Laura (Koenen) Lottman

Laura Lottman, 99, formerly of Kerkhoven, died Friday, November 19th, 2021 at her home.  Her funeral will be 11:00 am, Friday, November 26th at Kerkhoven Lutheran Church in Kerkhoven with interment in Hillside Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8:00 pm, Thursday at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar and will continue one hour prior to the service at the Church. www.hafh.org.

Laura Viola Koenen was born August 9, 1922, in Crate Township, Chippewa County, Minnesota, the daughter of Harm and Katherina (Fletcher) Koenen. She grew up on the farm and attended country school through the 8th grade. Following school, she continued to work on the family farm.

On December 29, 1941, she was united in marriage to Walter “Wally” Lottman in Raymond. They lived and farmed near Wadena for two years before moving to the Clara City area where she grew up. In 1954 they purchased the farm south of Kerkhoven where they lived for 61 years and raised their family. Laura was Wally’s “hired man”. She took care of the house, and you could find her most days in the barn, in the field, and helping with chores. In 1973 they bought a resort near Ponsford, residing there until returning to the farm in 2010. Wally preceded her in death in 2015.

*While growing up, Laura was baptized member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Clara City. Since moving to Kerkhoven has been an active member of Kerkhoven Lutheran Church where she belonged to WELCA.

*Sewing was Laura’s passion. She did beautiful handwork. She made hundreds of quilts and the lap blankets which were given away for people in need. No one could patch like Laura. Wally had coveralls, coats and other clothes he wore for 50 years!

*Laura always had pails in the freezer full of home baked goods that we could enjoy at any time. The coffee pot was always on to welcome everyone.

*Mom loved to fish, and the fish loved her. Just hand her your pole and she would catch fish. Then she would teach you how to filet the fish with or without the Y bones.

*Laura was a champion softball player as the catcher in Chippewa County.

*She was in charge of the Kerkhoven Elevator Ham and Bean Appreciation Day for 25 years.

*Sunday school teacher and President, Ladies Aid President

*Chairman of the PTA in School

*Chairman of the Scandinavian church supper that fed 500 people and worked at it for many years

*Popped popcorn on a camp stove on Friday nights in Kerkhoven, when the stores were open to raise money for the Kerkhoven Luther League for their yearly convention trip. She was a Luther League advisor. 

*Raised 4000 chickens each year and picked on average 90 dozen eggs every day by hand.

*She also raised and butchered 500 roosters to sell for a $1 apiece

*Picked corn by hand one ear at a time, 200 bushels a day

*At their resort mom was known as the skunk trapper. She trapped over 300 skunks.

Surviving are her children:  Donald Lottman of Kerkhoven; Gary (Lucy) Lottman of Florence, CO; Bobby “Woody” Lottman of Mesquite, NV; Steven (Lynne) Lottman of Willmar; Debra (Craig) Heggerston of Center City; 11 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and one great, great granddaughter.  Also surviving are her sister, Helen Holton of Prescott, AZ; sisters-in-law, Alice Koenen of Clara City, Betty Lottman of Phoenix, AZ, Shirley Olson of Brookings, SD; and many nieces and nephews.

Besides her husband, Wally in 2015, and her parents, she was preceded in death by her daughters-in-law, Marcia (Amdahl) Lottman and Sue (Bachman) Lottman; granddaughter, Nicole Lottman, and ten siblings.

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