Posted: 2/12/03

Skateland owner, writer Elsie Vogel, 87, dies

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Elsie Vogel wasnít born in Forest Lake and in the pure definition of the word, wasnít a Forest Lake native. But there was no place on Earth that Vogel cared about more, loved and called home. After 74 years here, she became a native even if not by birth.

Vogel, the Forest Lake woman who became synonymous with helping run Skateland, writing newspaper historical columns and authoring the cityís Centennial book, has died. Vogel died on Friday, Feb. 7, 2003 at Birchwood Health Care Center here, 10 days after suffering a stroke.

She was 87, just five weeks shy of her 88th birthday.

Vogel left her mark deeply embedded in Forest Lakeís people through numerous avenues. She spent the 1950s and 1960s as a business owner before embarking on a writing career for this newspaper that spanned 20 years.

Although essentially retired from her part-time duties, she continued to serve as a valued historical resource and would on occasion contribute a special-interest feature column.

Starting in 1978 she penned a feature column called ìReflections.î The name of the column was incorporated as the title of her historical book written for the Centennial in 1993.

Two printings of the book have been sold out.

1978 Start

Her newspaper writing career started in 1978 after a meeting between Vogel and Duane A. Rasmussen, the paperís owner and publisher. The idea of a newspaper column was something Rasmussen valued and the willingness of Vogel to research and write fit the philosophy, he said.

ìIíve always felt a newspaper needed strong historical content,î Rasmussen said upon learning of Vogelís passing. He said he didnít know what to expect from Vogel but remembered she had written columns for the rollerskating business years before.

ìI was surprised because I hadnít seen any of her writing,î he said. ìShe was excellent on her research.î

He said the stories were richly sprinkled with precious facts from long-time residents who lived the history she was writing and old photos that most in Forest Lake in the late 1970s had never seen before.

ìShe always came up with new themes and new ideas,î Rasmussen said. ìShe did everything right. And the readership showed.î

Throughout the next 15 years under the Rasmussen ownership, Vogel was an integral part of the paperís family, he said.

Why history?

After spending most of her youth in Forest Lake, Vogel found a strong interest in the areaís past and sought avenues to preserve the history.

Earl Lellman, another former newspaper owner and publisher here, was a lifelong Vogel friend. In a letter to the newspaper this week, Lellman said Vogelís interest was not a big secret.

ìThe answer is simply that she so dearly loved her home town and its people that she saw preserving a record of things past as something she could contribute,î Lellman wrote.

ìShe was in her 60s when she began drawing on her own recollections and devoting untold hours to interviewing old-timers and descendants of old-timers, gathering memories, personal stories, letters, photographs and clippings.

ìWithout her untiring quest, much of the material might have been lost forever. It was truly a labor of love.î

In 1994, after being named Citizen of the Year by the Forest Lake Lions Club, Vogel summed up her philosophy during an interview with the newspaper.

ìWe need to take care of all of the good things here in Forest Lake ó the lake, the trees, the natural beauty,î she said.

ìAnd we need to remember our history, the Indians who were here before us and the settlers who made this such a good community, and the business people who over the years gave their money and talents to such a wonderful place.î

But her efforts at keeping history alive will be missed, said Ralph LíAllier a deacon at St. Peterís Catholic Church who participated in Mondayís funeral mass.

ìHistory will never be recorded as well again,î LíAllier said.

FL at age 13

Vogel was just 13 when the Lehecka family moved to Forest Lake.

She was born in Chicago on March 14, 1915 and moved to Minnesota as a youngster. The Lehecka family lived in Pine City, Foley, Sandstone and Finlayson before settling in Forest Lake.

As a teen she worked in her fatherís downtown meat market. She graduated from Forest Lake High School in 1932 and attended Globe Business College to learn to be a court reporter.

But after meeting her husband-to-be, Bert Vogel in 1935 when he moved here, her career plans turned a new corner. They were married on Oct. 22, 1940.

In 1941 they purchased the Hendrickson Cafe business which included a bar, hotel and cafe. They converted the business to Vogelís Bar and Supper Club which became the areaís first fine dining establishment. Bertís brother Walter and wife Anita ran the restaurant while Elsie and Bert took care of the hotel and bar.

The operation continued until 1962 when it was sold to a corporation that later operated Der Lac Haus on the corner of E. Broadway and S. Lake St. where the Upperdeck is today.

In 1955 the Vogels launched another business, Skateland. In Skateland, the Vogels provided a recreational outlet that many still remember.

From 1955 until 1968, a period of 14 years, the Vogels were second parents for hundreds upon hundreds of young people who came to Skateland for fun and recreation. Adults also skated there.

Vogelís daughter, Mary McGraw, said her mother was immensely proud of the kids she came to know at Skateland.

ìMom listened to everyoneís problems, consoled broken hearts, rejoiced and celebrated new relationships, and nursed scraped elbow,î McGraw said during a eulogy to her mother on Monday.

ìTo this day, ex-skaters would go out of their way to greet them (her parents) and introduce their own children, a spouse, or even grandchildren,î McGraw said.

ìI feel honored to have shared my parents with so many. Iíd like to publicly thank all of the former skaters who helped my parents as they grew older.

ìYou will never know how thankful they were to have been a part of your lives.....to watch you all grow up, get married and be successful. You may be 60 years old now, but they still called you their ëkids.íî

The current Skateland site on E. Broadway Ave. next to Lakeside Park is now the location for The Plaza, a new office-retail complex that will open this spring.

Service & More

Pouring energy in business pursuits was far from the only way Vogel impacted Forest Lake.

She carried volunteerism to a new level. She was a charter member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Unit and worked as a VFW junior drill team leader.

She was an officer in the American Red Cross and served as a director on the Forest Lake Public Library and Whispering Pines boards. She served many years as an election judge for city and school district elections.

In 1993 she culminated a year-long effort to write ìReflections.î Many of her historical feature columns from the Forest Lake Times provided research for the book.

Her positive attitude was one of Elsieís most endearing qualities, Mary McGraw said in her eulogy on Monday.

ìShe had a smile for everyone and seemed to light up the room when she entered,î McGraw said.

Funeral details

A funeral service for Elsie L. Vogel was Monday, Feb. 10 at St. Peterís Catholic Church, Forest Lake, with Father Clement Kabuk and Deacon Ralph LíAllier officiating. Interment was at Calvary Cemetery, Forest Lake.

She is survived by her children, Steve (Melanie) Vogel, Ellsworth, WI, Mary (Norman) McGraw, Spring Lake Park, and Joanne (Charles) Warren, Palm Coast, FL; grandchildren Michael (Sally) McGraw, Rebecca (Tony) Hudoba, David McGraw, John McGraw, Brian Vogel, Matt (Jen) Vogel, Eric Warren and Mark Warren; brother Tom (Bev) Lehecka; sister-in-law Anita Vogel; and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bert.

Memorials will be used for a scholarship in her name given to a Forest Lake High School graduate who plans to major in journalism. Memorials can be sent to the family in care of Mattson Funeral Home in Forest Lake.

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