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Last Updated: Jul 25, 2008 - 9:40 AM |
Cinda Koinzan and David Thompson were crowned the 2008 Midsommar Swedish Festival King and Queen Friday evening, June 20th in the town square in Stromsburg. The 2007 royalty, King Timm Waller and Queen Sharon Noyd passed their capes and crowns to the new honorees.
Members of the 2008 royal court are Garrett Miller, son of Grant and Amy Miller; Isaac Noyd, son of Charles and Neeli Noyd; Maddie Portwine, daughter of Greg and Stacy Portwine and Shea Corwin, daughter of Brian and Heidi Corwin.
Cinda’s husband Dennis, also a former Swedish Festival King, read the following about his wife:
Cinda,
I am very proud of you for being chosen 2008 Swedish Festival Queen. I know you are totally surprised by this. This was so hard for me to keep quiet about this. The biggest thing that is so funny is you were inviting a lot of your family to the Festival and you didn’t even know you were going to be Queen!
Cinda was born in Scottsbluff, NE to Dale and Pat Gering. She is the third child of nine. Cinda actually came from royalty, as her great-great-grandparents were Gerings and Scotts. They were the people who started Gering and Scottsbluff.
She graduated from Hay Springs High School and from Chadron State College with a degree in teaching and interior decorating. Cinda and I were married in 1972 and she then became a teacher’s wife and a coach’s wife. She started teaching in Benedict in 1980 and taught there for a few years. She then taught in Stromsburg for several years. Cinda now owns and operates her own interior decorating business, Cinda’s Creations.
Cinda has done many different things in her life which I hope I can remember them all. The most important to me is that she was able to show so many people, not only in Stromsburg, but all over the country, how to be a mother to two little angels that God gave to her, our daughters Nikki and Kami. Not many people could cope with this and also have the stress of being the football coach’s wife. Her feat here was well and above all other things she has done.
As a member of Salem Lutheran Church, Cinda shares her decorating skills and talents by creating paraments and banners and re-decorating rooms in the church and parsonage. She is also serving on the call committee and is always front and center in helping others with things that need to be done. Cinda is an active member of the Stromsburg Woman’s Civic Improvement Club and she has been the chairman of the Bloodmobile for many years. She helps with the Festival in various capacities. She serves on the committee for Taste of Sweden, works on the smorgasbord by decorating tables, and helped me with the parade when I was chairman of the parade. She also serves on the Viking Board, belongs to the Stromsburg Chamber and has served many offices in her P.E.O. organization. She is the Nebraska Regional chairperson for Cottey College, trying to get young girls to attend college there. These are just some of the ways Cinda has helped—and continues to help—our community.
One of the things that she does that is probably the most important to the football players is that she bakes them brownies and seems to always want to treat them. She has only missed two varsity football games in the 36 years we have been married. She attends many of the school’s activities and is a great supporter of what the school does.
Cinda will go overboard to do things for people. She sometimes drives me nuts with her kindness—guess it makes me jealous of how kind she can be.
Cinda, you have always been a queen to me, but now for all the kindness you do and all the hard work you do for everyone, you have been chosen queen of Stromsburg. You really do deserve it.
Dave Thompson’s wife, Sandy, read the following about the new-chosen king:
I’ll begin with one of Dave’s favorite lines - Hi, I’m Dave Thompson. I live with five women. I’m one of the most humble, sensitive guys you’ll ever meet.
David Thompson was born in Olathe, KS, the first child of Bill and Jan Thompson. He spent most of his childhood growing up in Pawnee City. After high school, Dave attended one year of college at John Brown University in Arkansas and then returned to Nebraska to marry his childhood sweetheart, Sandy Leitschuck. We have four children (all girls) - Carrie Cramer, her husband Dan and their daughter Ava, Beth and her fiancé Aaron Phillips, Stephanie and Michelle.
Prior to moving to Stromsburg, Dave and his family lived in Pawnee City and in Omaha.
While in Omaha, Dave worked for Field Paper Company selling paper and graphic products to printers. He had the opportunity to move to central Nebraska and since his parents lived in Stromsburg and he was familiar with the community, he decided to move his family here.
Soon after moving to Stromsburg in 1988, Dave became active in community events. Our family joined the Evangelical Free Church and found many new friends.
That first spring began the many years he was one of the After Prom sponsors and this year, 20 years later, Dave was still a part of the After Prom activities.
Dave has a love of music and humor. He participated in three of the Community Theatre productions and has been part of the Swedish Festival entertainment five different years including this year.
Dave’s pleasant deep voice has always been an asset for him and helped him acquire his dream job announcing the high school football games each Friday night for the past 18 years. He enjoys watching the players and following their progress each week. Dave got to know many of these players quite well as he opened the weight room up for the early morning weightlifters for 10 years. During that time, Dave had the opportunity to be the oldest contestant to ever participate in the Strongest Swede Contest.
Dave was active in following his children with their extra activities and has coached both girls basketball and softball throughout the years.
As a member of the Evangelical Free Church, Dave has helped with many ministries including teaching Sunday school and helping with the youth group for over 15 years. Dave sings with the church’s men’s group, the Free Men II, and can be found most Sundays up on stage, either playing his guitar or helping to lead worship.
In 2006, Dave and I purchased The Polk County News. We love the town of Stromsburg and Polk County and take pride in trying to highlight the positives of each community and the people that make up Polk County.
Dave has always been ready to lend a hand wherever he feels he can help and is proud to be a part of this great community.
© Copyright 2008 by polkcountynewspaper.com
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