Multiple Saint Paul

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  Christopher Lidstad

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Christopher Lidstad is a Caucasian male born on April 10, 1964. He has two siblings, an older brother and an older sister, and was raised by both parents. His father worked with 3M while his mother was a housemaker. Lidstad grew up in multiple neighborhoods within Saint Paul but discussed his time in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood. He was raised with Catholic beliefs but does not practice the religion now. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Lidstad begins his interview by explaining how his parents, raised during the Great Depression, created the rule to eat everything on his dinner plate. He recalls growing up in an area with little to no crime and how safe it was for children. Lidstad tells the story of when he was snowed in during band practice in school and helped other students push cars out of the snow during wintertime. Later, he reminisces on his family trip to Disneyland and Washington D.C. Lidstad concluded his interview by discussing the social issues that stuck out to him during his adolescent years, such as Walk for Mankind and Watergate.

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  Denny Garzon-Villanueva

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Denny Garzon-Villanueva is a Mexican male born on August 18, 1985. Growing up, Garzon-Villanueva lived with his parents and two younger siblings. Both of his parents worked. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Garzon-Villanueva describes his extended family and discusses his love for pets during his childhood. However, he mentions being unable to have one due to an unfortunate incident involving his father's dog. Garzon-Villanueva reflects on his experience of growing up poor and how it motivated him and his siblings to strive for a better life. Garzon-Villanueva also shares his and his family's history with Christianity. He explains how Christianity positively influenced his father, expresses frustration with people who attribute everything to a higher purpose following an accident involving his daughter, and discusses how religious discussions have brought him closer to his father, fostering understanding. Furthermore, Garzon-Villanueva describes the neighborhoods he grew up in and how they have changed over time. He mentions maintaining connections with people from those neighborhoods. Lastly, he discusses the availability of neighborhood resources and expresses frustration with bureaucratic hurdles, misallocation of funds, and lack of resources.

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  Julie Luker

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Julie Luker is a white female born on September 2, 1977. She lived with her mother and half-brother in Saint Paul. She later lived with her dad, stepmom, stepsister, and half-sister. Luker was raised Lutheran. Her father worked in sales and her mother worked as a legal secretary for the State of Minnesota. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Luker describes her family life, immediate and extended. She talks about living with her parents and half-brother. She talks about her blended family structure after her father remarried. She talks about the close relationship with her grandma on her mom's side, who took care of them a lot due to her mother's illness. On her dad's side, Luker talks about her grandma and grandpa who lived nearby, and the times she enjoyed with them. She also talks about other meaningful connections in her life. Luker talks about how close she and her mother were. She talks about the health issues her mother had and her passing. She felt a strong desire to be with and care for her mother, often sacrificing time with others to support her. Luker talks about her relationship with her dad and how he remained involved in her life and created fond memories during visits. Luker talks about the pets she had growing up. She had several family pets, mainly cats that they got from the Humane Society. She also talks about her fascination with amphibians and reptiles, and how she enjoyed catching frogs and turtles. Luker talks about her financial situation growing up. She talks about assistance programs she was on when living with her mother. She talks about how things changed when she moved in with her dad and step-mom. Luker talks about how her upbringing still affects her frugal views on money, she has calmed down, but it still is a worry that lingers. Luker talks about being raised Lutheran. She talks about regularly attending church, participating in church events, such as Sunday School and mission trips. Luker reflects on both the positive and negative impact from religion. She talks about emotional support and a sense of self-worth during challenging periods, such as her mother’s death. She also brings up her issues with the patriarchal and conservative aspects of the religion. Luker talks about the two neighborhoods she grew up in and shares memories from those neighborhoods. Luker goes on to talk about the shared values in these neighborhoods. She talks about values including respecting others, especially adults, and taking care of their belongings, volunteering and giving back to the community, and putting others' needs before her own. She goes on to share the games she played outside as a child and some dangerous stories from that time. She talks about driving around as a teenager and visiting The Reservoir. Luker goes on to share her experiences with schooling and Mr. Buckley, a teacher who stands out in her memory. Lastly, Luker talks about local and global issues. She brings up neighborhood safety concerns, discrimination, race-related issues, societal expectations, restrictions imposed on women, the impact of the Jacob Wetterling kidnapping, and The Cold War. She also reflects on concerns that are still impactful today, including gentrification, racial disparities, LGBT issues, and her overall concerns about the political climate.

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  Bradford Cochrane

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Bradford Fleming Cochran is a European (German and Swedish descent) male born on April 27, 1956. He is the youngest of five children. His father was a doctor - an ophthalmologist - and his mother's occupation wasn't shared. He grew up Presbyterian. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Cochran starts by describing some of his memories of his family and pets, as well as how household chores were divided up between him and his siblings, mentioning how the chores were divided among their traditional gender jobs. He also describes mealtime, and how that was when the family got together to share food, memories, and intellectual conversations together. He mentions how his family was very well off financially, and how he and his siblings needed to have good reputations, because his father was a well-known doctor, and his mother was politically well connected. He discusses his religious upbringings, recollecting some short memories of that area of his childhood. Cochran goes on to describe the neighborhood he grew up in, putting a lot of emphasis on the abundance of children in the neighborhood, as well as the different outside activities he was able to participate in. He discusses how his method of transportation changed as he was growing up. He mentions the value of behaving well, as well as being respectful of people and their family's practices. He goes on to explain a couple examples of how he spent his leisurely time, such as biking, going on vacation with his family, and watching TV. Afterwards, Cochran touches on his experience with schooling, going into great detail about several memories he had correlating with it. He ends the interview by describing the local issues affecting the neighborhood, such as talking about integration, Vietnam War, generation cap, as well as economic issues.

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  Carol Lemke

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Carol Lemke is a Caucasian female born on December 27th, 1946. She is the oldest of three children. Her father mainly worked for American Post and Dairy, whilst her mother would occasionally work as a waitress at the Southview Country Club. They lived around several neighborhoods within the Saint Paul area, including West Saint Paul, Lilydale, and Mendota Heights. She grew up Lutheran. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Lemke discussed how her and her family moved around several times during her childhood. She briefly mentions how school was for her.One of her biggest recollections is the flood of 1952 in Lilydale. She regularly discusses her connection with her grandparents as well as placing great emphasis on how active she was outside. Some other activities include describing what activities and games she played outside, as well as some popular TV shows. Lemke mentions how religion affected her childhood - such as her values - as well as how religion influences her current life. Lastly, she ends the interview discussing the issues that existed in the community, such as the polio vaccine, as well as the Vietnam War.

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  Craig Armstead

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Craig Armstead is a white male born on February 11, 1959. He has four siblings. His father was an entrepreneur, and his mother was originally a stay-at-home parent, but then later worked at a perfume company. He grew up Catholic. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Armstead starts by describing some of his close and extended family life, recalling some of his memories associated with them. He mentions how his father's job allowed him to open up a sandwich shop. He goes on to describe some of the family pets that they owned, as well as the income his family received to meet their basic needs. He briefly discusses his family's religious practices. Armstead talks about the neighborhood that he grew up in, recalling some memories about his neighbors and their families, and the neighborhood's safety. He mentions the value of loyalty and being a gentleman. Afterward, he touches on the activities that were done for leisure time - such as sports - as well as his schooling and his involvement with school activities, such as band. He continues by recalling some memories about school and the teachers that he likes, as well as how he left his school district to go to a military high school. He ends the interview by describing the local issues affecting the neighborhood, such as Watergate, Nixon, and the Vietnam War.

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  Gudrun Gates

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Gudrun Gates, Caucasian female born August 15th, 1954. She had two older brothers. Gates’s father was a machinist. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Gates describes her unique family structure with the many grandparents that she had. She describes the struggles that had growing up poor. Her father worked three jobs. She describes the communal response to poverty at the time where neighbors would take care of each other and how that influenced her as an adult. She talks about attending Swedish Lutheran church with her father and how faith has helped her. Gates talks about the freedom of childhood back then where you’d be able to roam free until the streetlights came on. She also describes the shared values and unspoken rules around the deference that children had for their elders and other people’s property. Gates talks about her time in school, her self-imposed exile from kindergarten, and other teachers she remembers more fondly making an impact. Lastly, she spoke on issues in the community. Gates talks about how addiction and mental illness were present but kept quiet. She describes factories closing and how that affected the neighborhood.

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  James Hamilton

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: James M Hamilton is a Caucasian male born on May 9, 1951. He had 10 siblings. His father worked as a printer, as well as some other jobs, whilst his mother did not work for a long time due to her constant births. He grew up Catholic but is now atheist. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Hamilton starts by briefly describing where he grew up, but mainly focused on recounting stories of specific members of the family: such as how poorly his father treated the family due to alcoholism, the pain that his mother went through in her faith life, primarily due to the elders at the church, as well as the lives of some of Hamilton's siblings. He mentions how he wasn't close to his paternal and maternal grandparents until later in life and recounts a couple stories about them. He briefly discusses his religious upbringing and his current thoughts on religion. Hamilton goes on to describe his family's socioeconomic status as well as what his home and neighborhood looked like. He mentions the shared value of learning that the rules that families gave to their children were not absolute, due to his sociological theory on life because of the diverse community. Afterwards, he touches on the activities that were done for leisure time - such as baseball, sleepovers and comic books - as well as schooling and its strict regimen from kindergarten to early high school, followed by some positive experiences during his high school years. He ends the interview by describing the local issues affecting the neighborhood, talking about the 1960 election between Richard Nixon and John F Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald's death, racism, and a couple wars.

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  Jeannie O'Gorman

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Jeannie Kathleen O'Gorman is a Caucasian female born on October 27, 1946. She is the third oldest of four children. Her father worked various jobs, but primarily worked as a house painter and in other related fields; her mother worked as a federal employee typist. She grew up Catholic. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: O'Gorman starts by describing some of her memories whilst growing up in the area, specifically mentioning the extended family and religious influences on her, as well as how she tried to have family pets but would repeatedly fail to keep a pet at home. She mentions how the household chores were divided by gender in her family, including how money was a constant anxiety for her family. She briefly discusses the Catholic branch that she was in, and the way it affected her when she was growing up. O'Gorman goes on to describe what her neighborhood looked like while she was growing up, recalling several memories from that time. She mentions several values that were shared by the community, such as how children are to be seen and not heard, how men are the head of the household, physical punishment is acceptable, etc. She touches on a memory connected to the value of how children's opinions are not important/are powerless. She talks about leisure time and provides a couple examples of activities that they would do, such as swimming and various church activities. O'Gorman describes her schooling and how it was repressive. She ends the interview by describing the local issues affecting the neighborhood, such as the commonality of physical abuse in the neighborhood and the Korean War.

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  Joan Perrault

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Joan Perrault is a Caucasian female born on July 22, 1950. She lived with her family in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood until fourth grade, after which they moved to Roseville. Her father was a police officer. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom. She grew up Catholic. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Perrault describes the two neighborhoods she grew up in. In the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood, she recounted fond memories of this neighborhood, including large birthday parties, walking to Sacred Heart Catholic school with her elder brother, and enjoying the company of many friends. In the Roseville neighborhood, Perrault describes a vibrant community where children played freely, neighbors engaged in daily coffee gatherings, and engaged in religious customs. She shares intersections of world events and her personal life. Reflecting on the economic status of her childhood, Perrault notes that despite their limited means, they often found creative ways to enjoy life. She shares stories of ways they had fun and saved money. Perrault shares her early memories of how deeply ingrained her religion was to her life. She goes on to talk about an issue with their church and how their family gave up on religion. In the next section, Perrault goes on to describe and share more stories of the two neighborhoods she grew up in. In speaking on values, she shares the values held rooted in religious belief and the Ten Commandments. She shares some of the recreational activities her family engaged in such as beach visits, drive-in theaters, and picnics. Perrault describes her schooling. She contrasts her private Catholic school days with her time in public school. She talked about the struggles that came with the strict environment of Catholic school. After a period of adaptation, she found a better fit in public schooling. Lastly, in reflecting on local and global issues Perrault describes being sheltered from world events. She talks about developing more awareness of issues over time. She describes her struggles with those same protective instincts when it comes to raising her own children.

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  Jody Cohen Press

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Jody Anne Cohen Press is a white female born on August 8, 1958. She is one of two siblings. Her father worked as a sales manager in the liquor industry. Her mother worked for the State of Minnesota until she became a stay-at-home parent. She grew up Jewish. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Press starts by mentioning which external and immediate family members she interacted with the most as she was growing up, noting her relationship with her maternal grandmother, as well as her cousins and parents. She briefly discusses how her, and her brother were not forced to do household chores. She mentions how they were a middle-class family, and how her father was good at his job. She goes on to talk about her religious upbringing, and how she was raised in a conservative Jewish family, and keeps to her customs to this day, as well as her involvement with her synagogue, in which she's on the board of directors. Press talks about how she spent a lot of her childhood at Edgecumbe Playground, and how she was in the tumbling sport until the sixth grade and won some medals. She describes what her home looked like, detailing the bookcases and China cabinets that they had. She discusses how her family knew everybody in the neighborhood, and how they would look after some of the neighbors. She mentions the value of being respectful and nice to others, the golden rule, as well as following what their faith said. Press mentions some of the leisure activities that her family did, such as backyard barbecuing, going boating on the St. Croix, stay at Lake Itasca. She goes on to describe what she did during her leisure time, which was participating in activities such as tetherball, going to the playground, being hide and seek, riding bikes, as well as playing with barbies and an easy bake oven. She talks about the entertainment that she enjoyed, like That Girl, American Bandstand, and the Beatles. She continues by describing some of the teachers that she has, as well as what her student body looked like, and how her school was pretty integrated for both race and students with disabilities. Press ends the interview by describing the local issues affecting the neighborhood, such as the Vietnam War, Democratic Convention in Chicago, and Woodstock. She also talks about how they would occasionally take trips to see the fallout shelter in grade school, as well as all of the vaccines that she needed to take.

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  Kathy Wallace

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Kathy Wallace is a Caucasian female born on November 21st, 1956. She was one of five children. Wallace's father was a printer at St Paul Companies. Her mother was a bookkeeper and worked various part-time jobs. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Wallace gives an overview of her extended family. She describes her poodle Pepe. Wallace talks about her family's history with religion growing up, which included attending Sunday church services, participating in Sunday school, and going through confirmation. She also talks about how religion has remained a part of her life as an adult. Wallace recalls her childhood memories. She remembers spending a lot of time outdoors playing with neighbors, cousins, and other children. Playing on swing sets, kiddie pools, and picnics in their yards. They also participated in activities such as playing softball, sledding, and ice skating. Wallace fondly recalls her time in school. Lastly, Wallace talks about local and global issues and how they affected her. She touches on the JFK assassination, severe weather events, Martin Luther King Jr. assassination, Bobby Kennedy assassination, Vietnam War, racial tensions, and bomb threats.

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  Thomas Achartz

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Thomas Paul Achartz is a white male born on February 11th, 1957. He grew up with 2 brothers. His parents are divorced. His mom worked as a Go-Go dancer. They lived in the Roosevelt Housing Project on the east side of Saint Paul. Achartz grew up Catholic but converted to Lutheran. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Achartz discussed struggles of growing up poor in the projects. The internal struggle of coming from a divorced household at that time. Achartz spoke of his mother’s emphasis on keeping a clean house. Achartz talks about how his struggles growing up poor has affected how he relates to money now; he still appreciates saving money and getting a deal. Achartz describes the techniques he learned to get by and how his focus was on having enough food and money for rent. He discusses his non-engaged Catholicism as a child and what it means to him that he is brand loyal to Jesus as an adult. He speaks on the long afternoons of childhood, roaming the neighborhoods and reading at the library. Achartz tells about how music opened a broader world to him. Achartz explains how his teachers and friendships have shaped him into the man he is today.

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  Jeffry Werner

  Julie M. Luker

  BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Jeffry Werner is a Caucasian male born on February 10, 1943. He is one of two siblings. His father worked for 60 years at the same company, starting as a newspaper boy, to becoming the VP of that company; his mother initially started as a stay-at-home parent, but eventually started working part-time in retail. He grew up Lutheran. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Werner starts by recalling some of his memories whilst growing up, touching on what sports he played and what kind of income his family had. He mentions how the household chores were fairly divided, and how they even received allowance. He briefly continues to discuss how his family's economic status influenced his childhood, and how he never felt that they were in a bad financial position. Werner goes on to describe how religion affected his upbringing. He talks about how both neighborhoods he lived in felt quite safe. He continues by describing what his house and neighborhood looked like, and how it was easy to participate in outside activities such as riding bikes and swimming at the pool. He mentions the value of learning self-efficacy and independence, as well as there being a strong religious influence in the Catholic community. Afterwards, he touches on how he spends his leisure time, by playing sports like baseball and going on drives throughout the neighborhood, as well as going on vacation. Werner mentions what schooling looked like, recalling memories of gym class. He ends the interview by describing the local issues affecting the neighborhood, mostly talking about the Cold War, and practicing safety drills at school, as well as touching on race.