Representative Lauritz M. Enger View All Years

LAURITZ M. ENGER

Senator Reed, from a special committee, submitted the following report and moved its adoption:

MR. PRESIDENT Your committee, which was appointed to report resolutions commemorating the life, character and services of Lauritz M. Enger, beg leave to submit the following report, and move its adoption:

Lauritz M. Enger was born on November 3, 1856, in Norway. At the age of fifteen he borrowed enough money to pay his passage to the United States and afterward worked upon a farm in order to pay his debt. He enjoyed a varied experience as a farm laborer, a clerk, as a shoe merchant, and also as a mail clerk in the Decorah post office. It was this position that fitted him to enter the employment of the Decorah-Posten in their mailing division, where he advanced until he was put in charge of it. Subsequently he was employed as an assistant in the editorial and business department. While so employed he established an insurance business which grew to proportions that demanded all of his time.

In 1910 Mr. Enger aspired to political honors, received the Republican nomination for representative from his county in the legislature and was elected. He was re-elected in 1912; in 1914 was chosen senator from the Winneshiek-Howard district, and served with distinction in the 34th, 35th, 36th and 37th General Assemblies. For several years he was secretary of the Winneshiek County Agricultural Society and more recently had been secretary of the city school board and treasurer and manager of Decorah hospital. He was an active and earnest member of the Lutheran church, and also belonged to Det Norske Selskab and Symra.

On February 10, 1880, Mr. Enger was united in marriage with Bertha Myran. Mrs. Enger passed away on February 3d last. The deceased is survived by his sons, Melvin, a professor in the University of Illinois, Norval, of Ephrata, Washington, and Arthur, of El Paso, Texas. Mr. Enger died at his home in Decorah, August 2, 1920.

Your committee recommends that as a fitting recognition of his life, the following resolution be adopted:

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Thirty-Ninth General Assembly of Iowa, That in the death of Lauritz M. Enger, the state of Iowa has lost a faithful and conscientious citizen; a man whose desire was to so live that the world might be better for his having lived; and a man whose relations in his home and to his family were such that they will be adopted as an ideal for others to follow.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread in the journal of the Senate and an engrossed copy of same be sent to the members of the family.

Respectfully submitted,

CARL M. REED,

JOHN R. PRICE,

H. S. VAN ALSTINE.