Lovrak, Anna

Lovrak, Anna

• 1981-08-07 (Creation)

2 file folders
1 sound cassette

The interview was conducted with Anna Lovrak on August 7, 1981 in Tacoma, Washington. It contains information on family background, schooling, emigration, employment, marriage and family, community involvement, and Norwegian heritage. The interview was conducted in English.

Folder Contents

Box 3, File 20 Personal and Family History
Tape Archive Sheet, Family Background, and Tape Index

Box 3, File 20A Correspondence and Forms
Release Form
Letter from Janet Rasmussen regarding Mrs. Lovrak’s participation.
Handwritten Tape Archive Sheet and Family Background

Interviewed by Morrene Nesvig
Transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky Husby
Encoded by Kerstin Ringdahl & Amity Smetzler
Recording Quality: Good. She is soft spoken.

Biographical Note

Anna Lovrak was born on December 19, 1909 in Tveiten, Norway. Her parents were Jørgen Karleson Tveiten and Jori Olene Tveiten, and she had three siblings: Carl, Martha, and Gunhild. In 1902, Anna's parents immigrated to America, where her father found work as a logger in Bellingham, Washington.

In 1906, they returned to Norway and bought the family farm with the money they had earned in Washington. At the age of six, Anna began working on the farm as well as attending school. At fourteen, she attended Folkeskolen and was later confirmed.

In 1930, she decided to immigrate to Tacoma, Washington, where her brother and friends lived. She stayed with friends from Sirdal, Norway, and her mother and sister arrived a few weeks later. Anna had come to America to make a better living for herself, and once in Tacoma, she was soon hired as a housekeeper by a Presbyterian pastor.

Anna met her husband, Greg Lovrak, through her brother. Greg was from Grimstad, Norway and had changed his name from Gregorius Lauvrak to Greg Lovrak upon his arrival to America. Greg was employed as logger when Anna met him, and they had three children: Oscar, Judith, and Glenn. The children spoke only Norwegian until they began attending school, and Anna raised them with Scandinavian foods and customs. Anna has been a member of the Daughters of Norway for 51 years and a member of the Central Baptist Church for 22-23. She has visited Norway and remains in close contact with her relatives there.

Lineage

Full Name: Anna Jørgensdatter Tveiten Lovrak
Maiden Name: Anna Jørgensdatter Tveiten
Father: Jørgen Karleson Tveiten
Mother: Jori Olene Tveiten
Paternal Grandfather: Karl Karleson Tveiten
Paternal Grandmother: Martha Tveiten
Maternal Grandfather: Ola Lunde
Maternal Grandmother: Gunhild Lunde
Brothers and Sisters: Carl Martin Tveiten, Martha Annia Tveiten, Gunhild Bertine Tveiten
Spouse: Greg Lovrak (Gregorius Lauvrak)
Children: Oscar John Lovrak, Judith Irene Bentley, Glenn Arnold Lovrak