Lonnie James Laffen

Lonnie James Laffen, 62, of Grand Forks, passed away on December 23rd, 2020.

Lonnie grew up and attended high school in Wimbledon, North Dakota. There he met Pam Calkins and they would eventually marry in 1981.

Lonnie attended North Dakota State University, obtaining an architecture degree. In 1989, he co-founded what would become JLG Architects. For 31 years, as president of the company, he left an indelible mark across the state and region.

In 2010, Lonnie was elected to the North Dakota Senate and served there for eight years.

Lonnie leaves behind a legacy of building up the communities and people around him. Generous with his time and knowledge, he was a perfectionist that never took himself too seriously.

Lonnie is survived by his wife Pam; his three sons Jesse, Ryan (Anna), and Christopher (Kelsey); his parents Delbert and Ruby; and sisters, Babbi (Mike), Paula (Larry); along with nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A small family service will be held on Tuesday, December 29th, 2020 at Calvary Lutheran Church. Funeral arrangements will be handled by Amundson Funeral Home. 

A celebration of life will be held at a later date when mass gatherings are more practical.

In lieu of flowers, Lonnie’s family suggests a memorial donation to The Laffen Family Medora Musical Endowment with the Medora Foundation, The Laffen Family Endowment with Barnes County North School at Wimbledon, ND, or something that uplifts your community.

A stream of the service can be found Tuesday, December 29th, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. on Calvary Lutheran Church's website (calvarygf.org) or via the link: https://vimeo.com/event/578016