Lowell Tjentland

Ft Leonard Wood, MO / Vietnam
  • Military specialty: Trumpet player

b. 16 Sep 1941. Lowell Tjentland was born to Alvin and Ivah (Pietz) Tjentland  near Storden, MN. He attended Storden grade and  high school, then later graduated from Concordia College at Moorhead, MN with a degree in history.

Lowell joined the United States Army National Guard in 1963 and was discharged in 1969.

Lowell was a member of the North Dakota Army National Guard but was attached to the Regular Army at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, where he was a member of the 399th Army Band.  He played trumpet and became very good at playing “Ruffles and Flourishes” as this base had several training schools which attracted many generals  and frequent ceremonies which required the band to play.

In his civilian life he was a farmer and a teacher of history. He taught social studies for six years in North Dakota and Redwood Falls, MN before leaving the teaching profession  to take over his father’s farm in 1971. On 8 Jul 1972, Lowell married Nancy Vaupel.

Lowell was both the vice president and president of the Cottonwood County Historical Society Board of Trustees and also a regular Board member for a number of years. He also has been a volunteer for CCHS and works as a historian and researcher.

  • Obituary: None on file