PHOTOS

PHOTOS: SOME FAMILY OF OURS OF WHOM YOU'VE HEARD [HUNTER BEAR JANUARY 13, 2004] UPDATED MUCH!: 2008 AND 2009

Thomas, our grandson/son, now [2008] finishing his fourth year of medical school at University of Minnesota

At this moment, the eve of graduation for medical students at the University of Minnesota, a special ceremonial gathering is occurring at the University honoring the Native graduates. In addition to the honorees -- including our grandson/son, Thomas -- are their families and friends and other Native med students. In the case of our family, Mack -- with two of his three kids -- drove 'way up from Lincoln to the Fargo area and picked up John and his three -- and they all got to Minneapolis in timely fashion.

Lots of driving but it's well worth it.

Thomas is an accomplished drummer and singer in the Native context and his group has been featured at a number of ceremonial affairs and social pow-wows. They've just sung, impressively, several great songs. We were able to hear them clearly and well since Mack captured them -- singing words and drum beat -- on his cell phone which, magically, shot over the Rockies and connected to us here where we have a speaker phone.

Right here in our Idaho living room.

It is always good to see these traditions live and continue. Not just for the sake of tradition -- that's extremely important in its own right, always -- but because they transpose into and fuel good efforts by good people to serve the community well.

And tomorrow, Thomas will be a doc.

Hunter [Hunter Bear]

Our youngest daughter, Josie, now a social worker [LSW] -- and her husband, Cameron Evans, an IBEW member [International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers]. Happily, they live very close to us here at Pocatello, Idaho. And a new baby is coming in mid-May 2009.

Josie and Cameron have a brand-new baby boy, born in the early morning hours of
May 10. All are doing well. A literal myriad of people have been in to see the
Arrived -- and a number of names have been suggested [though not by Eldri or
me]. But the parents have come up with their own: Aidan Judd [Evans.] Aidan is
Irish, means "Little Fire" which fits nicely into the Native genre. Judd is
Cameron's middle name.

This is our ninth grandchild.

Thomas Gray Salter, formerly of Grand Forks, ND and Pocatello, ID, received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota on May 2, 2009. He has accepted a residency in psychiatry and internal medicine at the University of Iowa. At Grand Forks, he attended St. Mary's Catholic School, South Junior High, and Central High. He graduated from Pocatello High School in 2000 and received his B.A. in Psychology from Idaho State University, Pocatello, in 2005. He is the son of Maria Heath Salter and the grandson of John Hunter Gray and Eldri J. Gray, all formerly of Grand Forks, and presently at Pocatello. Dr. Salter's spouse, Mimie [Yrengah] Chilinda Salter, formerly of Pocatello and Zambia, will receive her B.S. in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota on May 16 and plans to continue her work at the University of Iowa.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Peter Gray Salter, Hunter Salter [via Peter], John R. Salter, Taylor Salter [via John]; Scott Salter [via Peter], Mimie Chilinda Salter, Bret Salter [via John], Sawyer Salter [via John]. Not present Dawn Salter [Peter's spouse] and Jack Gray Salter [via Peter].

This is an audio/visual of Thomas and others doing one of the several songs they did at the Native honoring ceremony prior to their graduation as M.D.s. Thomas is on the right in the white shirt.