Farming, his family were his whole life
RATHDRUM – Farmers are the unsung heroes of every culture, the providers of the most basic necessities of every nation. Sometimes they develop a heroic character of their own that lasts beyond their mortal years. Lawrence Mietzner was such a man.
The Rathdrum farmer and businessman died last summer, at the age of 79. Warmly remembered, his family and many friends miss his ready smile, friendly good humor and solid presence.
Mietzner moved to Southern Idaho from his native Nebraska with his parents in 1940, when he was 13. All his years were spent on farms, with few exceptions. In 1945 he signed up with the U.S. Army, and served in post-WWII Japan until his discharge in 1947.
He came home with a lifelong aversion to rice. Once home in Jerome, Idaho, he worked on his father’s farm for a time, during which he met a beautiful young woman who stole his heart. He began keeping company with LouAnn Holtzen, and her family knew it was true love when he walked two miles in a raging blizzard to bring her a box of chocolates.
They had a big Lutheran Church wedding in Clover, Idaho, on Nov. 20, 1949. Working and worshipping together, they were faithful members of the Lutheran Church. Mietzner was a charter member of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Coeur d’Alene and, later on, Shepard of the Hills Lutheran Church in Rathdrum. He could always be counted on to help out when a project required his large earth-moving equipment, and he was a welcome regular in the congregation.
After their marriage, the Mietzners struck out on their own, buying and selling a number of farms in Washington and Idaho. Within 12 years they had a family of four daughters – Sheryl, Rosemary, Diane and Joyce. People began to refer to his household as Lawrence’s harem, with no objections from him.
Diane says, “Mom really did most of the disciplining of us girls, but all it took was a look from Dad and we knew where he stood.” All the girls helped out with the farm duties. Rosemary adds that he was the most gentle, good father any girl ever had. They both agree that the values they learned in their childhood home were by their parents’ example. It was just understood – the way to live and treat people, right from wrong, and loyalty to your family.
The Mietzners enjoyed being together, whether it was work or play. They became quite good at square dancing in their younger years. Hunting and fishing were practical pastimes, and they enjoyed playing pinochle with friends. He always looked forward to the stock sale and rodeo at the fair. A free trip to Hawaii in 1985 was to become a most cherished memory.
Mietzner had only two years of what they used to call “higher education,” but proved nonetheless to be an astute businessman. A fact often unappreciated by others, successful farmers and ranchers must be skilled, not only agronomy and husbandry, but in meteorology, veterinary medicine, mechanics, carpentry, and finance.
Self-sufficiency is key, as is a willingness to work long hours and lend a helping hand when needed. Mietzner often did things by himself that would invoke a stern “Be careful!” from his wife, and kept a legion of guardian angels busy. Rosemary says, “Anything he needed done he would try and do it himself first – and pretty much succeeded.”
From their first small farm at Quincy, sometimes called Rattlesnake Heaven, they moved up to 300 acres on Washington’s “Royal Slope,” which he cleared of sagebrush, leveled, and irrigated. He farmed and planted a pear orchard. From there they moved in 1963 to a cattle ranch near Curlew, Wash., a huge operation, involving thousands of acres and hundreds of cattle. Lawrence described it himself; “a beautiful area of mountains and trees, and a river ran through it.” He raised beef cattle – Angus, Herefords, and Dutch Belteds – horses, chickens, dogs, pigs, cats, hay and potatoes. LouAnn raised a big garden and did lots of canning – a good farmer’s wife. She would often cook his favorite dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, with green beans. And she kept the cookie jar full.
As the girls grew older their parents thought they needed a little more social life than ranch life provided. So, in 1967 they purchased the Twin Echo Resort at Twin Lakes. During the busy season, the 23 cabins, small grocery store, hamburger stand, and RV sites kept the whole family working steady. They were honored to host the Red Cross Aquatic School the first two weeks of June every year. The water was cold, but each night a big bonfire down on the beach provided warmth where friendships naturally grew.
Six years later, it was back to the farm, this time to 15 acres just north of Rathdrum. Mietzner purchased and ran two farms over the state line at Deer Park. and one in Rose Lake, and kept his beef there on the home place in Rathdrum. In his “spare time” he finished the basement, with a large wildlife mural, and enjoyed building bookcases, desks and a gun cabinet. In addition, they purchased and ran Banner Auto Parts & Garage in Post Falls.
They sold the business in 1985, but in 1986 their world seemed to stop when they learned that LouAnn had leukemia. She died in February of 1988. Lawrence wrote to a cousin, “She was the love of my life and it’s pretty hard to go on after that. But somehow one does and time does heal.” More challenges followed, as a granddaughter, his daughter Joyce, and a son-in-law died in sudden, unexpected ways.
Parkinson’s disease began to take a toll on his health, and two years ago Mietzner finally “retired,” although he was still going out every morning to feed the cattle. Last July his family gathered for a brief, happy reunion, the first in four years. The next evening he sat for a spell on Diane’s deck, just enjoying a visit after supper. He stood to go home, and within a few steps he walked out of this life and into the next. After nearly 20 years he was with his beloved LouAnn once again.
Since his death Mieztner’s dog Lucky has taken up residence next door at daughter Diane’s, and her daughter is moving into the Mieztner home with her family. Life is going forward for them, enriched by the memory of a good man who quietly filled his niche. He is their hero.