2812 Humboldt

Here’s our home in 1923 – years before we knew it.

Company A, West High School (March 1923)

It would be another three decades before we would get to know and love this house across the street from West High School on Humboldt Avenue in South Minneapolis.

On September 11, 1952, Connie Stoep, the first wife of my dad (Richard Byron Lohman), died suddenly during the polio epidemic of a rare form of the disease called bulbar polio. My dad was left with three small children – Jeanne, Doug, and Paul. 

On the day of her funeral, Dad’s sister and brother-in-law, Priscilla and Raymond Jensen, approached him with an idea. 

“Richard, we know you’re not ready to think about this now, but we want to tell you now so that when you are ready, you’ll remember this. If you are willing to sell your small house and buy a larger one, we’ll move in with you and help take care of the children.” My Uncle Ray, who wrote a moving account of this period in his memoir, Threads of Love, wrote, “I don’t remember that Richard responded in words… nor did we expect him to. His hug and tears of gratitude said all that was needed.”

At first Dad tried to make thing work by hiring a string of housekeepers, but it was soon clear that this wasn’t going to be a long-term solution. 

After some searching, Dad found 2812 Humboldt Avenue South, and on December 31, 1952, they moved in. Two families with nine children under the age of nine all under one roof!

When my dad later married my mom, Charlotte Pauline Hovick Thompson, the Jensen’s moved back to their own home. This new Lohman family formed and came together under this roof, and here the family grew, adding Jeffrey in 1955 and me, David, in 1961. We remained here until 1965 when Dad finished seminary, was ordained, and received his first call to a pair of churches in Butterfield, Minnesota.

Life at 2812… on the Front Steps

Paul, Charles, Jeanne, Jeffrey, Douglas

Paul, Charles, Jeffrey, Douglas

Paul, Douglas, Jeffrey, Jeanne, David, Charles

The Front Yard

Paul, Charles, unknown, David

Douglas, Paul, Charles, Jeffrey

Richard’s Ordination Celebration on June 20, 1965:

Charlotte & Richard

Richard & Charlotte

Jeanne, David, Charles, Douglas, Paul (nice lampshade, Jeanne!)

Richard and his mother, Grace

Richard: High School Years

South High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Richard in July 1938 (14 years old) with a friend and a model plane

Muriel (sister), Grace (mother), Richard

Richard and a friend in April 1939

Richard with sisters Muriel and Priscilla

Richard in 1940

Richard in November 1940

Richard in May 1941

South High School (Minneapolis) A Capella Choir Richard back row, third from left

Graduation

Baccalaureate Sunday – January 1942

South High School Graduation Cap & Gown Day – January 16, 1942

Richard with girlfriend Constance Stoep

Richard: Early School Years

In 1928, the family began renting 3137 24th Avenue South in Minneapolis. They struggled financially, so they couldn’t save enough money for a down payment until years later when Richard’s sister Muriel began working. They were finally able to buy the house for $3,600. Richard’s mother Grace continued to live in it until the city tore it down in the 1970’s to make way for the expansion of Hiawatha Avenue (which then didn’t happen for another 25 years).

The house had only five rooms, two of which were bedrooms. So Richard slept on a couch in the dining room until high school when he built himself a room in the basement.  

Priscilla (sister), Richard, Muriel (sister)

Grace (mother), Richard, Priscilla, Gustav (father), Muriel in 1931

Muriel, Richard, Priscilla

Gustav, Richard

Muriel, Richard, Priscilla

Richard, Muriel, Priscilla

Richard and his friend Bob

Richard loved the Boy Scouts