TILLGES PHOTO - Page 03

BREAKING NEWS...On Friday, April 16th, 2004, I found, and spoke to, the 10th and final person on the Tillges photo. After all these years, and after talking to all the Solbergs in Minnesota, looking for Corrine "Solberg", I finally decided to follow up on Doc Cook's five year old clue that Corrine Solberg's brother was a dentist in Ada, Minnesota. I called the Ada dental clinic and they said that Philip "Sallberg" used to practice there, but now practiced in Roseau, Minnesota. I called him at home and left a message. The next thing I know I get a call from Philip's sister, Corrine Sallberg (Mrs. David Townsend) in Plant City, Florida! She winters in Florida and spends the summers back in Bemidji. The lesson here is: Never doubt the knowledge of Doc Cook!

The TILLGES PHOTO by Sylvester Tillges a pro photographer and former operator of the Phillips '66 station on Third Street was taken in front of their home on Oak Street near the current residence of Doc and Ruth Cook, circa 1946. Pictured are the kids of the neighborhood: Donny Johnson, Larry Whittier, Diane Davison, Billy Clark, Barbara Tillges, Marvin Rheisen, Jim Tillges, Corrine Sallberg, Tommy Gerardy, and Judy Ryti.

The photo was revived by Jim Tillges, FHS '56 who sent it to the reunion committee in 1996 for the 40th Reunion of the Class of 1956 with a lot of question marks about identities. It was sent to reknowned historian and nostalgist Alan Lubke, FHS '57 with a challenge to identify all the parties.

Identifying some of the kids, let alone locating all of them, was not an easy task, as a few had moved from Farmington soon after the picture was taken. A brain flash by Alan Lubke came up with the name Tommy Gerardy after many thought the lad to be Tommy Kaisersatt. Finally, in 2001, Connie Case Gerster through exhaustive research by showing the picture to, and querying every person who came into their store identified Corrine "Solberg", the final piece of the puzzle.

By placing his photo on a milk carton and presenting it at Bill Clark's place of business, retired probabtion officer and ex-Class of '58 Bill Swank surprised Billy Clark at Clark's Custom boats in San Diego in 1996. Actually Bill Clark was a little annoyed at first thinking Bill Swank was an insurance salesman. (Click Here for Milk Carton Story and Picture)

Alan Lubke
April 18th, 2004