A transcription of pages 195-469,
Family Histories from the Verdigre Centennial Book
Thanks to the Verdigre Library and its volunteers for making this available.
 
The index below only includes the husband and wife for each family.
The maiden name for the wife is used if listed.
For other names, use the search on the Home Page.

Index's A-I, J-P, & Q-Z

DR. AND MRS. V. A. WALSTROM

“Just follow us.”

After the death of Dr. John Bruce, young Doc Walstrom and his wife arrived in Verdigre driving a Model A Ford purchased from Dr. Mueller, Ogallala veterinarian, in May of 1946.

The Walstroms made a brief visit, then went on down to Weeping Water and were in the process of setting up office when a delegation sent by Jim Chalupnik arrived from Verdigre. Gordon McElhose, Adolph Kotrous, Joe Jacot, Sr., Tony Scheinost, and Wm. Eichenberger walked in, loaded up the new Doc’s medicine, and said, “Follow us.”

The Model A made it back and the Walstroms have been here ever since.

The following are excerpts from A Century of Veterinary Medicine in Nebraska by Leo Lemonds, DVM.

“Dr. V. A. Walstrom of Verdigre, Nebraska, has what is probably the most unique hobby of any Nebraska veterinarian. His hobby is turtle racing and he has been a consistent winner with championships in four states.

“Veryl Walstrom is a native of Iowa. He was born June 1, 1921, on a farm near Spencer, Iowa. He graduated from Spencer High School and received a degree in Agronomy from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. He opted for Kansas State University School of Veterinary Medicine because of it trimester system and earlier starting date. After serving in the U. S. Army, Chemical Warfare Service, he received his DVM degree in 1946.

Working briefly as a field veterinarian with the Nebraska BAI, he established practice at Verdigre in May of 1946. He has maintained this large animal practice for 40 years.

“Doc has served: Knox County Fair Board as member 36 years and chairman for 18 years; Nebraska Educational Service Unit I, board member 18 years; Nebraska Educational Council, four years; Executive Committee, Nebraska Livestock Market Inspectors, 20 years; American Veterinary Medical Association (awarded lifetime membership honors January 19, 1987); Vice Chairman and Acting Chairman, Knox County Democratic Party, 20 years, represented this area at five National Democratic Conventions and as a delegate to 19 state conventions (these are held ever two years, this is a statewide record); Democratic State Central Committee, 26 years; Masonic Lodge, member and 32nd Degree Mason, Yankton Consistory; United Methodist Church, trustee, chairman, Pastor-Parish Committee, auditor, etc; Nebraska Brand Committee, inspector, 36 years.”

Veryl Walstrom married Lois Jean Carter, daughter of Cleve and Antoinette Carter, in May of 1944.

She was born at West Bend, Iowa, in living, and grew up at Graettinger, Iowa, where she graduated with honors in 1942. She worked in an office and taught a rural school, one year each, following graduation.

By carrying a double schedule, she graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in education, January of 1946, Phi Alpha Mu, educational honorary, listing. Both Walstroms worked in the college cafeteria to help meet expenses.

In addition to assisting her husband in his practice, raising two children and helping with various community endeavors,

[pg 463 photo The Veryl Walstrom family - back: Rosemary, Cleve, Julie; middle: Jean, Doc, and grandchildren, Wally and Woody]

Jean has worked with Verdigre youth for 40 years, first as MYF sponsor, later as secondary art teacher. In 1949 she helped establish the Federated Women’s Club of which she was first president and later inter-county District 3 president. One of their projects was the local library; she was appointed member of the first official library board in 1952. She also helped organize the first extension club here, later serving as president and county officer.

Jean served as counselor at the National Convocation, Purdue University, the Youth School of Missions, Nebraska Wesleyan University, district WSCS officer, delegate to Jurisdictional Leadership Conference, Mt. Sequoyah, Arkansas, district lay speaker, local lay leader, administrative board, trustee, etc., in the United Methodist Church.

For several years she was speaker or reader at Memorial Day Services, some church services here and in the district, conventions, and local funerals. A lot of effort went into writing appropriate material for the occasions.

In 1979 the seniors invited her to be guest speaker for the 75th annual VHS graduation anniversary, a frightening responsibility. Her theme was a tribute to taxpayers, parents, and board members who had maintained the school through hardships of depression, drought, flood, and war. There was dead silence as she closed and sat down thinking it had not been well received. When the auditorium erupted in standing ovation, Jean Walstrom dissolved.

The Walstrom children are: Verlyn Cleve and Julie Carter.

Verlyn was born in living and graduated from Verdigre High School in 1970. His education continued at Kearney State College, Xi Phi honorary; San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, and National Association of Colleges of Mortuary Science, Mu Sigma Alpha Award (4.0 honors) in 1975. He is a mortician in Marysville and Hanover, Kansas, is chairman and director of the city recreational program, on the board of the Blue Valley National Bank. He has professional associations in Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa; is a counselor, youth leader, church official, public speaker, champion turtle racer, and in Midwest track. He married Rosemary Mlinar in 1976. She also graduated from Verdigre High in 1970 and from the UN-L with a master of arts in 1977. She is a speech pathologist. Their children are Veryl Woody, born in 1980, and Wally Chase, 1983.

Julie Carter was born in living and graduated from Verdigre High School in 1974. She earned her BS at Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1978, and her MA at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in 1987. She was a member of the Kappa Delta Pi, educational honorary, Who’s Who in American Politics, Outstanding Young Women of America; is an art educator, alternative education specialist, secondary art teacher, Lincoln, Nebraska; chairman of Education Counseling and Employment Committee of Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women 1976-79; Democratic National Convention, elected delegate in 1980, and official alternate in 1984, State Central Committee, 1980-85, and Knox County Democratic Chairman from 1980-84.

Dr. Walstrom described some of his interesting early experiences as a veterinarian in Knox County, Nebraska:

A most dramatic happening: first summer in practice, the new veterinarian was called to investigate acute anthrax outbreaks. Penicillin had just come into use and old-timers watched in utter disbelief as cattle sweating blood and about to die recovered. News of the miracle and these first known survivors swept the country and helped convince the young horse doctor he had chosen an exciting profession and location.

At a research excursion to Grant Farm, St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch zoological reserve, he participated in Dr. Palmer’s early experiments with the tranquilizer gun.

Walstrom obtained one of the guns for his own use. It was the first and only tranquilizer gun in the area. He was called upon to use it to tranquilize all of the deer in Niobrara State Park. It became a scary experience when uninformed drivers going by reported a gunman gone berserk, dead deer all over the place, etc. - he had a knife, too! By the time patrol cars arrived, Walstrom had the animals castrated and coming back to life - lucky for him!

When a buffalo corralled near the Missouri River broke loose, tore through fences and wounded cattle across a mile area, Walstrom was called to bring his gun and head the buffalo hunt. In the process he made a discovery: several cc of nicotine sulfate will not hurt a deer but one drop will kill a buffalo. The “heart-failure” victim was buried with much ado and statewide publicity as reporters and photographers from Omaha and Associated Press had joined the great buffalo hunt. Palmer later developed succinol hydrochloride, a safe tranquilizer for use in the gun.

Another early experience involved flying rescue missions in a helicopter provided by the National Guard which was called in to help alleviate the desperate situation caused by the blizzard of 48-49. The guard headquartered in Walstrom’s newly-built office where he helped direct operations and went with them as guide because of his wide knowledge of terrain (“I patched chains with my pig catheters all over this country”) and needs of the people (“that place over there has the best home brew in the Midwest - all the dandelion wine is over northeast.”) Both animals and owners were running out of food and there were many medical emergencies. Special snow machines were used and whether they came by land or air, rescuers were met by farmers and ranchers who had tears of relief and gratitude in their eyes.

Isolated and in despair, they still recall the moment: “I was to my wits’ end when I saw that helicopter land in my yard, a helicopter?! I thought I must be dreaming or losing my sense, but thank God! It was the answer to a lot of prayer. I must be hallucinating, how did they know: How did they find us? Well, the first one out of the helicopter was Bugs! Then I knew.”

[pg 464 photo Dr. Walstrom]

Doc and his constant canine companion, Bugs, became a favorite topic of conversation throughout the area. His father-in-law had sent the Boston terrier (mostly) out from Iowa by train as a touch of home to keep Doc’s young wife company. It didn’t adapt to being an office dog but happily took up residence in the car where it was assured of getting out into the country as accustomed. Whenever the car went, Bugs went, sitting on top a box of medicine so she could see out. When Doc turned a corner on two wheels the dog slid right on out the window; once she wasn’t missed for awhile but was later found continuing her way to the client’s place on foot.

Bugs sat at the bar and drank beer with the boys and was everybody’s friend - they thought. One morning Doc was hopelessly stuck in the middle of the road and went for help cross county on foot. Bugs guarded the car so diligently nobody could get to town; Doc’s car could not be moved. A long line of cars and farm vehicles grew, it became a game; each new arrival laughed at the others and said, “Why, Bugs is my friend. I’ll show you guys I can get in that car. That dog isn’t vicious!” The car was not moved until Doc got back. This is remembered as the day Bugs kept west Knox County out of town.

Doc missed the helicopter; he had thought it had been a great way to beat the bad roads. That was the way to practice! He took up flying himself, but without the deep snow, things were different. When he landed in the farm yards, the chickens, cattle, and hogs were so frightened they took off in all directions. A few experiences like that put a bit of a damper on his enthusiasm - not to mention his clients. When the cows ate the plane, that was the end.

In 1965 Walstrom participated in the Veterinary Goodwill People to People tour of the Soviet Union, Hungary, and strategic locations in Europe, including colleges of veterinary medicine. Most interesting was the meeting in Moscow with the official in charge of USSR veterinary medicine, second in command of the department of agriculture there. His talk briefed the group on animal diseases there, with emphasis on great accomplishments. It is now interesting to remember they were fighting TGE long before it ever got to the Midwest. Twenty-nine veterinarians were in the group, Walstrom was the only Nebraskan, most were from Iowa.

After beginning practice in a wood building located north and adjacent to what became Jedlicka’s Gamble Store, Walstroms built their office in 1948 on a vacant lot next to what was then the Bartak Harness Shop and is now occupied by an addition to the bank. Later, the post office was built next to them on the south. They are in the same location in 1987.

Both the children enjoyed going on calls with Doc and began to do so at a very early age. Doc would put Cleve in a manger for safekeeping and as long as the cow bawled, Cleve bawled. When the cow quit, he quit. One Christmas Cleve used his piggy bank savings to buy a gas can and snow shovel for his dad. He didn’t like running out of gas every now and then and had found his own toy shovel didn’t get him very far when they were stuck in deep snow.

Cleve called his baby sister “Pete.” Mrs. Ronald Carson told Doc that Julie was an independent, entertaining young lady even at age two or three. Looking out the window of their business establishment in Lynch, she saw Julie, left alone in the car on main street. “Pete got out her pot….dumped it out the window, and then put the pot on her head and smiled.

Julie, 13 years old, along with Gwen Runyan and Cheryl Malmstrom of east Knox County, trained and performed trick horses throughout Northeast Nebraska. Horses were owned by A. F. Repenning of Bloomfield who taught and managed the group. The girls worked with the horses using only the pat of their hands, the sound of their voices, and the occasional slap of the whip. The horses were put through their paces while wearing no saddles, bridles, or harnesses. A favorite trick was getting Queen, quite a large horse, to stand on a pedestal 18 inches high and only 15 inches in diameter.

Pages 462, 463, 464