Fall River, Massachusetts to Fairbanks and Ketchikan, Alaska to
Flaxville, Montana. This is the path Diane and Louie Szurleys have
traveled, after a chance e-bay sighting resulted in their buying a
vacation/retirement home in Flaxville five years ago.
One day in 2001, Diane Szurleys was searching e-bay for items to
purchase for the gift shop she and her husband Louie owned in
Ketchikan, Alaska. When a house in Flaxville, Montana popped up, she
paused for a look because it was cute, reasonable, and Louie had
been talking for a few years about moving to Montana.
from Creek Street in Ketchikan, Alaska . .
Alaskans Adopt Flaxville
by Lou Mandler (aka Betty Lou Goetzinger)
by Lou Mandler (aka Betty Lou Goetzinger)
Louie had western Montana in mind, but
Diane was not interested in relocating
there. She wanted a more rural setting and
a drier climate than Ketchikan’s.
Their curiosity piqued, the Szurleys
embarked on a month-long email
exchange with Teri Hanson, owner of the
Flaxville residence. They requested more
pictures of the house and asked Diane’s
crucial question, “Is there a Catholic
Church near?” The Catholic Church was
three doors away, the house looked good
Diane was not interested in relocating
there. She wanted a more rural setting and
a drier climate than Ketchikan’s.
Their curiosity piqued, the Szurleys
embarked on a month-long email
exchange with Teri Hanson, owner of the
Flaxville residence. They requested more
pictures of the house and asked Diane’s
crucial question, “Is there a Catholic
Church near?” The Catholic Church was
three doors away, the house looked good
in all the photos, and Diane and Louie decided to take a vacation to northeastern Montana to look it over. They “fell in love with the area,”
Diane says.
Not only were the Szurleys attracted by Flaxville’s climate and natural beauty, northeastern Monana is a perfect environment for
taxidermist and “huntoholic” Louie. When Louie and Diane moved to Fairbanks from Massachusetts, the promise of hunting moose and
caribou attracted them. At the time, Louie worked as a produce manager for a grocery chain in Fairbanks and later in Ketchikan, and he
did taxidermy part-time. In 1999, Louie began doing taxidermy full-time, and the couple opened a gift shop which catered to the cruise
ship market.
Diane says.
Not only were the Szurleys attracted by Flaxville’s climate and natural beauty, northeastern Monana is a perfect environment for
taxidermist and “huntoholic” Louie. When Louie and Diane moved to Fairbanks from Massachusetts, the promise of hunting moose and
caribou attracted them. At the time, Louie worked as a produce manager for a grocery chain in Fairbanks and later in Ketchikan, and he
did taxidermy part-time. In 1999, Louie began doing taxidermy full-time, and the couple opened a gift shop which catered to the cruise
ship market.
Since their gift shop specializes in leather, fur, and other forest and hunting related
goods, the opportunities for hunting in northeastern Montana mesh well with both Louie’
s passion for hunting and their occupation. Mounted pheasants harvested in Montana
sell in the Ketchikan gift shop. In return, Diane’s table at the Flaxville craft fair offered
collars and earmuffs from Alaska coyotes.
Since they purchased their Montana property, the Szurleys have spent each fall and
early winter there. When not pheasant or deer hunting, Diane and Louie enjoy checking
out pawn shops and thrift shops in Billings and Wolf Point, and Diane recently enjoyed
a trip to the historic Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral in the small French town of
Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. Around the first of January, the Szurleys return to Alaska,
but they are looking forward to full retirement in Flaxville within the next five years.
goods, the opportunities for hunting in northeastern Montana mesh well with both Louie’
s passion for hunting and their occupation. Mounted pheasants harvested in Montana
sell in the Ketchikan gift shop. In return, Diane’s table at the Flaxville craft fair offered
collars and earmuffs from Alaska coyotes.
Since they purchased their Montana property, the Szurleys have spent each fall and
early winter there. When not pheasant or deer hunting, Diane and Louie enjoy checking
out pawn shops and thrift shops in Billings and Wolf Point, and Diane recently enjoyed
a trip to the historic Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral in the small French town of
Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. Around the first of January, the Szurleys return to Alaska,
but they are looking forward to full retirement in Flaxville within the next five years.
Diane’s comment that they “sing the praises of the area” is borne out by the fact that their daughter and friend have just bought the house
next door, and a friend in Fairbanks is considering moving to the area. The Szurleys’ arrival and Lois Bjerke’s thrivingYesterday’s antique
shop are just two ways in which Flaxville defies an image of dying prairie towns. See Tall Tale Taxidermy website
next door, and a friend in Fairbanks is considering moving to the area. The Szurleys’ arrival and Lois Bjerke’s thrivingYesterday’s antique
shop are just two ways in which Flaxville defies an image of dying prairie towns. See Tall Tale Taxidermy website
. . . to the prairie farmland of Flaxville in eastern Montana
One of Tall Tale Taxidermy specialties is coyote furs
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