About Me

I have lived in south Dakota, all of my life. My family is here, my roots are here. While I don't spend alot of time with "family", we always manage to bond together, when times get tough. Gunnar's death is more proof, of that.I also have a huge family of friends, and this "family"also pulls together, in a heart beat,when necessary. My parents live about 70 miles away, my husbands parents live about 7 miles from our house.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Mara's Mom

This week, we needed to say good~bye, to a special friend, and family member.....
I am sure, God & Gunnar welcomed Gunnar's "Aunt Val" (aka Mara's mom,) to heaven.

Valerie Stroud,
age 41, died at Avera McKennan Hospital on September 22, 2008 She was born on February 14, 1967 at Madison to Glen and Sharyn (Kohlwey) Stroud. She grew up in Madison graduating from Madison High School in 1986. She attended Dakota State University and was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, VFW Auxiliary and Tuesday Ladies Bridge Club. Funeral Services will held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, September 25, 2008 at Trinity Lutheran Church with Rev Jeff Sorenson officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant View Cemetery in Carthage. She is survived by one daughter - Mara of Madison. One brother - Charles (Kim) Stroud of Sioux Falls. Three sisters - Dawn (Dan) Sherban and Gwen Stroud both of Madison and Sandra (Ali) Jendi of Houston, Texas. Special Friend _ Darwin Senska of Artesian, SD. She was preceded in death by her parents. The family will be present at 7:30 PM on Wednesday at the Weiland Funeral Chapel which is in charge of the arrangements.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

MCQ~~13sept2008


below is a copy of the email I sent to the MCQ group, this morning. I thought I would share it, here.......

On my mind, first, & foremost, this morning, is to drop MCQ a quick note.....today is the 3rd year anniversary, of the day I recieved the quilt, from all of you, in honor of my son, PFC Gunnar D. Becker. I want to thank you all, again, for your committment, to this project....my quilt is truely a comfort gift. It brought much comfort, the day I recieved it(exactly 9 months after Gunnar's death), and it continues to comfort us, as time goes by. I would not let the Fed Ex guy leave my house, that day, until I had opened that box.....so I told him, ''we were in this, together'', so to speak..............a few months later, I recieved a note, in the mail, from the same delivery man, telling me that he had retired, and that my quilt delivery was the delivery that ''stands out'' in his memory, because he vividly remembered meeting Gunnar.........Because of the quilt, I have also made a very special friend, Marlene Larson, from North Dakota, and have the honor, of meeting her, in person, recently. She made one of the squares in the quilt.....to the other women, I called, on 13sept, 2005.....Peggy & Laura, I see your names, that you are still involved with this project, also. Thank you, for listening to me, that day!Again, Thank you, to Jan & Sue, and everyone of you, for your committment.....
Debey Senska
Proud Army(Gold Star) Mom
of PFC Gunnar D. Becker (aka) FoReStBuRg_TaNkEr
(please visit!)