1. Dian Marcella (Boutrous) Erickson's photograph at nine years old in one of Bismarck Tribune articles covering her grandmother Gertrude 'Gerda' (Miljander) Nelson's unfortunate disappearance on May 1st, 1949. Gerda for whatever reason walked out of the the family home on Jefferson Avenue and headed for the Missouri River. She was never seen again alive.

On May 10th two brothers, John and Frank Campagna spotted a body floating down the middle of the Missouri River two miles south of the Memorial Bridge. Uncertain in what they had actually seen, Frank swam out to be sure and then the brothers notified the authorities.

No specific reasons were ever uncovered, just theories and what-ifs. Gerda had lived a nice long life, raised her kids on the family farm in Painted Woods. She had lived to see her children grow up and have families of their own. From the time she arrived in Dakota in 1903 from Sweden till that day in 1949 she had seen and experienced a lot. Eighty four years in total, not bad for back then, forty six in Dakota and thirty eight in Sweden.

Gerda's husband Anders had passed the year before and from all one can guess she seemed to feel it was time. A sad tale no doubts for the family. I never discussed this with my grandmother or really for that matter anyone except my father. It was always an uncomfortable topic even in that.

2. Two small articles on Gerda Nelson

3. A Wilton, ND postcard mailed by my uncle Helmer Erickson to my grandfather Frank G. S.Erickson on March 11th, 1911.

Mr. Frank Erickson
Sillman Hotel
Spokane Wash
March 4th, 1911

Dear Brother,
Received your postal some time ago. Well this is the picture I took of you when you left at the train station. It isn’t not very good because you know the camera was out of order.
Say Hello to Ernest Julius for me and ask him if he got my letter and pictures. And if he did, why not a response.

Your Brother
Helmer

4. A small ink drawing by Dian Erickson completed when she was four years old in 1944. She had sent it along with a letter to her brother Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson when he was stationed at Horham Airfield in England with the 95th Bomb Group flying B-17s over Nazi occupied Europe.