Notes from the Meeting December 21, 2017

As Rotarians and guests entered the Great Lakes Ballroom, all were greeted by the now-famous Rotary Singers led by Past President Phil Strom with a medley of holiday songs.  These singing Rotarians added to the festive atmosphere of the Season and were roundly acknowledged by the audience when President Tricia Bunten thanked them from the podium.  Past President and chief pianist John Baumgarten then led us in the singing of our national anthem, followed by invocator Greg Hansen on thoughts of giving at this time of year.

Jon Ohman began the Fellowship Report by introducing visiting Rotarians, guests and our newest Rotarian Justin Terch (no fine).  Steve Yorde was the first Club 25er to step forward and kick the Golden Can for Adele’s comments on the positive report on the Port’s 2017 shipping season.  Minnesota Power Rotarians Jerry Ostroski and Paul Helstrom were dinged for a DNT story on how the proposed tax plan might impact the company.  Then Jon Ohman self-reported that two years ago he joined the local chapter of the Procrastinators Support Group (PSG) and that he is still awaiting their first meeting!  Next up, Past President Branden Robinson self-reported that he was making good on a recent Rotary fine for being on the radio. Betty George Sola paid the fine two weeks ago and when Branden asked why he was fined Betty said, “I don’t know, I wasn’t listening.”  Sizing up the cost of attending the recent Star Wars movie (cost of tickets, sitting in plush seats, expensive snack bar treats for grandkids and kids), Jeff Fifield noted how Rotarians can enjoy a bargain this holiday  season by attending next week’s Family Bowling event at Skyline Lanes. Sixteen bucks gets you…all you can eat Dave’s pizza, salad and soda pop, unlimited bowling…plus the shoes…and the opportunity to wrest away the amazing trophy currently in the hands of last year’s triumphant top bowler Rob Hofmann. Be sure to call the office to reserve your spots. Everyone is welcome…adult kids, grandkids, everyone.  President Tricia then asked all Rotarians to stand who had been involved in working at Rotary-sponsored holiday events for the Boys and Girls Club, Life House, filling weekend backpacks at the Food Bank and ringing the Salvation Army bells this season.  A goodly number stood and were applauded.  “Tis Also the Season” for President Tricia to thank our dynamic Special Events Committee (Chana Stocke, Amy Galbraith, Barb Perrella and the fearless Chair Karol Sowers for their outstanding work at last week’s memorable Holiday Party.  Thanks to all. 

Santa arrived in the form of a fascinating program presented by Senior Judge (6^th Judicial District) John DeSanto.  Chair of the Day Steve Yorde introduced John as a life-long Duluthian, valedictorian at Cathedral High School, then UMD, followed by a 3-year stint in the US Army, then law school at the U of M and then the St. Louis County prosecutor’s office.  How does one fulfill his destiny as a 30-year old attorney prosecuting Duluth’s most infamous 1977 murder case?  It’s all in the book “Will to Murder” that John co-authored with Gary Waller, Duluth police investigator at that time and Gail Feichtinger, former DNT reporter.  John went into detail on how Marjorie Congdon Caldwell arranged for her husband Roger to kill her adopted mother, Elisabeth Congdon.  Unfortunately, night nurse Velma Pietila was also murdered.  Marjorie was the “woman behind the man” who committed the murders.  Marjorie  had penned a note to her husband Roger Caldwell promising $2.5 million of the anticipated $8 million estate she’d receive on the death of the last surviving Congdon, in this case, her adopted mother.   John referred to this note as being handwritten “as in a will,” which formed the basis for the title of the book.  Had John been able to prosecute the case today, he’d have charged both of them as co-conspirators and co-murderers, which may have resulted in two convictions.  John noted that Marjorie had a sociopathic personality, meaning that she had a life-long “anti-social personality disorder, a marked inability to get along with others and an inability to abide by society’s rules.”  Marjorie’s entire life was characterized by over-spending her inheritance, lying to seek more funds to support her extravagant lifestyle, fraudulent insurance schemes, theft, forgery and computer tampering.  She was imprisoned for several years for a rash of fires (arson) in Ajo, Arizona where Chester Congdon had mining interests, plus she was implicated in being responsible for three other murders following the two murders at Glensheen.   Quite a record!  John’s telling of the marmalade jam story illustrates the type of person she is.  And yes, today she is 85 years old, out of prison, living in a very nice home in the Tucson, AZ area.