Jack Twite – Prankster

The excerpt below is from Deane Jones’ ‘Keeping Up With Jones’ Missoulian column on March 15, 1968:

Twite Humor.

A friend passes along a copy of the McKenzie County Farmer, published in Watford City, N. D. It carries an account of an episode involving a Missoula man, Jack Twite, in a reunion with a friend of nearly 40 years time. [I’m ignoring the grammar prompt from Word here, Deane probably would too.]

The Waterford paper devoted a couple of columns on its front page to the goings-on, but I’ll try to get it across in a few paragraphs.

Twite, a Missoula building contractor, took a trip to visit his old North Dakota stamping grounds two or three weeks ago. One old buddy operates a bakery in Watford City, and Twite went for a practical joke to make the reunion. He let his beard grow for five days, got some old clothes, smeared them with grease and headed for Waterford. His wife didn’t think much of the idea and went to St. Cloud, Minn., to visit friends.

Twite arrived in Waterford, advised the chief of police of his plan, and set out for his friend’s bakery, with the goal of getting thrown out three times. He succeeded.

Staggering into the bakery, he was accosted by his buddy, one Bennie Suezle. “It’s cold outside,” said Twite. “Can you help me out with a few buns, bread, anything?” Bennie, dressed for a trip out of town, gave the “bum” a sackful of buns. Whereupon Twite hugged his old friend tightly, rubbing his greasy clothes against the latter’s clean white shirt, and asked for four bits for a drink.

Bennie ushered the “bum” to the street, where Twite sat down, took a bite out of each bun and tossed them into the gutter. He stumbled back into the bakery, declared the buns stale, and asked for fresh ones. Again he requested money. Suezle, anxious to get the guy out before he departed on his trip and left his wife alone, again escorted Twite out, but the visitor managed to stick his dirty elbow into a pan of freshly made rolls. At the curb, Twite threw the remainder of the bag of rolls into the street.

At this point he became a bit worried, because Bennie had been a pretty fair boxer when they were high school classmates back in 1931. However, he returned to the baker for the third time, and Mrs. Suezle called the police. Bennie was a bit annoyed when the chief, who had witnessed the whole incident from across the street, didn’t appear too concerned. But the officer put handcuffs on the “bum” and started for the door. That’s when Twite gave his real name and recognition dawned on Suezle.

He was still concerned that his old friend had fallen so low, and it took an explanation from the police chief to straighten out the put on.

Take heed, you practical jokers.

Incidentally, the Waterford City paper refers to Missoula, MT. Maybe that’s for Montana territory, to get even for all those North Dakota jokes.

 

The above excerpt appeared in The Daily Missoulian on March 15, 1968.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/349767733/

 

Jokes aside, some of the nicest people I ever met came from North Dakota – strangely, a couple of them from tiny Beach, right across the border from Wibaux, Mt.

 

Jack Twite died in Missoula in 2002. His obituary from The Missoulian on November 4, 2002, appears below:

 

John James ‘Jack’ Twite

MISSOULA – Longtime Missoula resident John James “Jack” Twite, 87, passed away of natural causes on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2002, at Community Medical Center.

He was born on Dec. 6, 1914, to Rasmus and Martha Twite in Velva, N.D.

On June 29, 1937, he married Helena M. Holbach in Minot, N.D. Jack and Helena celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary this past summer.

In 1941 they moved to California, where Jack served in the U.S. Army. In 1948 they moved to Missoula with their five children. Jack was a home builder and, along with his wife, the original developer of the Linda Vista subdivision.

He was an active member of St. Anthony’s Church and Holy Family Catholic Church. He was also a member of the Sons of Norway Lodge and the Missoula Elks Lodge.

Jack loved western Montana and enjoyed many years of hunting, fishing and boating. But most of all, he enjoyed being with his wife and his family. He especially enjoyed his great-grandchildren and even in his final days, a visit from them would bring a smile.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and one sister.

Jack is survived by his devoted wife Helena; two daughters, Eldora Graham and son-in-law Jim of Portland, Ore., and Marilyn Nisbet and son-in-law Bob of Missoula; three sons, Darrell of Darby, Raymond of Missoula, and Lloyd and daughter-in-law Cathy of Missoula; 10 grandchildren, Jay Graham and wife Maritsa of Phoenix, Tim Graham of Portland, Lori Lundeen and husband Mike of Missoula, D.J. Twite of Missoula, Raelene Raynor and husband Todd of Spokane, Mark Twite of Missoula, Debbie Twite of Deer Lodge and Scott Twite and wife Joy, Paul Nisbet and Jamie Nisbet, all of Missoula; and 15 great-grandchildren, Jake, Alex, Justin, Alisha, Brandon, Danielle, Christian, Jenaya, Kaleigh, Cam, Nicole, Kelsey, Scotty, Jeffrey and Jaiden.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be celebrated 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, at Holy Family Parish, 4616 Gharrett. A luncheon will follow at the Parish Hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the International Heart Institute of Montana at St. Patrick Hospital, Watson Children’s Shelter or Holy Family Catholic Church.

God saw him getting tired,

And a cure was not to be

So He put his arms around him

And whispered, “Come with me.”