Joel LaChance
Carl LaFoy
Ron LaFrenz
Lori Latham Avise
Melanie Lattimer Carruth
Judy Lauritson Bittner
Mark Levenhagen
cell 612-760-5244
I attended Iowa State University and went undeclared for three years before deciding on sociology and business. Without a job, I moved to northern Wisconsin to help my aunt and uncle at their restaurant, then through some contacts found a retail job in Milwaukee. I was assistant manager for two store in the new Grand Avenue Mall. I learned there I didn't have the patience, tact, or desire to ever manage again! When they downsized, I moved to Minneapolis where I knew more people. I think all the theater trips Mr Giese organized to the Guthrie in Minneapolis made me fall in love with the City way back in high school.
After working in temporary roles I settled in at Norwest/Wells Fargo. Now 30+ years later I'm in Learning & Development/Instructional Design, creating internal online classes for Treasury Management products, services, and systems.
I've never married and happily live in the City with many friends and volunteer activities. I own a 1921 bungalow in South Minneapolis about three miles North of the Mall of America. This is my home. I had a mid-life crisis in 2003, but bought a Honda scooter and all is well now!
I love to travel but lately the travel is to Southern Illinois to visit mom (who is 92). I love to garden (I've never met a lily I didn't buy) and hang out with friends. I am looking forward to retirement (and yes, I am counting, but it's a few years out!!!) My life is blessed.
Steve Lewis
Doug Lind
I live in Westport, Ct, have two teen-aged daughters, and am
a partner at a healthcare venture capital firm, where we form and invest in
private-stage therapeutic and diagnostic companies.
After graduating Iowa
State University, I went to medical school at University of IA, then internal
medicine residency at St. Elizabeth’s in Boston, private practice and industry
consulting for a couple years, and then took an opportunity to go to Wall
Street as a biotechnology industry analyst.
While I loved living in Boston
and NYC, I learned that I’m definitely a town and country person, also craving
time with nature, whether it be skiing, hiking or sailing.
My marriage
was brief, only five years. We divorced when my daughters were very
young. Time has healed and we have developed a good partnership in
raising our daughters. My daughters love visiting their grandparents in
Mason City, and my sister Denise and brother Dan, who live in the Palo Alto
area.
Patti Lind Kratz
Well, let’s see, how to put an entire lifetime into a couple of paragraphs.
After high school, as many did, I tried the college thing. I went to one class and decided that wasn’t my cup of tea. I got myself a full time job at A.C. Nielsen Co. and just plain had a ball for the next few years. I met and married my husband in 1981 and wham, I was an adult, setting up our household and all that went along with it.
Fast forward a few years and Bob and I are visiting my mom and step-dad at their cabin on the river near St. Ansgar. The peaceful setting was exactly what we thought we needed. We bought some land, built an A-Frame cabin, and our weekends were filled. Weekends turned into an extra day here and there and suddenly our house in Mason City was put up for sale, sold, and we were living in St. Ansgar and working in Mason City. Once again, not my cup of tea, I quit my job. Life was good.
The summer of 1993 we were off to Lake Kabatogoma for a week of fun and fishing. On our way through St Ansgar we noticed a for sale sign in the window of the hardware store. Hmmm…a seed was planted. We fished, relaxed, and discussed this hardware store thing that week. Intriguing. Yep, we bought a hardware store. Bob kept his job and for the next 15 years I learned about wiring, plumbing, fine thread vs. coarse thread and grade 8 vs. grade 5 nuts and bolts. Once again, life was good and I was having a ball.
In the late 90’s we got the mountain itch and bought some land in western Montana. We spend 2 weeks out there each fall. We’re off grid and absolutely love it.
In 1994 the Cedar River flooded and we had 3’ of muddy water in our house. Not wanting to go through that again, Bob found some land that while still on the river, had a 90’ cliff to the river. We built this really nifty home that seems to be growing as I get older. Our next one will be much smaller.
In 2008 we lost my brother Rick to a bicycle accident. It made me realize that the hardware store was taking up the majority of my life and I was missing family functions way too often. We sold the hardware store.
My next and current adventure is long arm quilting for others. Customers bring me their completed quilt tops and I turn them into quilts by sewing beautiful patterns onto the sandwich consisting of a backing, the batting, and the quilt top. I’ve had two quilts juried into national quilt shows, and last year won a faculty ribbon. A gift from God, I am always amazed at what I can produce with my mind and hands.
Although we didn’t have kids, we have been blessed to have very special dogs join us along this journey we call life. We currently have three awfully naughty, but very sweet, MinPins.
Bob hopes to retire in June of 2020 and if all goes as planned our house will sell and we will be off to Montana, to live happily ever after amongst the mountain lakes and trails.
Jay Lloyd - January 1982
Brent Logan
Kim Lonning Rubalcava
Denyce Loomer Trettin
Marc Lopez
Brad Losey
Jay Lovejoy
Mike Luecht
Douglas Lugar
Rebecca Lumley Cottrell
Rebecca “Becky” Sue Cottrell, 63, of Plymouth, IA, peacefully passed away after a two year battle of glioblastoma on Monday, February 20, 2023 at MercyOne North Iowa Hospice, Mason City, IA.
She took great pride in being a loyal employee at Metalcraft for 40 plus years as their graphic artist. Those she worked with at Metalcraft became her second family. Amongst her passion for working she was a master gardener, great cook, talented swimmer and seamstress, and an avid collector. In her spare time she liked to read. Becky didn’t seem to sit still much, always exercising, making food for others and or repurposing items that she found. Becky and her husband, Jon, often took trips on the Harley, as well as attending numerous concerts, including Rush, Robert Plant and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd.
Becky had many in her life that she cherished; these are the people who she leaves behind to cherish her memory; her husband, Jon, daughter, Brandy (Wade) Kitner, and best friend since the fifth grade, Betty Knoke; her parents; second family from Metalcraft; countless feline friends; and other family members and friends.
Becky is preceded in death by her brothers, Jerry Kiroff, Tim Lumley, and Kenny Lumley.
Douglas Lumm July 31, 1959 - October 13, 2021
Douglas "Doug" Lumm, 62, of Mason City, got his wings on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at MercyOne Medical Center in Des Moines.Douglas Kent Lumm was born July 31, 1959 to Earl and Vera (Baldwin) Lumm. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1978. Some of his favorite pastimes were watching the NFL draft and baseball World Series. Doug especially liked watching and cheering for the Minnesota Vikings, Iowa Hawkeyes and Minnesota Twins. The history of Iowa was especially interesting to him.
Doug loved to read Western novels, some by his favorite author Ralph Compton, and has read hundreds over and over again throughout the years. Most recently, he enjoyed following family and friends on Facebook and seeing what treasures might be available on Facebook auctions.
The most important thing to Doug was FAMILY. Whenever at least one member of the family was around Doug would be right there with them. He would drop anything and everything to help any of them when in need.
On May 4, 2018 Doug married Sandy "Sissy" Schaefer and the couple made their home in Mason City with their four-legged babies.
Left to enjoy remembrances, laugh together and share in all Doug meant to them are his wife, Sandy Lumm; father, Earl Lumm; sister, Brenda Lumm; brother, (Rod (Diane) Lumm; along with several nieces, nephews, cousins, other family members and friends.
Doug was preceded in death by his mother, Vera; brother, Rick; and sister, Connie.
