History lives in the pages of the Obituary, and now, we’re bringing it back to life with Today in History. Each day, we will revisit notable news items from our archives, offering a glimpse into the events, people, and moments that shaped our community, the region, and the state of North Dakota and Minnesota.
From major milestones to forgotten curiosities, this feature will highlight the stories that once made headlines — just as they appeared in the Herald on this day in years past.
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PUBLISHED ON March 22, 1986
Osnabrock has a beauty of a pageant
By Marcia Harris, Herald Staff Writer
OSNABROCK, N.D. — It was a familiar scene: A woman choked back the tears as she accepted a crown, a bouquet, and a title.
But this was a little bit different.
For one thing, the setting was Osnabrock — quite a ways from Atlantic City, N.J., home of the Miss America pageant.
For another thing, Floretta Newgard, the 1986 North Dakota Barley Show Queen, is 67 years old.
And Newgard had almost decided not to compete, although she said, “I’m glad I did. I’m so surprised.”
“I thank the good Lord for giving me the strength to be here today,” she said, accepting the title. “My mother’s funeral was yesterday afternoon.” Newgard’s mother, Marie Halvorson, 91, died Sunday, March 16, in Devils Lake.
Newgard was crowned at the 10th Barley Show Queen Contest. The Happy Hour Homemakers Club of Osnabrock puts it on, in conjunction with the town’s annual barley show. All contestants must be at least 65.
The idea is to honor the accomplishments, personality, and poise of senior women. Winners receive special honors, but “all of the contestants are special,” said Shirley Monson, one of the contest organizers.
Newgard, of Edmore, was nominated for the Barley Show Queen contest by the Shamrock Homemakers Club. She didn’t attend the meeting the day she was nominated.
She said she was flattered but didn’t think too much about it.
Then, her mother became ill. Newgard sat by her mother’s bedside for six weeks, until she died.
Newgard is involved in a long list of volunteer work and activities, including church groups, 4-H, Homemakers, and the Edmore Historical Society.
“I intend to keep busy as long as I’m able to get around,” Newgard said. “I’m very much a homemaker, but sometimes I’m not home a lot.”
Home is still the farm, which she and her husband, Thilford, ran for 46 years. Now, one of their three children farms there. But Newgard said she wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
This year’s first runner-up is Esther Aamot of Osnabrock. The second runner-up is Margaret Kartes of Langdon. The other two contestants were Hattie Hunter of Milton and Marjorie Smith of Langdon.
Mary Hodgins, 75, of Langdon, was last year’s first runner-up. She talked a little bit about being an active senior and of the lessons she is taking—photography and piano lessons.
“You know, it really is a myth that because you’re growing older that means you need not learn,” Hodgins said. “We always can have a mountain to climb.”
Hodgins said if the time ever comes that she is housebound, she will continue to climb mountains.
“I’ll read the encyclopedia,” she said.
WEATHER FOR MARCH 22, 1986
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.