Minneapolis and Surrounding Area

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  Chuck Doxey

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Chuck Doxey is a mixed Caucasian and Mexican male born on January 11, 2004. He was raised by his biological dad, stepdad, and biological mother. His biological father was a computer programmer, and his mother was a hairstylist. Doxey grew up in several neighborhoods within Minneapolis, such as Plymouth, Wayzata, Maple Plain, and North Minneapolis. He was raised Lutheran but participated in several Catholic practices. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Doxey begins the interview by discussing visiting his family in Mexico. He explains his family's reaction to the difference between living in Minnesota and Mexico. Doxey reminisces on the pets he had growing up, such as his beloved cat and Australian shepherd coyote mix. He then explains his relationship with religion and how his Catholic mother baptized him in Mexico. Doxey fondly recalls attending Twins games with his biological father and taking the light train to the stadium. He mentions his grade 9 English teacher, Mrs. Balon-Peck, and how influential she was to the theater department of Orono High School. Doxey concludes his interview by sharing the story of a young girl getting shot by a stray bullet and how that impacted his view on what could be deemed as a safe neighborhood.

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  Alicia Joswiak

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Alicia Joswiak is a Caucasian female born October 2, 2000. She initially lived on the East Side of Saint Paul but moved to New Brighton at a young age. Her mother was a manager and her father worked second shift. She also has a younger sister. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Joswiak was not very close to her extended family, but she did have a strong relationship with her grandmother and older neighbor. She grew up with financial stability. Her family was able to travel frequently. Joswiak remembers spending a lot of time with her sister growing up and being involved in school. Joswiak was involved in music programs and developed a real love for playing several instruments and participating in bands. She remembers being outside a lot and playing in the park near her house. She was not encouraged to be involved in religion and neither were her parents, but she was involved in the church choir. Joswiak reflects on the importance of education and intelligence, and how these were core values of the neighborhood. She was able to complete college level courses during high school, earning her associate degree and high school diploma at the same time. Lastly, Joswiak says she was never really affected by global issues. Some of the local issues that she remembers, however, include health issues at school, such as strep throat or head lice.

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  David Doubek

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: David Doubek is a white male born on December 8, 1954. He lived with his father, mother, older brother, and younger sister in the Jordan neighborhood. His father had an office job in construction. His mother worked at Dayton’s full time after the kids were in grade school. Doubek grew up Catholic but no longer identifies as Catholic. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Doubek discusses his family life and upbringing. He explains that he grew up without an extended family in the Twin Cities, as his parents originated from northeast Iowa but later moved to Minneapolis when he was two. He talks about the supportive relationship his family had with their neighborhoods. Doubek discusses financial constraints in the early years of his childhood. Despite those challenges his parents were able to provide for their basic needs. Doubek emphasizes that they never lacked essentials, always having sufficient clothing, warmth, and love. He talks about the support of his neighbors. He talked about if families faced financial challenges, the community came together to help one another. Doubek reflects that these experiences instilled in him a deep appreciation for money, relationships, and community. Doubek shares a bit about his religious upbringing. He mentions that he is no longer Catholic. Next, Doubek shares more about his neighborhood. He goes into playing ball, swimming, and exploring on his bike. He talks about the values instilled by his family around respect for others that was shared by his neighbors. He shares a story of a local TV show that the neighborhood kids watched and could see in person. Doubek reflects on his experience with schooling during his childhood. He recounts attending a Catholic grade school where multiple grade levels were taught in the same classroom. He talks about the teachers being able to adeptly aim chalkboard erasers at him when he misbehaved. Lastly, on talking on local and global issues, Doubek shares a story of a friend who passed away during the Vietnam War and how that affected him and his friends. He also talks about the racial tension and riots that happened in the cities.

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  Donald Clauson

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Donald Clauson is a Caucasian male born on November 8, 1942. His family growing up consisted of his mother, father, and younger sister. Clauson's father worked for the State Department of Education while his mother was a teacher. He was raised Lutheran and attended the Nokomis Heights Lutheran church. Clauson was raised on 58th and Cedar in Minneapolis. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Clauson begins his interview by explaining the leisure time activities that he took part in, such as roaming the city, fishing, playing in the creek, and flying model airplanes. He described the culture shock of living in the countryside and moving to a big city, Minneapolis. Clauson revealed that he was a member of the Civil Air Patrol and told of his time as a member. Later in the interview, he admits that his father was the superintendent of his school, which pressured him to be a model student. He recalls the funny story of dropping math class using his father's name, which is the same as his. Lastly, Clauson concluded his interview by remembering the bomb raid drills at school and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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  Eric Grube

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Eric Grube is a Caucasian male born October 13, 1967. He grew up alongside his parents in Fulton, Minneapolis, on the intersection of 48th Street and Thomas Avenue. Grube's father was a family physician and his mother was a nurse. The Lutheran faith played a significant role in his life growing up, and remains present as an adult. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Grube begins his interview by sharing that he lived close to the lakes in Minneapolis, which filled his memories with plenty of lake days and sailboating. He recalls attending church every Sunday with his parents and attending youth confirmation nights on Wednesday. Religion has been a considerable part of his life from a young age. Grube participated in the youth choir throughout elementary school. He remembers racing others on a neighbor's sidewalk until junior high, and the homeowner would write down everyone's times. Grube concludes his interview by briefly explaining how the Vietnam War affected his neighborhood.

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  Gretchen Walther

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Gretchen Walther is a white female born on June 18th, 1967. She lived with her father, mother, older sister, and younger brother in Brooklyn Center and later Brooklyn Park. Her father had a trade school degree and worked with two different jobs. Her mother was a teacher but stopped to be a stay-at-home mom. She grew up Lutherans, specifically the Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod (LCMS). SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Walther discusses her family life and memories. She talks about growing up with her parents, an older sister, and a younger brother. She shares memories about grandparents who lived both in the cities and in northern Minnesota. She mentions that her family enjoyed camping during weekends and had close ties with her church community. Walther describes how her family valued spending time together, and family relationships were significant to them. Walther describes how she grew up in a household where her father worked two jobs to make ends meet, and how they didn't have many extra things. She was aware of the economic differences between her family and some of her friends' families, especially when they moved to a new home and school district. She also talks about how this has affected her spending as an adult; she is mindful of her spending habits, looking for sales and opting for generic brands when possible. Walther discusses the significance of her faith to her life growing up. She mentions attending church regularly, even during camping trips. She also touches on how the church was a crucial social aspect of her life, and many close friendships were formed within the church's youth group. As an adult, Walther still considers religion important, and they raised their two daughters in the same faith and how the value and role of faith in guiding her lives remain important to her and her husband. Walther goes into the two neighborhoods she grew up in, Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park. She mentions how the community shared similar values and morals, with a strong connection to their church community. Walther touches on how leisure time was filled with outdoor activities, camping with family, listening to music, and playing with Barbies. In recalling her experiences with schooling Walther talks about teachers that made an impact on her and the struggles of transitioning to a larger school district. Lastly, for local and global issues, Walther touches on economic and racial disparities. She doesn’t recall many global issues or community health issues but recounts a family friend who had cancer.

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  Janina Cich

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Janina Ann Cich is a female Caucasian born in December 1966. She lived with her father, mother, sister, and brother in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Her father worked in law enforcement and her mother was a stay-at-home mom. Cich grew up Catholic. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Cich describes her family life, growing up as the oldest of three kids. She recalls visiting nearby relatives frequently and forming a distant yet meaningful bond with her German relatives who would visit during summers. Cich talks about her family's past pets, including a springer spaniel named Stanislaus and a white kitten named Snowball. Cich goes on to talk about how household chores were divided. Cich discusses the influence of her family's economic status on her childhood and spending habits today. She mentions that she perceived her economic situation as normal, similar to others in the neighborhood, and they enjoyed activities like trips, camping, and visiting relatives. Cich reflects on her family's frugality, instilled by her mother's upbringing during difficult times in Germany. Cich mentions being mindful of spending and not feeling deprived, as her parents taught them to value what they had and make thoughtful decisions regarding purchases. Cich discusses her family's religious background as Catholics and her strong involvement with the Catholic Church. She talks about her father becoming a deacon, leading to even deeper engagement with the church community. Cich talks about being influenced by her parents' strong Catholic beliefs, also became a catechism teacher, and remained devoted to her faith for many years. Cich goes on to talk about how she still holds core Catholic values and beliefs, but she is critical of certain aspects of the church's administration. Cich shares what it was like to grow up in a safe and close-knit neighborhood, where residents respected each other's property and looked out for one another. She talks about shared values of respect, politeness, honesty, and accountability, creating a harmonious and caring community. Cich describes her leisure activities during childhood, including spending time at the park reserve, going on family vacations to cabins, and volunteering as a family at the church fair or festival. Cich recalls engaging in outdoor activities with friends, attending school events together, and hanging out at the mall. Cich recounts her schooling experience. Cich talks about participating in various after-school activities like sports and dance line and enjoyed socializing with friends during homeroom and exchanging notes at lockers. Cich also recalls fond memories of certain teachers, particularly her German, geography, and math teachers. Lastly, Cich reflects on local and global issues.

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  Jeff Sward

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Jeff Sward is a white male born on December 30th, 1956. Sward grew up in Richfield right across from the airport and never moved. He grew up with two siblings, one sister and one brother. Sward was very close to his family. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Sward’s family was considered middle-class. His dad was a plumber and his mom was a teacher’s assistant. Despite not struggling with money, the family was rather frugal. Religion was a big factor in the early days of Sward’s life. Chores were also a big part of his household, with each member having different responsibilities. Sward remembers playing games outside and going to parks and lakes with neighborhood friends. Sward shares how he was brought up to value honesty, and he recalls that other kids were also very honest and connected to their parents in the same way. Sward reflects on his involvement with his school’s excellent baseball program and describes some of his favorite bands and music. Lastly, he talks about some of the local and global issues, such as Woodstock, Polio, and the Vietnam War.

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  Laura Goodman

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Laura Goodman is a Caucasian female born on March 5, 1955. She has a sister who is two years younger than her. Her father worked in construction labor while her mother taught at Vacation Bible School on Sundays. Goodman grew up on Old Cedar Avenue in Bloomington. She strongly identifies with her Lutheran religion and has been active in the Church since childhood. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Goodman begins her interview by discussing her parents' desire to have children and how loved she and her sister were. She revealed her relation to the previous Chief Justice Earl Warren and recalls her excitement to visit the court buildings in Washington, D.C. Goodman explains her religious upbringing and the transition from Lutheranism to Catholicism. She remembers her school days fondly, as she was a gifted child and met life-long friends at a young age. Goodman concludes the interview by recalling the global issues happening during her upbringing. These issues included the Cold War, the space race, the March on Washington, and Kennedy's assassination.

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  Pamela Hanks

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Pamela Ann Hanks is a Caucasian female born on July 30, 1951. She is the second to youngest among her siblings. She has an older brother and sister, and a younger brother. Her father worked as a purchasing agent for an electronic parts distribution company. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom. Hanks grew up in West Bloomington on Auto Road Club. She was baptized in the Oak Grove Presbyterian Church. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Hanks began her interview by reading her written statement about her family's history. She is a descendant of Gideon and Samuel Pond, Presbyterian missionaries who founded Oak Grove Presbyterian Church. Hanks discussed her relationship with her family. She describes how close she was to her mother and explains how her love for birds stemmed from her mother's knowledge of them. Her relationship with her father was distant until she began working for her father. Hanks later added that she owned her father's company and hired her younger brother. She reminisced on her friendship with her best friend, Mary. Hanks recalls the global issues that impacted her, such as the Vietnam War, which her then-boyfriend was drafted into. Lastly, she talks about her experience with school.

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  Rebecca Bauer

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Rebecca Bauer is a white female born December 3, 1965. Bauer grew up in the Nokomis neighborhood of Minneapolis. She had a younger brother. Her mother was a Registered Nurse (RN) and her dad was a teacher. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Bauer remembers growing up very conservatively and being active in her church. She followed suit with this upbringing and raised her own kids this way as well, sending them to Christian private schools in the area. Bauer remembers a childhood of fun and excitement. Her family took trips our west. She remembers playing all day outside during the summer months, playing games or going to lakes around the area with the other neighborhood kids. She remembers how safe the neighborhood was, being able to walk and bike everywhere without fear or trouble. Bauer also reflects on bands and television shows that she watched growing up, such as The Beatles, Peter Frampton, and the Wonderful World of Disney. She also reflects on two wonderful teachers that had a positive, lasting impact. Finally, Bauer reflects on some of the issues that impacted her neighborhood, including the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the Civil Rights era.

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  Cynthia Kalland

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Cynthia Kalland is a white female born on September 25th, 1949. She was born and raised in Saint Louis Park. She lived with her dad, mom, and older sister. Her dad was a pharmacist and her mother was a housewife. She is agnostic. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Kalland describes her parents history and how they got together. She talks about how close her family was. She talks about her pet toy poodle and how it liked everyone in the family except for her dad. She describes the different religious influences of her family and what traditions her kids still follow. Kalland describes the beautiful neighborhood she explored as a kid. Kalland values instilled in her from her parents: diversity and education, and how intellectual philosophical discussions were important in her home. She described planning trips with the family, states they visited, and her love of musicals. Kalland tells of her time in school and trips she went on as a Saint Louis Park Parkette. Lastly, Kalland talks about antisemitism of the time, global events and her relationship to those events, and famous persons from Saint Louis Park.

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  Joel Thingvall

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Joel Thingvall is a Caucasian male born on September 16th, 1953. He lived with his father and mother in the Longfellow neighborhood. His father worked for Glenwood Inglewood Springwater Company. His mother worked at a female-run company conducting market research. He was an only child. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Thingvall talks about his parents history with the home they grew up in and how neighbors stayed in the neighborhood. He talks about odd jobs he did for money and chores he had growing up. Thingvall talks about the different churches around the city growing up. He mentions his thoughts about joining the ministry and why he decided against it. Thingvall talked about how activities at the time were centered around the church and the parks and schools events. He talks about his love of comics and people he knew from the industry. He talks about the tight knit nature of the community at the time. Lastly, Thingvall talks about big events that happened at the time: space landing, Minneapolis race riots, and diversity of the neighborhoods.

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  Paul Hardt

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Paul Hardt is a Caucasian, cis male born on July 31, 1950. He is one of the children. His father worked at Barnum Stationary, and his mother was a stay-at-home mother, until she started working at Canteen later on. They grew up in a couple different areas, such as St. Louis Park, Edina, and Richfield. He grew up with an eclectic religious background. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Hardt begins by briefly touching on the work life of his parents. He goes on to talk about his father's military backgrounds, more specifically his relation to the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. Throughout the interview, Hardt relates back to their living situation, experiences with where they lived, and how they were able to afford going on trips and paying for college. Later, he describes his eclectic religious background, touching on the different upbringings his parents had, as well as the influence of his father's dad, who was an active freemason. Hardt discusses the values that were instilled in his family and community, such as patriotism and shared values, like hard work, respect, courtesy, and family. He had an active physical life, participating in leisure activities like fishing, riding on bikes, and swimming. Lastly, Hardt ends the interview discussing the issues that existed in the community, such as the thought of nuclear war, people's trust in President Eisenhower, as well as racial issues like redline policies, and sexual liberation.

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  Steve Adams

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Steve Adams is a Caucasian male born on May 1, 1950. He is the second oldest of five children. His father worked several jobs, mainly focused on education or insurance fields. They lived around Minneapolis and the surrounding area, including Richfield, Sanborn, Sioux Falls, and Minnetonka. He grew up Methodist. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Adams discussed how he and his family moved around several times due to his father's job changes. He actively touches on the conversation of religion, and the environment of the Richfield neighborhood. Adams talks about how topics such as divorce and the Red Scare were spoken about in their neighborhood and school - as well mentioning how certain drills and skills were learned at school for protection. Adams goes into detail about the different leisure activities he would partake in, placing emphasis on physical and mental activities, as well as music. Conversations about schooling are also mentioned. Lastly, he ends the interview discussing the issues that existed in the community, such as noise due to aircrafts, the Kid Can era, traffic deaths, Cold War, Martin Luther King, as well as other civil movements.

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  Scott McGrath, Sr.

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Scott McGrath Sr. is a white male born on December 17, 1962. McGrath Sr. grew up with his father and mother in Armatage; he was an only child. His father worked at the Red Owl food store. His mother was a stay-at-home mom. He was raised Methodist and is still a practicing Christian. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: McGrath Sr. shares memories of family life growing up, including Christmas, birthdays, his family’s giant snowblower, and mealtimes. McGrath Sr. speaks on his family’s financial situation growing up; he describes how he had what he needed growing up. He describes the job his father had for 48 years. He goes on to state that learning to live within his means from an early age has helped him. McGrath Sr. describes his religious practices growing up. He describes the neighborhood he grew up in and some risky antics he got up to with friends, like playing in the swamp or crashing into trash cans on bikes. McGrath Sr. describes the values shared by his family, the importance of family and a good relationship with God. McGrath Sr. describes global events that impacted him growing up, including the Vietnam war, the moon landing, Kent State shooting, Iran hostage crisis, and music. Lastly, McGrath Sr. reflects on differences in his old neighborhood now compared to when he grew up.