Last weekend, Palmer Day celebrated its 18th year of bringing the community together. The event is held the Saturday after Labor Day every year. We were blessed with superb weather, as it often the case for Palmer Day. The otherwise quiet town comes to life and is bustling with activity. The streets were lined in anticipation of a wonderful parade and a plethora of fun activities for all ages.

 

Besides the parade, Palmer Day consists of many events including a car show, fun run, games, food vendors, activities, and live music from 7 to 11pm at Palmer Park. There is also an amazing raffle with a wide variety of excellent prizes. Many people and businesses volunteer their time and resources to make it a memorable day every year during Palmer Day: local Lions, St. Pats 4-H club, Scouts, Knights of Columbus, Briggs Chain, Farm Friends, Legion and many more. 

 

The Town of Palmer holds wonderful memories for me. My grandma Doris and Oscar Larson lived just south of the Briggs Lake Store while I was growing up. Grandma and Oscar were longtime residents of Palmer. My mom also grew up near Palmer, making it a very special town for the Erickson family. We visited our Great Uncle Ruthvin and Aunt Lillian Gilyard on Briggs Lake, as well as Aunt Verna and Uncle Glen Wipper’s family often when I was a girl. 

 

Although Grandma and Oscar have been gone for over 20 years, we still watch the Palmer parade every year in the same place because the people that now live in grandma’s house graciously allow us to set our chairs up in their yard!

 

Palmer Day Royalty this year was awarded to life long area residents Gary and Karen Schuldt.

 

According to one of the co-chairs of Palmer Day, Joan (Wipper) Ernzer, criteria used to select royalty include choosing a local couple who have  contributed a great deal to the community.

 

 

I sat down earlier this week at Knitsky’s (formerly Palmer House) to visit with reigning Palmer Queen Karen Schuldt and her daughter Nita Cristopherson. Unfortunately, King Gary couldn’t be with us for the visit. Karen shared marvelous memories about life with Gary and their children. We had a lot of laughs during our visit.

 

Karen has four daughters from her first marriage: Marla, Orene, Monica and Nita. Nita explained that her mom has always been a role model in every way imaginable to all four of her daughters. Nita said: “My mom has always given my sisters and I great advice and has always been patient, kind and smart. I don’t ever remember seeing her mad. Instead, she would let us know how disappointed she was if we let her down, which was much worse!”

 

Gary has three sons from his first marriage: Barry, Sam and Scott. While Karen and Gary’s family would be considered blended, you would never know it by their interactions with each other.

 

All of the children consider themselves brothers and sisters and truly enjoy each other’s company. 

 

Before their parents met, Gary and Karen’s children attended school together at Clearview and Tech High School. They also attended the same church and participated in many community events together. Their families were great friends long before Gary and Karen started dating. Karen’s daughter’s Orene shared with me that family get-togethers are a wonderful and precious time they treasure. Orene is married to my first cousin; so our paths cross at some get togethers.

 

Karen’s parents were Lawrence and Clara Goenner of Clear Lake. Gary’s parents were Herman and Effie Schuldt of Clear Lake. My mom grew up near Clear Lake and remembers both families and said they were very good people. 

 

Although Karen and Gary grew up together, they didn’t start dating until later in life. The two tied the knot in Laughlin, NV Jan. 7, 1992 and will celebrate 25 years of marriage in January of 2017.

 

Karen told me: “I  knew Gary was something special for so many reasons. For example, he was so very good to his mother. He is a wonderful listener. He’s open to anything and very kind and gentle."

 

Gary worked as the post master in Clear Lake for many years and also worked at Clear Lake Legion.

 

Karen worked as an operator at T.O. Plastics in Clearwater from 1976 to 2009, when she retired. Retirement does not mean this couple sits home watching the world go by. Karen and Gary are very active folks and enjoy a variety of hobbies. They live on the lake near Palmer and go fishing often. After spending almost 25 years living on the lake, the couple has decided to make a move back to Clear Lake. They are excited about less maintenance. Karen is looking forward to no possibility of their shoreline flooding, since they will no longer be living on the lake!

 

The couple has also enjoyed bow hunting for many years, including frequent hunting trips to Baudette.

 

If you’re in the Palmer area, you will often see Karen and Gary out enjoying their daily walk-holding hands! 

 

For the past 10 years, Karen and her daughters enjoy two girls weekend getaways every year. On one of their recent mother-daughter getaways, the gals enjoyed riding horseback. Their weekend escapades inevitably include lots of laughing, eating and drinking. 

 

The couple has twelve grandchildren between them (six granddaughters and six grandsons) and have five great grandchildren. 

 

The couple enjoys spending a month in a warmer climate every winter. For the past 30 years, they have been visiting Laughlin. They enjoy a variety of casinos in Nevada, as well as Grand Casino, closer to home. 

 

Karen and Gary enjoy life and are an inspiration!