The following pages are dedicated in remembrance of Erwin Letkeman

I met Erwin Letkeman in Feb 1982 at the Wahalla Inn while I was with friends in Wahalla, North Dakota and we dated for ten and half years before we got married. Erwin was not doing genealogy at this time, he started genealogy in about 1988 when Nor Agri fizzled out and he had more time on his hands. I don't remember why he started doing genealogy. Erwin borrowed a laptop and went to Mexico in 1989 and his genealogy passion took off from that point on. Erwin did most of it when he and his mother would go visiting (while her mind was still good). She really enjoyed it and was a good source at the time. Erwin did most of his genealogy work between late 1987 and mid 1992. Most of it was done on the farm during the winter or at times he went to reunions.

Erwin graduated from Wahalla, North Dakota in 1965 and then went to college for three years. He attended various schools (Fargo, Mayville, Wharton). He then went to Minneapolis, MN and worked for Honeywell for one to two years. When he was working for Honeywell he used to pick up a friend and drive him to work. He farmed the family farm and worked the cav station forces 1969 -1970. Thru to the 1980's he worked on the farm then went into Buckwheat.

He started his own business before 1982 (Letkeman Buckwheat), which was based from the farm and contracted growers in North Dakota and Minnesota to grow buckwheat. He put in a cleaning mill in the early 80’s, which separates the grain from the chafe and dehulled buckwheat. He then shipped the buckwheat by rail to the ships for oversea sales. By 1984 he was done shipping as the market had taken a downturn.

In 1985 he formed Nor Agri, This Company was formed in order to store grain for the government for later sales. He operated the business until the late 80's.

Erwin was a family oriented and a real people person. Whenever he went on trips he would keep tabs on my brother in Dickenson, ND who had his own problems and Erwin was good for him. Erwin would keep in touch with his sister (Valerie) in Wahalla, ND and others in Canada. He was active in the church and served on council, Sunday school, superintendent and teacher. He also served on a committee to help find a pastor\deacon. In the JC's he was nominated for outstanding young farmer in about 1982. He was an EMT (emergency medical tech) for the ambulance.

He had a sense of humor and a funny sort of laugh, a modest person with a photographic memory.