Brainerd, Minnesota

Stories set here

Fourth of July with a Favorite UncleMerlin fondly recalled Daddy's Fourth of July visits to family reunions in Brainerd. He loved seeing his favorite uncle and the entertaining Aunt Gertie. Daddy's new cars made relatives think he was rich. The visits stopped sometime after Bernie and Bob were twelve or thirteen, disappointing the family.
Family Visits and Long Sunday-Style DrivesCarol recalls that the family never took what she considered a real vacation. Daddy visited his relatives in Brainerd, sometimes taking Iris or the boys, but Carol never went or met her paternal grandparents. He also took the family on long drives toward the Wisconsin border. They visited Bessie and Harry Means and their children in Cordova, and a family named Rogers nearby. Bessie worked at the East Moline State Hospital.
Casey's Lunch Bucket and a Life of ProvidingCarol recounts Floyd's birth, conflicting family accounts of his birthplace, and his thirty-nine years at John Deere Plow Works. Known at work as Casey, he arrived early for his preferred parking space and carried six sandwiches in a black lunch bucket. Writing about his demanding life helped Carol appreciate his devotion to providing for the family.
Summer Visitors and Backyard MemoriesCarol remembers meeting Floyd's three sisters from Brainerd and his warning that they might think the family rich and stay forever. Uncle Clarence, Francis, and their five children visited before Floyd's illness and death. Other memories include wartime hand-rolled cigarettes and smoke rings, later chewing tobacco, hunting trips with Bernie and Bobby, and playing house in Floyd's former backyard workshop after he moved into the new garage.
Learning to Cross the BridgeBernard learned to drive on Dad's homemade tractor and, at eleven, during a 1947 trip with Dad and Bob to Grandpa Dan Guild's funeral in Brainerd. Required to drive half the way, he initially refused to cross bridges, leaving Dad to take over. On the return trip Dad refused to cross the last bridge for him, and Bernard drove across in terror while Bobby laughed. He recalls lasting nightmares about bridges and never learning to swim. By the time he paid twenty-five cents for a driver's license at the postal booth in Schlegal’s Drug Store in Highland, he had driven for over four years; his Driver's Ed teacher excused him from road practice.
Hard Work, Strong Tempers, and Lasting Family TiesThe family describes poverty, shared winter coats, uncertain meals, Dan’s mechanical ingenuity and repair shop, and the heavy household work borne by Olive and her daughters. Severe arthritis and unproved suspicions of infidelity colored Olive’s marriage and behavior. Recollections differ sharply: some emphasize harsh discipline and complaints, while grandchildren recall kindness and others see a devoted couple with stubborn tempers. Dan’s brief 1925 departure ended in his return, and they never divorced. The narrative also remembers affectionate sibling bonds, Floyd’s signature practice, and Olive’s willingness to shelter daughters between marriages. Sweeping judgments about the Vosburg and Guild children are presented as family opinions rather than independently established facts.

Events here

For years, on the Fourth of July
Fourth of July family gatherings
Daddy returned for family reunions, arriving in new cars. He stopped going sometime after Bernie and Bob were twelve or thirteen.
other
Visits to paternal relatives in Brainerd
Daddy visited his parents and siblings, some of whom were half siblings. He occasionally took Iris or the boys; Carol never went.
1947
Trip to Grandpa Dan Guild's funeral
Bernard traveled with Dad and Bob to the funeral. At eleven, he drove part of the journey and confronted his fear of crossing bridges.

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