When my Aunt Dian Marcella Erickson married Floyd Nick Boutrous in 1961, she brought into the family an incredible group of folk. Energetic, smart, and quite different than the quiet, stoic Skandis of the Ericksons and the Nelsons. A breath of fresh air swept in and Dian gained a mother in-law by the name of Della. I have to think Della was quite happy to have the beautiful Dian in the family.

My memories are clear of my Uncle Floyd Nick Boutrous's mom, Mother Della Nassif Boutrous. “Queen of the Attiyeh’s" as she was known, sitting at the head of the table of so many family Lebanese dinners I attended. Fun and good food was the measure of the day. I met many of the Boutrous, Nemer, Nicola and Nassif family members over the years. Exciting times for me especially when I was a kid.

I was never fortunate to meet her husband Attas Fares Boutrous Sr., Floyd’s father, who passed in 1944. A photograph of Attas Sr. in 1935 is below. He was born in Ain Arab, Lebanon, Syria in 1882. Ain Arab is a small village in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. It lies in the shadow of the Biblical Mount Hermon, and is the headwaters for the Jordan River.

Attas Sr.’s parents were Miriam Nicola Attiyeh and Fares Boutrous Abu Dakken; and were both born and lived and passed in Ain Arab. Attas Sr. later dropped the 'Abu Dakken' from his name in the early part of 1900s.

Della Nassif Boutrous, Floyd’s mother, who I recall well, was also born in Ain Arab in 1892. That was the same year as my grandfather Frank G. S. Erickson who was born in Sundsvalle, Sweden. This of course brings to mind yet again, that most if not all of us here are from Immigrant families and that should be celebrated not condemned or forgotten.

Della and Attas Sr. ran the Boutrous ‘Corner Grocery' Store that was established on January 1, 1929 until Attas passed in 1944, where upon their five sons took over. The store was family run till it closed in the early 1970s and was located at 500 North 3rd Street in Bismarck, North Dakota. I recall as a child visiting the store with my Uncle Floyd.