As many of you have already heard, my good friend, our good friend, Sebastian (Seb) Roll lost his battle with cancer about 11:30 P.M Friday January 1^st, 2010. I know that I am not telling you anything you don’t already know, but Seb was a special person. His laugh was infectious. He was the person that people just naturally gravitated towards. If you wanted to find anyone, all you had to do was listen for Seb, which was easy to do, go to him and anyone you were looking for was there by Seb, because everyone ended up by Seb. Seb worked twice as hard as anyone else on more projects than anyone else (often at the same time) and got them all accomplished. Those of us in the Legion are well aware of the many things that he did for the American Legion, but for those that were privileged to get to know him on a personal level you found out that his tireless efforts knew no bounds. If you were moving, magically a truck and or trailer would show up with “Seb and Norita” and depending on the farm work, his brother “Marty (whom I also miss almost every day) and Betty”. It did not matter if you were moving from Hebron to Mandan, as in my case or from one state to another, many people were the recipients of Roll generosity. Seb served The American Legion as a Post Commander, District Commander, State Vice Commander, State (Department) Commander, National Vice Commander as well as having served two terms (the limit) on the Department Executive Committee. He also represented The American Legion on the ND Veterans Coordinating Council for many years as well as having served as a Hettinger County Commissioner. I better wrap this up or I will never get it sent. I could talk about Seb all day, because there was seemingly no end to his accomplishments, because he never stopped working. I hope many of you will see the results of the beautiful job he did coordinating the remodel of his church. He (and Norita) devoted so much time to that project we said they were going to rename the church St. Sebastian’s. Although his real pride and joy was when he talked about his children and grandchildren. He may not have always said it to them in person, but know that he told everyone he met how proud he was of all of you. Even in his last days, with all the pain he was in, you should have seen his face light up when his Granddaughter Kara would come in the room, it was inspiring. I think I said something about stopping this so I could send it, but one thing seems to lead to another, such as right now I could go into the stories of how proud he was of his children’s accomplishments, but I better get this sent. There will be more time to share these memories at the funeral and at Legion functions for decades to come.

Don Herrly

Really appreciated the emails that you were sending to  keep everyone posted on the latest news.   That was good but this will really be nice to have a shortcut to read up on the latest and for the many out there that were not on the email list to tap into.   Enjoyed the article on our friend Paul Lange, hope things turn out the best for him on his home, miss him on the Press Association.  Congrats to Willie and Mary. Also for info, I got invitation from Commander Jerry to address his incoming team at their 4 Bears get together on the 23^rd of July. Have a big box of Children and Youth literature to pass on to these new district commanders to familiarize them  on the good programs of the American Legion.    

Thanks

Don Weible
Wilton, ND
dweible@bektel.com
 

Hi Don

I have looked at the site.  It is looking good.  I think I would have a better chance of seeing the news you are trying to pass on if I received an e-mail.

Lester Mutschelknaus
Hebron, North Dakota
 

Don  I think that you are doing a good job of this I like this news. Mary and I are having open house this Sat at Oakes  we are both 80 now and the young one think that it is time that we let the rest of the people know. We are having an open house at the church this Saturday July 11th, 2009 from 2:00 to 5.00 pm, The whole county is welcome . See  you in St Lewis for the National Convention. I am riding my bike down.

Willie Pritchard (wjp@drtel.net)
 

The following article appeared in The Devils Lake Journal on 6/18/09

Area residents see rising lake levels threaten homes
By Mike Bellmore
Journal Features Editor

When Paul and Lois Lange constructed a massive new home on Town and County Club land on the shores of Devils Lake in 1978, they envisioned a place they would probably spend the rest of their lives.
Not in their wildest dreams did they ever imagine the rising water of Devils Lake overtaking their house. They’re facing that reality now, having been forced out of the home they built in the late 1970s.
It’s a massive 4-story home with a complete apartment on the top level, a pool, a walk-in sauna, a tree-top room that is used as a kitchen overseeing the water and a four-car garage. Paul says it’s likely a $500,000 home and is insured for $250,000. FEMA has apparently agreed to buy the Langes out and they’re hoping to build a new home, but a lot of ifs, ands or buts remain to be answered, they say.

“Rob (the Lange’s son) called us in Florida and we had to come back early because the water was nearing our house,’’ Paul says. “We never thought we’d face anything like this.’’ Lois says they have lost the length equivalent of two football fields on their property and remembers when people could walk across a dry lake bed on Creel Bay. When the rains came and the flooding process began in earnest in the early 1990’s, son Rob built a sea wall around the home but they felt water would never get that high.

Lois says they expected to live in their “dream home” until they could no longer handle it or maintain it. They have it insured for the largest amount FEMA will go for, but still don’t know what’s going to happen for sure.
They have not made any concrete decisions and hope to build a new home nearby, but they have no figures to work with as of yet.

You can send Paul and Lois greetings at 1521 12th St NE Devils Lake, ND 58301