Trysil Historielag

Born: 11 Oct 1864, Trysil, Østerdalen, Norway
Married: 3 Jun 1896, Harwood twp, Cass Co, ND
Died: 30 Oct 1922, Alexandria, Douglas Co, MN
Buried: Kinkead Cemetery, Alexandria, Douglas Co, MN
Spouse: Martha Persdtr. vestre Nordby

Parents:  Engebret Persen Lobeck & Inger Olsdtr Nordgarn Støa

Park Region Echo, Alexandria, MN. November 2, 1922, p 1

E.E. Lobeck Died Suddenly Monday
Funeral Services of Former Prominent Prohibitionist and Lecturer to be Held Friday Afternoon

The sudden death of E.E. Lobeck, former member of the House of Representatives and the Senate of this state from this county and this district, at his home in this city Monday evening about 6:30 o’clock, means the passing of another prominent citizen of Alexandria and Douglas County.

Mr. Lobeck had up until the time he was taken sick on Monday noon been actively engaged in his duties as field secretary and lecturer for the World’s Purity Federation, with which organization he had been connected for the past four months about. To the casual observer about town he appeared to be a rugged, and exceptionally well developed example of the old Viking type. He had, however, been subject to stomach trouble and its accompanying gas attacks, and it was one of these which caused his illness Monday. At first it was regarded as just the ordinary attack from which he would recover in a short time, but his heart became affected, and finally heart failure caused his untimely end in spite of the most diligent efforts of physicians.

The former legislator was only fifty-eight years of age, and his death comes as a distinct shock to the member of his family, and their many friends and acquaintances not only in this community but throughout the state.

Funeral services will be held this Friday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock from the home on Seventh avenue West, and at 2:30 o’clock from the First Norwegian Lutheran Church.

Engebret E. Lobeck was born in Norway in 1864, and three years later came with his parents to this country in 1867. He received his education at Augsburg Seminary, Wraaman’s Academy, the State University and Willmar Seminary.

Mr. Lobeck has written and published a collection of poems and a story in 1899. For a number of years he was a prominent temperance lecturer, and a leading member of the Prohibitionist party in this state. He was elected to the legislature on the Prohibition ticket, and was a candidate for governor of Minnesota on the same ticket at one election.

He started his legislative career in 1907, when he served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives through that session and the following session of 1909. In the fall of 1914 he was elected to the state senate, and he served in that body in the sessions of 1915 and 1917.

When the Nonpartisan League started its active organization in this county, Mr. Lobeck took a prominent part in the work, becoming a director of the league publication in this county, the Park Region Echo, and later when the Nonpartisans organized their own bank, the Park Region State Bank, he was elected president of that institution in which capacity he served until the closing of the bank last April.

Mr. Lobeck has been president of the Fremad Publishing Co., and a trustee of the Oak Grove Ladies’ Lutheran Seminary at Fargo, N.D.

Besides the widow, Mr. Lobeck leaves four daughters and one son, who are Evangeline who is teaching at Breckenridge, Minn., Dagny, a graduate nurse at Minneapolis, Constance, a student at the Moorhead State Teacher’s College, Martha, at home, and Torarin, a student at the Engineering College at the University of Minnesota. One daughter, Vivian (Genevieve) died several years ago.

Three brothers and two sisters are also left to mourn his loss: I.E. Lobeck, of Zahl, North Dakota; Rev. J.E. Lobeck, of Minneapolis; Ole Lobeck, who lives in Alexandria; Mrs. Carrie Peterson, of Williston, North Dakota, and Mrs. Olof Refsdal of Ishpeming, Michigan.