Roger "Bud" Johnson was always a hero to me. My folks (Karl and Gudrun Haddeland), my two sisters(Gerd and Lila) and I came to the U.S. from Norway in November of 1947. We rented a farm house near Flom, MN., until my father was able to buy a two room run-down house in Waubun in the summer of 1949. Right across the street from this run-down house which had an outdoor pump for water and an outhouse, lived the Johnson family. There were only four of them at the time. Vicky was just a baby. Becky and my sister Lila were just a year apart in age. Lorraine became friends with my mother. After about a year of all of us kids being sick, my folks found a different house...a large house. Around this time the people who owned the house the Johnsons rented wanted it back so they would also have to move. Bud and Lorraine moved with us and rented the upstairs of our new house. My folks were in their thirties but knew nothing about America or American traditions. Bud and Lorraine educated us all. Bud taught me how to swing a golf club, how to carry a football, and how to play baseball. He gave me an old 3 finger baseball glove. It had no padding and hurt like hell when you caught a ball. Bud took me under his wing and as a third and fourth grader I got to go to all the football and basketball games. I got to see when Waubun lost to Halstad by, I think, two points and Halstad went on to State. Bud would always have the gym open on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Many times he would have kids stay at his place if they didn't have a way to get home. And many times he drove them home in his old '49 Ford. All of his athletes were treated well by Bud. He helped them do their best. There were no barriers because of race or economic standing in the community. I know of several who were able to get college scholarships with Bud's help...some to Mayville. One summer Bud thought the Waubun football field should have lights. He got the REA to put up the posts and he made the lights from coal buckets. He worked all summer in my dad's shop to build them. I played under those lights for four years, long after Bud left Waubun, but I always thought of Bud when I looked up. The things that Bud taught me have served me well in my lifetime. My three younger brothers were also served well by it because Bud and Lorraine helped Americanize my folks. Bud will always be a hero to me.

Kaare Haddeland
Rogers, New Mexico
Posted: 11/12/2008 10:30 PM

Bemidji Pioneer