Museum named beneficiary of Professor Edward Jochumsen estate
by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online!
December 9, 2008
The Museum of the Mountain Man has been honored to be named as a beneficiary in the estate of Edward A. Jochumsen, who passed away on September 14, 2007. Mr. Jochumsen bequeathed his home near Pinedale, five acres of land and financial holdings valued at around $650,000 to the museum.
Mr. Jochumsen, 78, lived near Cora since 1996. "He loved Wyoming and wanted to live out the rest of his days here," said Heather Roe Day, his godchild, and personal representative for his estate. Day came to Pinedale recently to meet with Sublette County Historical Society board members about the bequeathal and to show them the Jochumsen home. "His donation was a way to leave a legacy. He had no children of his own," she said. Mr. Jochumsen loved history and volunteered at the museum for a time while he lived in Pinedale. He generously donated several items to the museum over the years including his collection of Louis L’Amour western novels, which is in the museum library, and a black powder gun.
"He loved fishing, hunting and the outdoors," Day said. His home, which is located northwest of Cora, has a magnificent view of Fremont Peak and the Wind River Mountain Range. It was his dream home. "He loved that house," Day said, "It was completely designed the way he wanted." His pride was a herd of miniature horses, for which he built a special barn, corrals and a pond.
Mr. Jochumsen was a full professor of business at the University of Wyoming. He joined the faculty at UW in Laramie in 1961. Prior to that, he received his degrees from the University of Iowa. He earned his Master of Arts degree in 1959 and his Ph.D. in 1964 at the University of Iowa. He retired from UW in 1986 as a full professor. He then returned to Iowa so his wife Norma could receive medical treatment and be closer to their families. Norma and Edward were married in 1952. She passed away in 1994.
Mr. Jochumsen enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Korea. He belonged to the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Kiwanis where he was a past lieutenant governor, Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Unlimited, National Rifle Association, American Numismatic Association, University of Iowa Alumni Association, Board of Directors of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, and several academic associations. Up to the last months of his life he was an avid outdoorsman, fisherman, hunter, sailor and wilderness camper.
"This is a wonderful gift to the people of Sublette County," said Laurie Hartwig, Director of the Museum of the Mountain Man. The Museum plans to rent the home and use the income to help fund yearly operations.
The Sublette County Historical Society, the parent organization for the Museum of the Mountain Man, is in the process of working on a new Master Plan for the future of the museum. Mr. Jochumsen’s generous gift of his estate will help the museum become more financially secure and to continue the vision of the institution into the future.
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