Valesca Preus, who homesteaded with her sisters, Bertha (my mother) and Caroline, was enough of a character to deserve honorable mention in this gallery of personalities. Valesca, like my mother, taught school, and continued teaching after she married Johnny Gaar, a homesteader from Kentucky. The Gaars had one of the nicest homes in the neighborhood, and an artesian, ever-flowing well. Valesca was lighthearted and vivacious, and an excellent dancer much in demand at neighborhood shindigs. Valesca’s most outstanding quality was her absentmindedness.
One summer Valesca and Linda (Caroline) had walked to our house from the Gaar’s about two and a half miles away. When the ladies were ready to go home, Mom (Bertha) gave Valesca a bouquet of lilacs. However as often happens with ladies, parting was slow and the visit continued for some time around the kitchen table. As the conversation dragged on, I watched in fascination as Valesca absentmindedly picked off and ate blossom after blossom until only the bare stem remained.
I am not sure if Valesca told this next tale on herself or not, but here is the story I heard:
One day Valesca, being home alone, was taking a sponge bath in the kitchen. There was a knock at the door and Valesca absentmindedly went to open it –in the “altogether”. There stood one of the aforementioned bachelors.
Valesca also taught at the Osgood School, pictured below.