It is a real pleasure to be given the opportunity to tell you people about my dad, cuz---shoot, I've known him all my life . . . Now, if you don't know my dad, he has a real interesting sense of humor. So I thought it would be appropriate to start this Swedish Festival biography of the newest King in words that would sound a lot like him. So here goes. Tim Teegerstrom was born at a VERY EARLY AGE in Columbus, Nebraska, to Vance and Ramona (Larson) Teegerstrom. To be exact, it was March 19, 1957. He did my mom, my sister Sarah, and me a huge favor and followed his mom and dad from their residence in Columbus back to their hometown of Stromsburg when he was around 2 years old. Dad was the oldest of four brothers: Dan, Lyndon, and Steve. He attended Kindergarten thru 12th grade in the Stromsburg Public School systems and ironically---even found his wife Marla there. Mom and Dad will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary this December 18th. The last thing Dad would want me to do is go on and on listing ALL the activities he's been involved in for the last 43 years. He likes to retell a lot of the stories by the Christian comedian Jerry Clower. One of them he likes is about how Mr. Clower used to keep track in the back of his Bible of all the great contributions to society he had made, until one day it occurred to him--he better stop. Jerry was afraid he'd get to heaven, and his list would be longer than GOD's. We don't want that to happen tonight. Suffice it to say, Dad has been one of Stromsburg's best promoters. He has been known to carry Swedish Festival brochures on various family trips. He's drummed up more business for the Chicken Barbeque than Colonel Sanders. Proof of that is our friends here tonight from Wellfleet, Nebraska, Deb and Doug Sellers who came this year not only for the chicken, Dad, but also to see you in a crown. He has been a member of Boy Scout in some capacity or another for 37 years. (You can do the math, but that's since he was 8 years old.) Now, being a Boy Scout means more than helping little old ladies across the street and doing one good deed a day. Dad earned enough merit badges to become an Eagle Scout in 1975 and had enough patience to make sure that I did too in 2001. He has helped us Scout to not only be better people, but also helped our scout masters to organize and conduct those very important fund-raisers, so we can go to Scout camp and on Scout trips. And he's even gone on a good share of these excursions as a leader. Because of the great example of my Grandpa Vance and Grandma Ramona, he has always known the importance of faith and has involved himself in Sunday school as a member and a teacher, youth group leader, steward board member, short term missions member to New Orleans, in Bible Studies, Promise Keepers, and (I didn't know this) even church choir. He should have an extra star in his crown for having about 10 of us Free Church boys in Sunday school class for 5 or 6 years. No one else had the nerve--let alone the faith to tackle us, but dad and Rick Rutter did. Hopefully, we are better men for it. He was a charter member in the Stromsburg Area JayCees of which some of you may remember him in a blue bikini as a part of the Swedish Festival Parade's SWED-ISH Bikini Team. (I'll just let you get a picture of that before I go on. Dad in a bikini.) Before we moved to the country in 1994, he was a member of the Stromsburg Park Board for over 15 years. He even served out a nine-month term as a councilman. Along with being a great promoter, dad is a great supporter. Not only is he at almost every event me or my sister has been in, but he also tries to impress the folks up north in Osceola and attends most of my mom's events as well. He contributed valuable babysitting time as well as crew help to the Stromsburg Community Theatre and other community and church-related functions Mom was involved in. Dad is a Great Outdoorsman. If you can shoot it, skin it, or eat it. . . . Dad's all for it. He loves history and if he isn't recreating it or watching a video on it, then he's reading about it. His favorite is the Fur Trade Era, but Sunday you can see him in action at a western shoot out in the park. His hobby of the past has gotten him in 3 movies: two Public Television movies Home At Last and The Trial of Standing Bear as well as in Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves. Dad's one of steadiest guys I've known. He's been at Polk County Rural Public Power for over 28 years and has worked his way from a summer "gopher job" in 1974, to lineman, to crew chief, and presently as safety director. Hundreds of Polk County youth have heard his and Judy Rieken's Safety talks at the district's elementary schools. Well, I think that sufficiently tells you a little bit about my dad. There's probably more I could tell you, but I think he'd rather you come out to our place, have a nice icy glass of tea and visit. And Dad, I'm proud of you.

Brought to you by The City of Stromsburg and the Stromsburg Chamber of Commerce

Close Window