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Honoring Brother Ed Lohnes – A Legacy of Reconciliation, Service, and Strength
Ed Lohnes Obituary link
A Powerful First Meeting
By Lyle Rustad, Executive Director, Diversity Foundation
I first met Brother Ed Lohnes in 1994, during the filming of the Minnesota League of Human Rights (MLHR) State Conference. Ed, at the time, had just made history as the first Native American to serve as MLHR State President.
That same year, our paths intertwined again during the formative efforts to organize the United States’ first North American Indigenous Games (NAIG)—hosted by Minnesota’s 11 Tribal Nations at the National Sports Center in Blaine. The Games welcomed over 10,000 Indigenous youth, coaches, and volunteers from more than 400 U.S. Reservations and Canadian First Nations to compete in 27 athletic events.
Leading Through Conflict
The planning wasn’t easy. In the lead-up to the July 1995 Games, intertribal tensions between northern Ojibwe and southern Dakota representatives caused leadership turnovers, which stalled PR efforts and fundraising.
When the Games teetered on the edge, Ed Lohnes (Spirit Lake Dakota) and Keith Lusier (Red Lake Chippewa) stepped up as NAIG Co-Managers. Their ability to mediate political divides helped stabilize the effort. Thanks to them—and the guidance of Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills—Minnesota pulled off the first-ever Native American Youth Olympics on U.S. soil.
After the Games: Rebuilding and Respect
The Games ended, but the work didn’t. Ed and I spent the months afterward fundraising and negotiating payments with vendors who had supported the event. We worked to honor commitments despite the financial and political aftershocks. It was during this time of pressure and persistence that our deep mutual respect and lifelong friendship formed.
Building the Diversity Foundation
That shared experience led to the founding of Diversity Foundation of Minnesota, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Ed served as our Chairman of the Board; I became Executive Director.
Over the last 25+ years, Brother Ed played a pivotal role in shaping our programs, which included:
Coordinating the Winona Dakota Homecoming (co-founded in 2004)
Leading a four-year reconciliation initiative at Birch Coulee (1995–1998)
Facilitating outreach and memorial efforts across Santee, Spirit Lake, Crow Creek, Sioux Valley, and many other tribal nations in the U.S. and Canada
Many of the photos I recently brought to Unity Hospital—and the ones we’re preparing as part of a memorial tribute—tell this incredible story visually. (Unfortunately, due to space, only 20–30 images can be displayed at Ed’s funeral.)
Humanitarian Efforts and Toys for Tots
Brother Ed and I—both Vietnam Veterans—also turned our attention to humanitarian relief. Our earliest Diversity Foundation initiatives focused on collecting used toys and delivering them to Dakota reservations beyond Minnesota, such as Santee and Crow Creek.
Then, a transformative partnership emerged with the Twin Cities USMC Toys for Tots (TFT) Reserves. The commander, also a Vietnam Vet, helped us scale the program across the Great Plains. The goal: ensure Native children, many living in poverty-stricken, “near third-world” conditions, received joy and hope during the holidays.
By 2017, thanks to General Osman, the national TFT program officially designated Diversity Foundation as the Native American TFT Coordinator for the Midwest. That year marked a turning point—culminating in our best outreach in 2021, delivering toys, books, and hope to over 31,000 youth across 24 tribal communities, each child receiving 2–3 gifts.
Preserving Untold Dakota Stories
Perhaps Ed’s most enduring contribution was his work with DF to record and preserve Dakota oral history. Over 1,000 hours of video and 50,000 photos have been collected, capturing the voices of elders whose stories would otherwise be lost.
These stories chronicle not only cultural heritage but also the traumas of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862—from the execution of the Dakota 38 in Mankato to the forced internment of 1,700 Dakota at Fort Snelling and their subsequent exile to Crow Creek, South Dakota in 1863.
Many Americans—Native and non-Native alike—still don’t know this history. Brother Ed dedicated much of his life to changing that.
A Final Salute
Brother Ed Lohnes was a leader, a unifier, a veteran, and a dear friend. From mediating high-stakes tribal conflicts to delivering Christmas gifts to children in forgotten corners of Indian Country—he never stopped showing up.
We honor him not just with our words, but by continuing the work he believed in: Reconciliation. Healing. Truth. And Hope.
Rest in peace, Brother Ed. Your legacy will live on in every story told, every child smiling at Christmas, and every step taken toward justice.
Photos and video tribute available upon request from Diversity Foundation.
Contact: Lyle Rustad, Executive Director | Diversity Foundation of Minnesota