By Audrey Erickson Petersen:
I do not see ever living in Wadena again, but there is a huge part of who I am that was founded in Wadena and when I went back in 1975, Wadena was very good to me and the boys. Everyone helped me, I had a winter coat on layaway and was wearing a thin little rag and Bob Hedstrom at Vollies, said, I could pay for it and wear it at the same time, Mrs. Quincer always tipped me Too Much when she had her evening dinner at the Four Seasons and I waited on her. The people who owned Four Seasons let me come to work when I could get there from my day time job (that was Jim and Marilyn Kramer) and the heating gas company let me get a huge bill when I had surgery and could not work. The county gave me a one time assist for several hundred dollars and then I got back to my two jobs as soon as I got a medical release, The manager of Penneys let my Mother use her employee discount for getting the boys a winter wardrobe and we got to purchase with the sales price PLUS the discount so it was awesome. The kids walked to the movies. One time I allowed them to go to a movie because I did not know the rating and Don Quincer called and suggested they should not see it; of course they were embarrassed getting sent home! (I have never been truly forgiven for this parental error) When I was still in school I worked at Tapley’s Ben Franklin; I remember walking out of there at night in the winter, snow falling, with my pay in CASH in a small brown envelope. I also worked at the Wadena Drive In theatre where I made ice cream sandwiches while rocking Don and Ellen's first baby in her carriage with one foot and standing on the other. I remember our money going upstairs on a string in a can at Penney’s and waiting for the change to come back down in the same container. I remember the Dairy Bar. I remember Miss Thoene giving me a passing score in Latin for effort. I remember a driving excursion through the Wadena Cemetery; no, I will not reveal who else was involved. Mr. Larson and Ms Filbrandt got me through math/algebra by the brown bag lunch hour classes they so generously gave their time to. Oh the many times I went up to see Mom in Humphrey Manor - what a wonderful place that is! In more recent years I worked for Faith in Action in Wadena.
Wadena is a solid town full of solid people who will survive and endure and grow and go about their daily lives - this tornado is a bump in the road. I am sure that every time a stiff breeze comes up, the hair on their necks and head will have a tingle of momentary alarm, but these people will not be beaten or disheartened - I am so thankful no lives were lost, None......Miracles in the middle of tragedy still abound, and I have cried and cried, YES, with grief, shock, disbelief and thankfulness for the lives that we did not lose.
Even though there was no loss of life, I cry every time I think of it. I had kids there from Hawaii at my sisters. I was waiting at my daughter in law’s mother's house in Ft Worth to see them and I just cannot give enough thanks that they made it; they are OK and so is everyone else. The material losses are so terrible. Our roots.......when my Father died, I sensed a loss of roots, well I just took for granted I could always go to Wadena ---- just proves how we can NOT take anything for granted.
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