Loven, John and Anna (Skaim)

Anna Skaim (1828-1910) was born in Sogn, Norway. Anna married John (Oslag) Loven (1826-1900). John and Anna immigrated to the United States and lived in Winneshiek Co. They had 6 children: Sarah (1861-1953); John, Jr. (1862-1948); Mathi (1866-1920); Ole (1868-1955); Hannah (1875-1907) and Nels. The first 3 children were born in Norway.

Sarah married Edward Erickson. They had 2 daughters: Bertina and Ida Sophia. Bertina never married. She is buried in the Glenwood Cemetery.

Ida married Carl Borseth (born at Calmar). Ida and Carl had 7 children: Sadie Marlys married Harry J. Lensch. Harry died and Sadie later married Fay Richard Ward. Aria Mae first married Melvin Brown; she later married Lester Hirch. Norman Oscar married Dorothy Althouse. After Dorothy died, Norman married Lillian Bakken. Clifford Edward married Kathyrn Nelson. Merle Orlando married Elsie Fite. Stanley Ordell married Marge Peterson. Donald Franklin died as an infant.

Loven, Russell and Juanita (Zeman)

(Russell and Juanita Loven)

Russell and Juanita Loven

Russell Philip Loven was born at Smith Memorial Hospital in Decorah to Roy R and Ruth (Onsager) Loven. The Loven farm where Roy’s parents lived is located in Glenwood Twp., Winneshiek Co. Roy was one of 8 children born to John and Mary Loven who emigrated from Norway. Ruth (Onsager) Loven was the daughter of Henry and Anna (Johnson) Onsager who also emigrated from Norway. Ruth (Onsager) Loven died 28 Apr 1956 in Waukon.

As a child, Russell, his brother Richard and their parents lived in several locations in Allamakee and Winneshiek Co. Russell graduated from Waukon High

School in 1952 and enrolled at Luther College in the Fall. During their freshman year, he met his future wife Juanita Zeman from Melrose, Wl. After their sophomore year, Russell volunteered for the draft and entered the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Ft. Smith, AR and Okinawa. While on leave and before being transferred overseas, he and Juanita were married 20 Nov 1954 in Black River Falls, Wl. Scott Russell Loven was born in Black River Falls while Juanita was living with her parents Frank and Leona Zeman in rural Melrose. Russ was discharged in June 1956.

In the Fall of 1956, Russ re-enrolled at Luther College. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree with majors in Business Administration and History and minors in Spanish and Education in 1958. During this time the family lived in the Luther College “Barracks” - married student housing, often referred to as “fertile acres." Sheree Ruth Loven was born at Smith Memorial Hospital in Decorah. The family attended Decorah Lutheran Church. Juanita belonged to the “Newcomer’s Club." To help meet the needs of the growing family, Russ had a rural paper route, was a bill collector for Winneshiek Co. Credit Bureau and worked in Les Ode's Skelly Station on East Water Street. Juanita typed term papers, worked part-time for Decorah Newspapers and in the Luther Placement Office.

During the summer of 1958, the Lovens moved to Austin, MN where Susan Rae Loven was born  in St. Olaf Hospital. Russ worked on construction and did painting while waiting to move into an apartment in Grand Meadow, MN where he began his teaching career as Secondary School Social Studies Teacher and Coach. He also drove a school bus to supplement his beginning teacher’s salary of $4,000. In those days few wives with children worked. Somehow we made it through those “lean” years and cannot recall not having adequate shelter, food and clothing. We can recall an enjoyable camaraderie with others in the same situation.

From 1960-62 Russ was a Guidance Counselor and Spanish Teacher at Postville, IA. From there the family moved to Stoughton, Wl where Russ was Middle School and Elementary Guidance Counselor from 1962-67. Thomas Russell Loven was born in Stoughton two days after Russ began his new job. During the summer of 1963 Russell completed his Masters Degree in Guidance and Counseling at the University of Northern Iowa. That summer the entire family, including a bowl of guppies, crammed into a station wagon to spend the summer in a married student housing quonset scheduled for demolition. The roof leaked when it rained and they cooked on a $2.00 grill and an electric skillet.

During the summer of 1967, the Lovens moved to Watertown, Wl when Russ took a position as Assistant Principal at Watertown High School. After their youngest son Tom started school, Juanita re-entered the workforce. In 1970 Russ was named High School Principal, a position he held until returning to Winneshiek Co. in Aug 1978 as Superintendent of the South Winneshiek Community School District (Calmar, Festina, Ossian and Spillville). The Lovens purchased a lovely 1927 vintage English Tu