Loving Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa and Brother Loren Seidel, age 91 of Marine on St. Croix, passed away peacefully with his wife by his side on July 4, 2017.
Loren served in the Pacific in WWII with the Marine Corps. His greatest passion was flying his airplanes. He also loved hunting and fishing.
Loren is preceded in death by son, Kenneth Seidel II; parents, Paul and Hattie; siblings, Loraine, Kenneth Seidel I, Dorothy Buhl, Gene.
He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Ellen; sons, Steve (Sandie), Ray; grandchildren, Perry, Derek (Becky), Jesse, Jenny (Mark Kropidlowski) Peterson, Molly (Dusty) Perry, Shay; great-grandchildren, Sophia, Ella, Kaylee, Kamryn, Kenadee, Madyson, Aubrey; siblings, Paul (Jo Ellen); nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
A Celebration of Loren’s Life 11 a.m. Thursday, July 13th at Roberts Family Life Celebration Home, 555 SW Centennial Dr., Forest Lake, with visitation beginning one hour prior. Interment at Fort Snelling National
Category: The Latest From Forest Lake Times
Wildlife winner
Submitted photo
Representatives from the Wildlife Science Center visited four different Forest Lake preschool classes and brought along a salamander, a corn snake, a broad-winged hawk, and an Eastern screech owl. The opportunity was made available through a WalMart grant awarded to teacher Heather Jacobson.
Local youth honored for community service
The YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities presented Youth Thrive awards to 38 teen leaders across the metro area who have made an impact on their communities while demonstrating a commitment to the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. The Forest Lake recipient was Savannah Stuttgen.
The 2017 Youth Thrive honorees strengthen the Twin Cities as volunteers, peer leaders and Y team members. Their accomplishments include facilitating community conversations around issues that affect young people, speaking to legislators at the State Capitol, providing meaningful outdoor experiences to kids as camp counselors, organizing volunteer service projects, building connections between their peers and the community, and more.broadstreet.zone(48036);
“The YMCA recognizes young people not just as leaders of tomorrow, but as inclusive, innovative and inspirational leaders of today,” YMCA president and CEO Glen Gunderson said in a press release. “The youth we recognized this year are passionate about building community by participating
David Allan Lichtscheidl
David Allan Lichtsheidl, age 58, of Scandia, died unexpectedly on July 9, 2017. David worked for the City of Lino Lakes for the past 25 years. He loved traveling on his motorcycle with his wife, particularly out West into the mountains. He had an immense love and respect for the outdoors. David is survived by his wife of 35 years, Patti; sons, Beau, Zachary (Amanda Bearth), Tyler, Travis; parents, Thomas & Shelbe; siblings, Kevin (Kris), Kari (Jim) Friend, Julie Diehl (Jay Carlson); parents-in-law, Tom & Vonnie Dorn; siblings-in-law, Debbie (Marvin) Anderson, Lisa Gillespie (Dennis Richardson), Tom (Tanya) Dorn; many other nieces, nephews and friends.
Memorial Service 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 14, 2017 at Elim Lutheran Church, 20971 Olinda Trail North, Scandia. Gathering of family and friends 4-8 p.m., Thursday at Mattson Funeral Home, 343 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake. Gathering will continue one hour prior to service at the church. Interment
A forgotten founding family of Forest Lake
Photo from “Reflections of Forest Lake”J.L. Simmons and his nephew Tom ran a grocery store and dry goods store (pictured) in Forest Lake in the early to mid-20th century.
Editor’s note: This is the first part of a two-part series about the oft-forgotten influence of the Simmons family on the Forest Lake area. Information for this story was taken from the files of the Forest Lake Times, the writing of Elsie Vogel in her 1993 Centennial books, “Reflections of Forest Lake,” Simmons family records, and plat books shared by the land surveying firm of Widseth Smith Nolting of Wyoming.
Look around Forest Lake these days and nary will you find a sign of a family that once played a prominent role in the development of the area. It has been that way for decades.broadstreet.zone(48036);
While signs of the Simmons family have vanished from the landscape, explore historical archives and family research and you’ll
The only thing you buy that makes you richer
Ted Blank
Guest Columnist
It struck me during my annual spring cleaning that I had too much stuff. That extra crock pot, a great deal, sits untouched five years later. I’m not sure where I ever thought I’d put that (admittedly very cool) lamp, and I have enough dress socks to last a lifetime or three. It all cost money, but it sure doesn’t add up to wealth.broadstreet.zone(48036);
In contrast to stuff, I can confidently say that there is one purchase we can all make that does indeed make us richer, and that’s travel. Not wealthier in the material sense, of course, but richer in the ways that count. Travel makes us each richer in memories, experiences, personal growth, self-confidence and happiness. In fact, a recent study by Cornell University psychology professor Thomas Gilovich confirmed that investments in experiences – like travel – bring longer lasting happiness than money spent on material objects.
That’s
North Lakes notables
Submitted photo
Three students from North Lakes Academy were honored by the Forest Lake Rotary for the academic achievement and community involvement Pictured are Trent Patten, Maggie Thiele, MLA Executive Director Cam Stottler, Braxton Brown, and Rotary President Leanne Ottomeyer.
Forest Lake Area High School’s FFA named one of Minnesota’s best; Chapter also receives awards for community service and agriculture literacy
For the 12th straight year, the Forest Lake FFA chapter was named one of Minnesota’s top 10 chapters at the annual State FFA Convention, held at the University of Minnesota April 23 to 25.
Forest Lake was seventh in the chapter award program. The recognition was based on an application submitted by the students, which identified successful activities in the areas of student, chapter, and community development. The application will now be reviewed at the national level.broadstreet.zone(48036);
The Forest Lake FFA also took third place honors as part of the agriculture literacy challenge, where members documented several events students had planned and organized revolving around agriculture literacy. Activities were evaluated based on their innovation and number of people reached.
This program was designed to inform others throughout the community about the importance of agriculture.
“These achievements are a result of a dedicated and motivated group of students who seek to improve themselves, their school
Crafting a home for the arts
Photo by Jason DeMoeNatalie Harrer, Matthew Anderson, and their kids Aayden and Jaxon are eager to open their new Glazing Memories Art Studio in Forest Lake next to St. Croix Cleaners.
When Natalie Harrer and Matthew Anderson find a problem, they work to create a solution. Such was the case with their ideas about a shortage of family-friendly, artistically driven activities and entertainment around the Forest Lake area.
“We just noticed that we were having to travel to find cost-effective family stuff to do,” Harrer said. “We wanted to bring something fun and creative to this area.”broadstreet.zone(48036);
The two rented a space at 341 12th St. next to St. Croix Cleaners, and Glazing Memories was born. Glazing Memories, slated to open sometime in mid-July, will offer pottery glazing, canvas painting, string art and board art.
“With the pottery, people can come in and pick a piece from a large variety that we will have
Using geology to read the past
Angie Hong
Guest Columnist
At first glance, Shields Lake in the city of Forest Lake appears natural and relatively untouched. There is a tiny city park with a fishing pier at the northeast corner of the lake and a golf course to the north. The rest of the shoreline is undeveloped, fringed by cattails and trees.
Surprisingly, however, the lake has some of the worst water quality in Washington County.broadstreet.zone(48036);
During 2015, water monitoring data showed the lake to have an average phosphorus concentration of 349 micrograms per liter (ug/L), which is eight times higher than the state’s threshold for impairment: 40 ug/L. The water is green, murky and choked with invasive curlyleaf pondweed. In its annual report card, the Met Council gave Shields Lake an F+.
In an effort to help understand what went wrong with little Shields Lake, researchers from the University of St. Thomas and the St. Croix Watershed Research Station recently