SK On Elderberry: Heidi's Ice cream Parlor History

Heidi's History of The Ice cream Parlor called McGuire's in Harlem, Montana

All info from book THUNDERSTORMS and TUMBLEWEEDS, East Blaine County, Montana,
1887-1987 Cenntenial Book.
REAT FALLS TRIBUNE Saturday, May 18, 2002
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Mabel Cronce

BIG TIMBER -- Mabel (Billmayer) Cronce, 94, a homemaker, died of natural causes Tuesday at a Big Timber hospital.
Her funeral is 11 a.m. Monday at Hogeland Lutheran Church. Cremation has taken place at Cremation and Funeral Gallery of Billings.
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BILLINGS GAZETTE Tuesday, May 28, 2002
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Mabel Billmayer Cronce
BIG TIMBER - Mal Cronce died surrounded by her loving family, Tuesday, May 14, 2002, at the Pioneer Medical Center in Big Timber. She was 94.
Mabel Rhoda McGuire was born Oct. 20, 1907, in Bourgon, Ill., the eighth of 10 children to Sterling and Minnie McGuire. She moved to Montana when she was 6 years old. She attended school in Harlem. She married Roy Billmayer of Harlem. When Roy accepted the job of rural mail carrier on Route 2 for the Tweet Post Office, they moved to the Wing area. When the railroad came and the town of Hogeland was started, they moved Roy's folks homestead house to Hogeland and started a dairy. To this union, six children were born. They later built a new ranch house one mile west of Hogeland, where they farmed, ranched and carried mail. Mabel enjoyed helping her husband Roy and being a housewife and mother. They planted many trees near their "Big Flat" home. She belonged to the Wing Ladies Aid. While her children were in high school in Harlem, she owned and operated

"The Confectionery." She later worked at the Harlem Rest Home. She was a member of the Harlem Saddle Club, she enjoyed "Chuck Wagon Days." She danced with the Big Flat Square Dancers, was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and was a 4-H leader helping with the Blaine County Fair.

She helped start the hot lunch program in the Hogeland Public Schools, she was a Jr. leader for Farmer's Union and helped with camps. "Gram," as she was known to everyone, was a very generous, kind, quiet, gentle person. She loved her family. She enjoyed going to all the events while her grandchildren were growing up. During the summer, she would sleep under the stars at "The Farm," with who's ever turn it was to stay over. She loved to raft on the dam and fly kites. Gram would set up her camper at the fairs and rodeos, she always had her little brown first aid kit handy and plenty of food, pop and snacks for the grandkids and all their friends. She loved to load her big blue Cadillac up with grandkids and go to a movie or over to the "Flathead" for a family reunion.

Roy died in January of 1965. She later sold the farm and moved to Kalispell, where she built a new home and eventually married Clyde Cronce in June of 1972. Mabel and Clyde did a lot of traveling, they took many trips to Alaska and spent some winters in Niland, Calif. They enjoyed fishing, mushroom hunting and camping in their Winnebago. They attended the grandchildren's graduations and weddings and all the family reunions. Mabel grew beautiful roses and huge tomatoes while living in Kalispell.
Clyde passed away in December of 1992. She then sold her home and moved to Big Timber.

She was preceded in death by her parents; eight brothers and sisters; husband Roy; infant son Donald; sons John and Frank; stepson Myron Cronce; and husband Clyde.
She is survived by son James (Helen) Billmayer of Hogeland and Sun City, Ariz.; daughters, Lois (Merlon) Alcorn of Custer, Wash., Doris (Art) Egbert of Big Timber; one sister, Ruby (Jake), Homchick, Wash.; 24 grandchildren; 74 great-grandchildren; and 18 great-great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; a sister-in-law, Mary Lou Benson of Sunburst.
Mabel was an avid sports fan, thoroughly enjoying watching Mark McGwire and Tiger Woods. She also liked birds. She was a great fisherwoman and enjoyed raising violets; at one time she had 40 different plants. She loved to play baseball with the great-grandkids. She was in her height of glory when she was planning a family reunion.

She was known for her "Twisted Cinnamon Rolls," they were a staple at every family gathering.

Gram's Twisted Rolls

2 cups warm whole milk
2 T. yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup oil
6 cups flour
1 tsp. salt

Mix milk and yeast. Add remaining ingredients. Knead to form a soft dough - let rise until double.
Roll out on slightly floured surface. Spread 1/2 stick margarine over 1/2 of dough circle, sprinkle with cinnamon, fold dough over to form 1/2 circle. Cut in 1" strips. Stretch and twist until 24-26" long, loosely shape on pan in a circular fashion to resemble a butterhorn. Do 6 to a cookie sheet. Let rise and bake at 375 degrees 8-12 minutes until lightly browned. Frost while hot with:
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 stick margarine
1 T. flour
1 1/2 # powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Sprinkle with nuts. Enjoy!

We love you, dear Gram. You will be missed terribly, but never forgotten. Rest in peace.
Gram has been cremated; her ashes were buried during a private family burial in the Wing Cemetery beside her late husband Roy on May 20. A memorial service with family and friends was held at the American Lutheran Church in Hogeland, which Pastor Rowlie Hutton officiated.

I have some outdoor furniture that I have had for a number of years, and my family had for years before that. I have had the goal of redoing them, but I can tell... I probably am never going to get to it. Let me tell you a little bit about these pieces. To look at them, you would not probably think they are anything special, but if you know their history, you can see why they are "priceless" to me.

As a little girl I was raised by Gypsies, courtesy of the United States Coast Guard. We moved a lot! When I was 7 we moved to the island of Rhodes, in Greece. For a couple of months we lived in this hotel, which was within walking distance of the beach. In front of the hotel sat these tables and chairs, and they were a little cafe. They also were where we ate our breakfast of rolls, butter shaped like sea shells, marmalade and corn flakes EVERY morning. After moving into our home, my parents remained good friends with the hotel owners. My mother mentioned she would like to get a little bistro type table for our veranda, and they gave her one! When we moved back to the U.S., it came with us. This little table has criss crossed the U.S. twice and now lives in Oregon with me. Of course in it's day, it was very lovely and often held flowers on it's lower level. It now is a sad table, in need of a face lift! I could go buy a new table, but this table has been part of my life for so many years, I hate to part with it.

To compliment my metal table, I picked up two chairs at an antique store, in Lynden, Washington. Now I had three pieces to re-do! My mother-in-law came back from a trip to Montana, where she was from, with one more chair, identical to my two. We always called these chairs "ice cream" chairs. And come to find out, the one from Montana was! My mother-in-law grew up in Montana on "the big flat." It was called that because it was a big, flat prairie. Her mother would move into a little town called Harlem, located in Blaine County, Montana, during the school year when her children started going to High School. Her dad, Grandpa Roy Billmeyer had said, "If you want a job, make a job." So Grandma Mable (McGuire) Billmeyer bought a local ice cream shop from her brother, Tom McGuire. We don't know what year Tom opened the "The Confectionery," but he probably bought some of his furningshings from Nelson's Confectionery which had been located across the street. Grandma purchased and ran the shop from 1949 to 1952. At that time it was sold to Merle Wier, a relative of my husbands on the other side of the family. Actually, he wasn't related when he bought it. He later married one of his employees, my husbands great aunt from the other side of the family. He ran the confectionery until it closed up for good in 1977.

So the one chair, which is in better shape than the other two, has been in the family since before 1949.

I would like to see these piece redone in such a way that I can keep them outside, under my covered decks. I want them to give the feeling of an old fashion ice cream shop. I am not so much concerned that they look original, as I am that you feel the spirit of the old shop that my husbands family ran and enjoyed being with their neighbors.

I can't wait to see what you can do for these pieces!

Thanks so much,
Heidi

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Pine Lodge Labradoodles, Silverton, Oregon