IN LOVING MEMORY

Hulda Svanhild (Haaland) Erickson
August 11, 1919 - November 4, 1984

Howard Bennard Johnson
August 11, 1935 - May 17, 2012

Today marks the date of birth of two very important people in my life - my mother and my husband.  Both were born on August 11, Mom in 1919 and Howard in 1935.  They were both born just a few miles north of the Canada/US border, mom in south-west Saskatchewan south-west of Climax, Howard in south-east Saskatchewan south-west of Torquay.  Both had unique locations of birth - the description of the quarter of land where they made their arrivals.  They were both given names that start with H.  Both spent most of their lives a few miles from their places of birth.  Both of them were Canadians with Norwegian ancestors.  Both now rest in cemeteries a few miles from the places where they were born - Mom at Bethel Lutheran Cemetery south-west of Frontier, Howard at Salem Lutheran Cemetery south-west of Torquay.  Their parents and other family members are also buried close by.

When Sandra and I were planning our trip to Norway last spring, I wanted to be back in time for Howard's 77th birthday.  Just a couple weeks after we booked our flights, Howard passed away at St. Joseph's Special Care Home in Estevan.  Today is his birthday and we are celebrating his life with a gathering of our family here at the farm just a mile south of where he was born.  Tomorrow will be the annual morning worship service at Salem, where he lies at rest.  I planted flowers on his grave and they have survived the heat of the past weeks quite well.  Yesterday we were up and dusted and wiped off pews in the little country church so it is almost ready for tomorrow's service.  Kirk and the boys finished the job this afternoon with brooms and mops.  I'm sure Kirk was thinking of the time he and his bestman cleaned there in preparation for his and Shauna's wedding.

We are go glad that Howard's sister, Ardis, her son Kris, Stacy, Samuel and Ava of Edmonton were able to join us for this special week-end.  Yesterday several of the moms and kids went to Crosby, ND. The kids enjoyed a swim and the bouncy houses on Main St. as it was a special weekend there.  Today the men took several of the kids golfing near Crosby.  The moms went to Estevan to shop for school supplies.  Grandmas Ardis and Elaine stayed home with Ava, Jamie and Ashley.  They are ages 6, 5, and 4 so are having fun together.  Ardis kept them busy painting, playing ball and now she is reading stories.  I made ginger cookies, with the girls rolling the balls in sugar.

This afternoon we mixed up a batch of ice cream.  We will have that along with cup cakes in honour of Jamie's fifth birthday.  She was at Clear Lake, Manitoba on her July 31 birthday and Grandma was in Norway so our family will celebrate with her today.

When Sandra and I were guests of the Eika family in Norway, they had a Norwegian flag on a silver flag pole displayed on their table.  This was only used for special occasions such as birthdays.  I liked that idea so purchased a flag in Kristiansund and today it is displayed on our kitchen table along with the candle provided by Hall's Funeral Home in memory of Howard.  We have had it burning all day in his memory.  Some of us will visit the cemetery tonight and light a candle there beside the solar lights that come on every night.

This display is also in memory of Mom as she made the hardanger doily that is under the candle.  Our recent trip to Norway is a fitting tribute to her as she loved Norway and would have been so pleased to have both her daughters take a trip there and visit the birthplace of both her parents.