Ever since Luverne was included as one of the four US communities featured in Ken Burns’ The War, townsfolk have been intent on highlighting veterans and their stories.
It was with great excitement that we heard about the heroism of yet another local veteran. Writer Nina Willner recently published a book called The Boys In The Light, the story of how her teenaged father and a teenaged companion were saved by a Luverne local after they had escaped from a Nazi death camp.
Elmer Hovland was a 23 year old Luverne native and a commander of a tank unit. They were rolling through northern Germany in 1944 with instructions to stop for nothing and no one, when Elmer spotted the two emaciated teens along the side of the road. Despite orders, Elmer immediately stopped the tanks and picked them up and took them along. He discovered that Nina Willner’s dad, Eddie, spoke English as well as German. He convinced his superiors that Eddie would make a great translator, and he was put to work doing just that. Both Elmer and Eddie survived the war. Elmer returned to his immigrant Norwegian parents’ farm near Luverne. He became a carpenter. Eddie eventually immigrated to the US and built a successful life.
The two men didn’t meet again until decades later. Nina Willner attributed Elmer’s actions to his Norwegian heritage and the values that were important to people from Luverne. I vaguely remember Elmer since he attended the same Lutheran church as I did. He died in 2012 at the age of 90. Very few people in Luverne knew anything about this story until the book was published late last year. It is next on my reading list.
Any notable people from your town? Any books written about your community or residents?
Trail Baboon 
My town of Minneapolis? No doubt a few.
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When I first moved to Minneapolis, I read a whole bunch of city and state histories; I worked at Hello MInnesota for a year so they were readily available. One of my favorites is Bring Warm Clothes which was re-released last year. I’m lucky enough to be friends with the author – Peg Meier.
I’ve also enjoyed Patricia Hempl books and last year I read Thirty Rooms to Hide In by Luke Sullivan about the Mayo Clinic doctor (his father) who became an alcoholic and eventually killed himself – during the sixties. Not exactly a feel-good book but one of my besties went to school with Luke.
Can’t forget Sinclair Lewis and Maud Hart Lovelace!
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So your “town” is Minnesota?
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Yep. When I headed off to college (Northfield), I knew I was never returning to the city of my birth (St. Louis). So, 18 years in MIssouri, 2 years in WIsconsin and 50 years in MInnesota. Math (and my heart) wins.
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My point was, if the whole of Minnesota is your town, the potential list of notable persons is vastly longer.
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Yes, yes, I got your point, but I’m not willing to limit myself to just Minneapolis. My heart belongs to Minnesota. And yes, the list could go on and on and on and on, but I thought I’d just mention books/authors that I thought of off the top of my head or that were particular favorites of mine.
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I met Peg Meier once at an art opening. Patricia Hampl and I share some close friends and I’ve met and conversed with her in social situations. Also her husband, Terry Williams, who died in 2015 and who I knew had some history with the beat poets but his obituary https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/twincities/name/terrence-williams-obituary?id=9142572
Is astonishing.
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I trained under Terry Wiliams when I interned at Hazelden Family Program in 1980. He was an interesting, bright guy.
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The town I think of as “home” is Coon Rapids, Iowa, home of Roswell Garst, who hosted Nikita Khrushchev in 1959. My 3rd grade teacher told us the story.
Roswell and Kate Garst’s farmhouse is now part of the White Rock Conservancy and you can book the room the Khrushchevs stayed at in the farmhouse.
Everyone knew the Garst’s. I read their granddaughter’s Nancy Drew collection and jumped on their trampoline.
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I did not know there was a Coon Rapids, Ia! I had to look it up on the map.
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I had to Google this, but there used to be a Garst Seed corn company that was cofounded by Roswell Garst.
The Seed name was retired in 2013.
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Not an important historical person from my hometown, Hills MN but when my parents built their new home in 1952, they had a local carpenter build their kitchen cabinets. Lars Hovland. He and my mother went round and round regarding what she wanted and Lars what he thought she needed. Mom won. Wonder if Lars and Elmer were related? Just a thought.
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Good job Mom! Like Lars would be using the cabinets….
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Rise and Shine, Baboons,
I think of my hometown as LeMars, Ia. Thomas Starzl was a local boy who went on to pioneer organ transplants in Pennsylvania. His parents were part of the local newspaper. His half sister is still a part time reporter there. Another guy, Alan Marty, went on to play a role in the Palo Alto tech culture, inventing a computer program that measured the arc of a basketball shot and assisted players in improving their game.
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RE: books about home town. An author named Greg Severson has written several. My sister’s books (Jolene Stratton Philo) refer frequently to the town, but she locates it in nearby Sioux City for privacy concerns. There are many relatives still in LeMars.
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My boyhood home of St. Louis Park can boast of Al Franken, Tom Friedman, the Coen brothers, Marc Trestman (QB for U of MN, then eventually an NFL head coach. He was a year behind me in school), sportscaster Mark Rosen (WCCO years ago), classical guitarist Sharon Isbin, and Bud Kraehling (long time WCCO weatherman from wayyyy back in the day. I played the French horn next to his daughter in HS concert band for 2 years. Twins broadcaster Halsey Hall, pro football player Bob Stein (Eventually became first Timberwolves president.), TV broadcaster Jeff Passolt.( My wife had huge crushes on him and his other brothers (4?). I played soccer with Jeff and his brother, Dan.)
Chris in Owatonna (not so many famous folks here, but I’m sure there are a few I’m not aware of.)
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St. Louis Park is a treasure trove of achievement, isn’t it? So remarkable.
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It sure is. I wonder what happened to me? 😉 Might’ve been downwind of the old creosote plant for too many days in my youth.
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Here in Franklin, Ohio, there have been few noteworthy individuals.
It was the site of Johnathan’s Cafe, owned by Pete Rose’s bookie, Ron Peters. Pete was heavily in debt but after the federal government got done with Peters, he died destitute.
Franklin was the hometown of Nightingale, a late 1890s harness race horse. Her defeat in an 1895 race caused a local depression as many residents and businesses bet their life savings. The local bank failed.
It’s a good thing that I rarely gamble.
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I grew up in Canoga Park, California. It is a suburb that is actually part of the City of Los Angeles. Brian Cranston (star of Breaking Bad) and Lisa Kudrow (star of Friends) both have roots in Canoga Park. I knew neither of them. So, am I “fame adjacent”?
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Well, speaking of fame adjacent, yesterday at elections, I learned one of our township resident’s is a sister to singer Cori Kennedy, of ‘The Voice’ fame. “Fame”?
Meaning I know a guy who know’s a guy, who’s wife knows Cori…
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Waaaay OT: I just noticed that Ed Sheeran is coming to town. This is VS’ favorite singer (wink,wink) who is here Saturday, August 15 at USBank Stadium. How did I miss this?
VS, Whadya think?
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