History Mystery: Readers answer the call

Last week's item, asking for information about the group of cheerleaders at right, yielded results.

Bruce Jutila let us know that the cheerleader at far right was Darlene Rosbacka, who married Bob McDonald, the basketball coaching legend at Chisholm High School. She died in 1997.

Gary Bodie noted Darlene as well; she was his first cousin. He added that the toddler cheerleader, Mary "Buff" Benson, was a classmate who graduated with him in 1966. "I've seen her at class reunions, and her married name is Theunick, and last known lived in the Forest Lake area." Shirley Bodie, the cheerleader right behind Mary, is Gary's sister, who now lives in El Dorado Hills, California.

Brad Anderson also chimed in. He said Mary's mom, Bess, was a teacher at Garfield Elementary. "I had the pleasure to have had her as a teacher in second grade. Her husband, Lloyd Benson, was employed at Northwest Paper."

He added that Shirley was the daughter of Wilfred and Elina Bodie, who ran the Bodie Grocery Store. Shirley married Robert Salter.

Anderson said the middle cheerleader, Arlene Ahlgren, married Dennis Anderson and they raised a son and two daughters in Cloquet. Arlene, who is deceased, worked for years as a real estate agent, Anderson said.

He said the cheerleader to Arlene's left, Donna Huard married "Pickles" Panger, a Cloquet barber. She is also deceased.

The only cheerleader we didn't get information on was the one at far left, Bonnie Rae Cole.

Thank you, readers, for your contributions. We welcome photos from readers who are seeking more information. Drop them by the office or email items to [email protected].