Thumbprint Cookies

Valentine’s Day had me thinking about a friend who passed away this last summer. His presence in many lives is missed. I still find myself from time to time looking around to see if he is there, and then I realize that in a simple turn, he was gone. It has taken me a bit of time to comprehend that Lowell Latimer is no longer of this world.

My friendship with Lowell spanned over forty years. I first met Lowell in the Coast to Coast Hardware Store at the Arrowhead Shopping Center. He and Lando Vix were friends and Lowell and Ann lived in the neighborhood. I was attending Minot State and worked part-time at the store. Lowell would stop in from time to time, purchasing items that he needed. Lando introduced us and that was the start of a fine friendship.

Becoming friends with Lowell was to find a mentor. Several years later when Lowell served as District Governor in Lions Club, he tracked me down in Rugby to serve in his cabinet. Even though it had been several years, he remembered that I liked art, and he asked me to chair the Lions Peace Poster Contest.

I can recall him coming to our photography studio and asking me to serve. Mentors have a compass that allows them to encourage others–young and old alike–to become involved and engaged. Lowell’s compass brought him to Rugby. He went so far as to say that my talents as a photographer and artist bring beauty into the world and that this contest would be a perfect fit for my gifts. How could I say no after receiving a compliment like this?

He was right! As an artist, I do look at things differently. Promoting world peace through the eyes of school children should make us all stop and think about our actions. I said yes and when the final posters were selected from students all over the world and shown at the international convention, these young artists were encouraging adults to be more aware of peace on our world. How do you think this leadership role impacted me? It taught me this: look for those who move you and support them where you can. To this day, I am inspired by the young artists who enter this contest each year.

Lowell was a man with a good heart, who had wisdom, and he imparted it in so many ways on the Minot community. He was a life-long learner, and it made me smile each time I would see him use his smart phone with ease. We visited several times about mistakes made in life. Lowell simply put it this way “a hundred mistakes are an education — if you learn sometime from each one.”

Last summer Jan and I had the delight of sitting with he and Ann at planning meetings for what will now be Minot’s newest school. Both Lowell and Ann supported another fine opportunity to advance education in a positive direction in the Magic City. Their influence as educators has impacted so many folks.

We also had the opportunity to sing in the choir at First Lutheran with Lowell and Ann. It was so much more than singing. Our time as members often took us to coffee hour and many times to lunch, with Lowell making the arrangements. Time with friends is important and it allowed us many times to reinvigorate ourselves through laughter after a busy week.

While sitting next to Lowell in choir, I noticed he took the time to be festive on Valentine’s Day by wearing something red. He did this for other celebrations at our church too. This was just another example of Lowell’s happiness by giving of oneself in a useful, creative and inspiring effort.

Upon moving to Minot Lowell asked me to join the Minot Lions Club, and he was my sponsor. Through the many projects that the Lions Club promotes, it was easy to see the wisdom of Lowell. He was not afraid to seek out the knowledge of those who’ve been there. It was fun to sit by him and distill a slice of his wisdom and what a blessing to now be able to apply that to the journey ahead.

One of my favorite pictures of Lowell is him dancing with our daughter, Lydia, at Minot School Foundation Spring Fundraiser. She was a fifth grader, and he encouraged her to come to dance floor and have some fun. There is a beauty when friends can share so many moments and memories.

When thinking of Lowell, I have to borrow some of the lyrics from “Young at Heart”:

“And if you should survive to be a hundred and five

Look at all you’ll derive out of bein’ alive

And here is the best part, you have a head start

If you are among the very young at heart.”

Thanks, Lowell, for reminding us to be young at heart not only on Valentine’s Day but every day. Lowell enjoyed sweets and these cookies are certainly appropriate for the man who had his thumb on the many interests that benefited the community welfare.

Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup of butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature and separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup jam, any kind

Beat the butter and sugar on high speed with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes. Separate the eggs. Add the yolks and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Add the flour and salt to the mixing bowl and mix until just combined. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place the balls on the parchment-lined cookie sheets spaced a few inches apart. Press down with thumb on each ball dough to make a small well in the center of the cookies. Do not press hard or the cookie will fall apart. Fill each cookie with ½ teaspoon of jam. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until slightly firm. Allow to cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet to firm up before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

I like to make these a bit larger and bake them until slightly tan. They are delicious and keep well in a covered container.