Triplets reach milestone
Laugerman boys were only the second set of triplets born at Hamilton HospitalBy TERESA WOOD Daily Freeman-Journal Correspondent
Article Photos
WILLIAMS - Three unique Webster City natives will be marking a milestone this
month.
Triplets David, Duane and Dean Laugerman will be celebrating their 60th birthday on March 8.
Only the second set of triplets born at the Hamilton Hospital by 1950, the boys were a welcome addition to the Harold and Lillian Laugerman home.
They were also welcomed home by their 10-month-old sister, Connie.
"Mom had them in the hospital because they knew she was going to have triplets," said older sister Connie Wahlert, of Williams. The boys were the second triplets born at the Hamilton Hospital as the first set was born 22
years earlier in 1928.
David, the first born at 3:49 p.m. is identical with Duane who was born almost two hours later at 5:51 p.m. Dean followed soon after at 6:02 p.m.
David weighed 5 pounds 8 ounces. Duane weighed 5 pounds 1 ounce. Dean weighed 6 pounds 7 ounces.
Despite today's reality television shows which make celebrities out of families with babies of multiple births and show families with lots of helping hands, Lillian Laugerman was more or less on her own.
"My Dad owned his own construction business so he was gone from dawn to dusk," said Wahlert. Lillian's sister Myrtle Thielen came and helped out occasionally, but for the most part Lillian cared for her young family
on her own.
"There were a lot of challenges,"said Wahlert who noted this was a time before disposable diapers and other conveniences of today's child care.
There were always lots of bottles and diapers to be attended to, she said.
"Mom told me she used to have to mark the bottom of the boys' feet so that she could keep straight which one had had his bottle already," said Wahlert.
Despite the hectic schedule of dealing with three babies and a toddler,
Lillian would be faithful to a daily routine which included tending to the children's white baby shoes.
"She would polish them and line them up each night before she went to bed," remembered Wahlert.
Lillian Laugerman is now a resident of Southfield Wellness Community in Webster City. Harold Laugerman passed away in 1994.
Growing up with four young children called for some ingenuity in keeping
them busy.
"I remember sitting outside on the step and each of us had a catalog and a pan," she said. "Our job was to tear pages out of the catalog and see who could tear a picture into the most pieces and the smallest pieces."
Her mother had been a school teacher before her marriage so she was well equipped to keep small hands busy and out of trouble, said Wahlert.
As the oldest child, Wahlert said her parents used her as the guinea pig
to test activities.
"I got to drive first but after that, they held off for the other kids," confides Wahlert, who said the family driveway always had four cars parked in it.
The boys were active in all youth and high school sports and graduated from Webster City High School in 1968.
After high school, Duane and David attended Iowa State University where they both earned degrees in architecture. Both live in the Des Moines area.
Dean is retired and lives in Waconia, Minn. He earned a degree from Hawkeye College in Waterloo and worked in graphic arts.
Each of her brothers has children, although none are multiple births, which surprises their older sister.
"My Dad had a brother and sister who were twins. His sister had twins and one of his nephews had twins," said Wahlert.
It seems to be a family trait so when her own children and grandchildren announce they are expecting, Wahlert instinctively asks "How many?"
Contact Teresa Wood at editor@freemanjournal.net or call 832-4350.
