Grandma's Meals

Vegetables were a last minute dish in our house as we grew up. A can of corn, peas or beets were the usual. Raw celery, carrots and sometimes green onions were frequently available before dinner. In the summer of course, there was fresh corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes, and cooked fresh peas, beans, beets and carrots. Carrots were always added to the bottom of the meat roasting pan. Grandma liked creamed vegetables, e.g., peas, onions, cabbage, etc., which was a Swedish favorite from her home. But, the added preparation time usually left these recipes for special occasions. Later on, her favorite vegetable to serve became broccoli, with cheese sauce or lemon.

Grandma usually prepared a "green salad", iceberg lettuce and tomatoes with homemade French or Russian salad dressing. She sometimes fixed a peach or pear salad. A few leaves of iceberg lettuce placed on individual salad plates, one to two peaches or pears placed on the lettuce, topped with Miracle Whip and sprinkled with paprika. Sometimes creamed cottage cheese was added on top of the fruit as well.

"The Boys" consumed massive amounts of mashed potatoes and gravy. Some form of meat was served at every dinner. Grandma didn't prepare a large amount of meat, so you had to be fast — contributing to our poor table manners.

Frequently homemade bread or rolls were a part of the meal. Milk was always the beverage.

Dessert was usually reserved for Sunday dinner. Grandma put a cake in the oven as soon as the roast came out. There were usually homemade cookies around, if one wanted something after other meals.

Lunches taken to school were always the envy of our friends. Cold roast beef, chicken, meatball or meat loaf sandwiches on homemade bread, fruit and homemade cookies.

Irene Ethel Quist Johnson

• Born: January 26, 1914
• At Home: Waldo, Minnesota, a farming community north of Two Harbors
• To: Olaf & Anne Sofia Quist
• Graduated High School: May 29, 1931

She was the youngest of six children.

Bernard Isaac Johnson

• Born June 18, 1911
• At Home: Knife River Valley, Minnesota, a farming community north of Two Harbors
• To: Isaac & Louisa F. Johnson
• Graduated High School: May 29, 1930

The youngest of the family.

Wedding & Biography

• Wedding Day: August 5, 1936 at 5pm at West Side Baptist Church in Duluth, MN
• Officiate: Rev. J. Alfred Erickson, Minister of the Gospel
• Bride Wore: A floor length gown of coral crepe
• Corsage: Talisman Roses & Sweet Peas
• Attendant: Mrs. John Quist, sister-in-law
• Attendant Wore: A floor length gown of aqua crepe
• Corsage: Orchids & Sweet Peas
• Groom's Attendant: Mr. John Quist, brother of the bride
• Wedding Dinner: Parents of the Bride's home at 6pm, 30 guests attended
• Honeymoon: Mr. & Mrs. Johnson immediately left on a wedding trip to Winnipeg, Canada
• First Home: 727 Ninth Ave., Two Harbors, MN
• Wedding Dance: October 5, 1936 at Felix Hall in Waldo, MN
• Gifts: The couple received a monetary gift of $100 from family and friends
• Wedding Gift Purchase: Twelve place settings of Noritake China, hibiscus pattern no. 3942 and Community Plate Silver, coronation pattern

Biography

• 1937: Together they founded Benna's Garage, a Hudson and Terraplane car dealership
• 1947: They acquired a Dodge-Plymouth dealership
• 1966: They moved on to Ford Motor Company — this dealership continues on today as Benna Ford with two locations in Two Harbors, MN and Superior, WI
• 1969: Retired
• 1973: Moved to Sunrise, FL

Grandpa suffered with cancer and died July 21, 1984 at the age of 73. Grandma went home to be with the Lord during the early hours of October 13, 1995. She was 81 years old.