This is a letter from Devonne van Dusen, who I acquired as a penfriend from, if memory serves, a program at school where we were encouraged to get penfriends from around the world.
Devonne and I maintained a correspondence from childhood.
I eventually went to visit her and her family, who lived at 2422 Coon Rapids Boulevarde, Coon Rapids, Minnesota, as part of a three month trip hitchhiking around America. I think it might have been in 1972, this same year, although for some reason I remember it as being more like 1970.
Her father was a local sheriff, and they were very welcoming, particularly curious about having someone from Australia visit them.
We eventually lost touch.
This I am pretty sure is the obituary for her father:
Granville Van Dusen, Sr. age 91, of Anoka died January 21, 2012 at Grace Point Crossing Gables East in Cambridge. Funeral services will be held at 2 PM on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at First Baptist Church in St. Francis with visitation 1 hour prior to the service at church. Interment will be in West Oak Grove Cemetery.
Granville Roy Van Dusen, Sr. was born on January 6, 1921 in Hill City, Minnesota to Roy and Anna (Nelsen) Van Dusen. He married Harriet Kihlgren in May of 1943. Granville served in the Army during WW II.
His wife, Harriet died in 2005. In January of 2006 he married Joyce Reidhead and they made their home in Anoka. Granville was an Anoka County Deputy Sheriff and retired after 20 years of service.
His hobbies and interest included traveling, hunting, fishing, golfing and bowling. Granville Van Dusen, Sr. died January 21, 2012 at Grace Point Crossing Gables East in Cambridge at the age of 91 years and 15 days. Granville is survived by his wife, Joyce; sons, Granville, Jr. (June), C.D. (May), Brian (Carole); daughter, Devonne (Joe) Calabrese; 9 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters, Beulah, Delores and Audrey; and by many other relatives and friends.
It looks like she married a Joe Calabrese and had a number of children.
