211 Becker students will walk across the stage next week to receive their diplomas - a few more than my graduating class of 62 at Becker High School 31 years ago! Seventy four years ago this week, Loretta (Lange) Rose received her diploma.  I was blessed to sit down for a visit with Loretta and one of her daughters (Gerri), earlier this week at my mom's farm. Loretta and her late husband Vance have been wonderful family friends for as long as I can remember. I also invited Helen Hyttsten because Helen, Loretta and my mom have been lifelong friends. At their age, that is a long friendship! Loretta and Helen have been the best of friends for over 60 years.

   The gals enjoyed coffee and homemade rhubarb dessert and talked about old times. As I looked at the three ladies holding hands, I was touched by their sweet smiles as they enjoyed their visit. It occurred to me how many people the combination of those hands have touched. They all agreed the years somehow keep rolling by. In my mind, the three of them are still young, even though the reality is that they are in their twilight years (my mom being the youngest at 87; Helen at 91 and Loretta at 92.) All three ladies and their spouses hosted in-home Bible studies while attending Riverside Alliance Church in the late 1980’s and thru the 1990’s.

   Loretta, Helen and my mom are widows now, but by the grace of God, all three of these special ladies are still blessing us. Loretta is the daughter of Edward and Rosa (Guse) Lange. Loretta was born in Clear Lake, MN on July 27, 1926. She had four siblings: Louise, Edward, Robert and and Rosella. They lived in Santiago township. Loretta’s father died tragically of cancer at an early age in 1929 (Loretta was only two years old). Rosa was a strong woman of God. They raised a large vegetable garden and sold produce door to door in St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids and surrounding areas. The family also raised sheep and sheared them, carding and spinning the wool into mittens and stockings. 

   Loretta's mother, Rosa, started Lange’s home in 1964, which has served as a board and care facility. Loretta’s family valued education and saw to it that her children went to school, even though it meant she had to take the children with horse and sled. Sometimes Loretta’s mother, Rosa, suffered frostbitten hands from holding the reins in sub zero temperatures. Loretta and her siblings attended District 37 one room school north of Becker.”I remember how much fun we had at the Valentine’s parties.” Loretta talks of her childhood fondly. “When we were kids, we would deliver May baskets to people’s homes. We would set the baskets down and holler ‘May Basket!’ and run away and hide.”

   Loretta explained that it was quite a change leaving the one room school and making the transition to Becker (public) school in ninth grade. Loretta worked at the Lange home and at Moorehouse candling eggs in her younger years. She also worked at Xcel Energy in security and at Becker Furniture World. Prior to the opening of Café Pawz, Loretta prepared salads and fresh squeezed juices for the employees. Vance and Loretta also did cleaning together at Becker Furniture World.

   Loretta married Oliver “Vance“ Rose at South Santiago Lutheran Church April 3, 1948 and they made their home near Co. Rd 8. They raised five children: Patricia, Wanda, Alan, Roxanne, Gerri. Gerri is close to my age, and we visited about her mom earlier this week. "Mom has always loved to read, especially the Bible every day”, Gerri shared. Loretta has a green thumb and has always enjoyed gardening. She had a gorgeous flower garden when they lived at the farm (Co. Rd. 8). She also loves being a part of Becker's Red Hat Society, of which she was a founding member and is the eldest of the group (Queen Bee). 

   Loretta has always enjoyed traveling and took many trips to Mexico. Loretta's favorite trip was in 1980 to the Holy Land with close friends Helen and Lester Hyttsten. They rode camels together, enjoyed floating in The Dead Sea and saw the Great Pyramids. Loretta loves baseball and is an avid Minnesota Twins baseball fan. Even though is difficult for her to hear she can still watch and enjoy a great baseball game. Loretta's daughter Gerri took her to her first and only baseball game at Target Field shortly after it opened, complete with a fireworks show after the game. 

   Vance and Loretta milked cows and raised pigs. Around 1960, Vance started working as a custodian at the Becker Schools and told us kids at school that chocolate milk came from brown cows! Vance also worked as a handyman and jack-of-all-trades at Becker Furniture World for several years.  At the age of 92, Loretta is very happy to be living in her own home in Becker with live-in assistance of her granddaughter Kim (and Kim's fiancée.) Her children and neighbors visit frequently. Loretta and her husband (Vance) worked hard and raised a wonderful family. They were very active in their church and community. Loretta has witnessed a tremendous amount of change since she walked across the stage of the one room Becker schoolhouse 74 years ago this week. She is truly an inspiration! If this years' graduates accomplish a fraction of what Loretta has in her life since high school graduation, they can consider their lives a success.