That same year I was confirmed. I had helped the neighbor for a month and made $30.00, which I used to by all my clothes for confirmation. Suit, shirt, socks, shoes and all. I really thought I was a big shot. Had a big day.

I reached the age of 16 and started to shine around the girls (and there were a lot of them!) The next three years growing up were wonderful! There was a girl when I was 19 years old, that I got kind of serious with, but at last I gave up. Mother told me I'd better stay home with her so I was not meant to get married. Oh, I had girls, oh yes!

The years rolled by, there were the Dirty 30's, dust storms day after day. It got dark with dust, when you'd come to eat, you could write your name on your dishes, no kidding! Dirt drifted in the fence line like snow. They were rough times, no crops, no money, but people stuck it out. A few years later everything got better.

In February, 1937, Sis and Art got married. We decided to go to Calif. Art, Sis, Don and I. Well, we weren't there very long, when we had an auto accident. I landed in the hospital, had an operatian, for ruptured spleen, about died. Came back home in May and in November of that same year got sick, went to the Huron Hospital, when I was operated on again, they had to do the job over that was done in Calif. Had my share.

The years following, there were rumors of war, Germany was getting cocky, and Japan was getting into it too. December 7, 1941 Japan struck Pearl Harbor, that was it, we were in it also. I was drafted into the Army at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Took basic training in Camp Wallace, Texas. After 9 months training, I was shipped overseas. Landed in Africa, from Africa to Italy. We were there a few months and then were called back to go into France. Pushed up through France and at last, we were in Germany. We had traveled thousands of miles since leaving the U.S.A. The war was coming to an end. We were all glad of that and then it was over!

We did M.P. duty while waiting to go home. We arrived in the U.S. September, 1945 and discharged at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin and then home "happy day". Didn't write much about the war, that would fill a book.

I went and worked in the Homestake Mine for awhile. Didn't care for that, so came to Sioux Falls where I got a job with the Sioux Falls Park Department. I was with the City for 20 years and then retired.

In August, 1973, Lonnie, Elaine and I took a trip to Norway, where we visited all our relatives. Had a wonderful time.

So now, in my twilight years, I have time to think of the past and repent for all the bad things I've done and get ready to meet my maker. So thank you all-

Perg

1977


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