| Summary: | Award, the highest adult award in Scouting at that time. He has been a trustee of St. Joachim Catholic Church since 1956. He has been a member of the Izaak Walton League of America, St. John Chapter for 40 years. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, where he has served two terms on the board of directors. He was a city councilman for six years and in 1972 he was appointed and later elected mayor, a position he held until 1978. He has been involved in the Fire Department and in 1985 was awarded a watch for many years of service. Lydia was also very active in church activities and a charter member of Rolla Homemakers Club, where she was honored in 1978 for 35 years of membership. She was active in Girl Scouting for 10 years as both a leader and in advisory positions. In addition to these "normal" activities, the Ellers and their children were active in the dance pageants presented by the city and in the Rolla Jewelorama. They are presently actively working on the centennial. With so many community functions to keep them busy, Clarence and Lydia still found time to participate in bowling leagues and the Rolla Country Club. As an "escape," in 1947 they built a cabin at Lake Upsilon out of rough-hewn Turtle Mountain lumber. After several years of pulling slivers out of little fingers and taking little people "out back" at inconvenient times, the cabin was modernized. During the 1950s, it was often the site of summer camp-outs for the Girls Scouts. It is the one place where the entire family, including grandchildren, love to go to relax and find peace. The Ellers attempted to find a purchaser for the Merc; however, due to the economy, a buyer couldn't be found and, in February 1986, they sold out the store and retired. WILLIAM ELLSBERRY FAMILY Taken from History of Rolette County by Laura Thompson Law The William Ellsberry family were early residents of the Rolla community, coming from Missouri. They were Northern sympathizers, although they had slaves in their family. Mr. Ellsberry served in the Union Army. He was the first war veteran to be buried in the Rolla Cemetery. His grave is always decorated on Memorial Day, along with other soldiers, most of them World War I veterans. Mrs. William Ellsberry is also buried there. When the Ellsberry family came to Dakota Territory they brought with them an old Negro mammy, "Aunt Lettie." She was much-trusted and the household was not complete without her. As she grew older the Ellsberry family suggested to her that she return to her native Missouri, where her relatives lived, but she firmly refused to leave the family she had grown to love. She said. "No sur, whar yo' all stay, I stay and when yo' all die ah wants to be buried at yu feet." She was buried at the foot of the graves of Mr. and Mrs. Ellsberry in the Rolla Cemetery, with no marker. Gunnar and Betty Eriksson GUNNAR ERIKSSON Gunnar Eriksson, born in Kiruna, Sweden, on September 18,1928 to Mr. and Mrs. O.V. Niemi. He came to the United States in 1947. He worked in Pontiac, Michigan, before he came to Aberdeen, South Dakota, where he went to Northern State College. Betty Guthmiller/Eriksson was born in Green- way, South Dakota, on March 9, 1932 to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Guthmiller. Betty lived in Roscoe, South Dakota, on a farm until graduation from high school. They were married in Roscoe, South Dakota,and lived in Aberdeen. They have four children. Craig, an auto mechanic in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kim Eriksson/Melgaard lives in LaFayette, Louisiana Her husband works for Amerada Hess Oil Co. They have two children, Kasey and Kyle. Karla Eriksson/Noonan, lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her husband is a pilot for Northwest Orient Airlines. They have two children, Heather and Heidi. Cary Lee Eriksson, married to Shelly Boe/Eriksson from Rolla, graduated from Bismarck State Community College, taking a lineman course. Cary works for Otter Tail and they live in Rolla. They have two children, Alissa and Adam. They moved to Rolla in May of 1979, where Gunnar is the controller for William Langer Jewel Bearing Plant. His hobbies are golfing and bowling. Betty is employed at First Bank Rolla and her 239 hobbies are doing crafts and gardening. Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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