By Paul and Marilyn Duncan
Tin Lizzie member Don Lauritsen of Santa Fe died in October 2020. His 102-year-old mother, Agnes Lauritsen, of Albuquerque donated the family T to the Tin Lizzies of Albuquerque. She wanted the Club to sell the car and use the proceeds for the benefit of the club.
Agnes was born in 1918 (on the same day, July 30, as Henry Ford), and Agnes’ mother initially wanted to name her after him. Her family lived in Highland Park, MI where the Ford Plant had opened in 1910. Her father was a stone mason and helped construct masonry bases for the Ford factory smoke stacks. Her mother drove the family Model T Tudor sedan and her father used a Model TT flatbed truck for his work. Agnes has vivid memories of riding with her mother in the T sedan as a young girl.
During World War II, Agnes worked at the Vickers hydraulic factory in Highland Park. She met her husband, Marvin Lauritsen at Vickers. They married in 1946 and their son Don was born in 1949. They also had a daughter Jan born several years later. The family lived in Clawson, MI, part of the Detroit metropolitan area, where Agnes and Marvin owned a convenience store.
In the late 1960’s, Marvin mentioned to Agnes that he had noticed a Model T sedan For Sale in nearby Rochester, MI. She told him that he should go back and “buy it” and he did. Although Agnes thought that owning a Model T was a “good idea,” she never drove the car herself. When her son Don was in high school, he enjoyed driving it and even drove the T to his high school graduation. Don played high school and college baseball and was a team mate of the well known baseball manager, Terry Collins at Eastern Michigan University (Kalamazoo.)
In the early 1970’s, Agnes and Marvin retired, moved from Michigan to Deming, NM and brought the T with them. A few years later they moved to Albuquerque and bought a home where Agnes still lives in the NE heights. Her husband passed away in 1992. Don claimed the family Model T and joined the Tin Lizzies in 2005.
Kirk Peterson and Don were the only Tin Lizzies members who lived in Santa Fe. After Don moved to a long-term care facility, Kirk visited with him there over a number of years and stayed in touch with Agnes. Following Don’s recent death, Agnes asked Kirk to help get the T to the Club for a fund raiser.
In early November, Kirk and Larry Azevedo moved the T from Don’s home garage to a storage facility in Santa Fe. They documented the condition of the T but did not try to start it. After consulting the “2020 Collector Car Price Guide” they estimated a “fair market value” was $4,000+, considering that there were many “unknowns” about whether the T would run. Kirk posted cell phone pictures of the T, made sure that there was enough antifreeze in the radiator and organized the Title and other documents. Marilyn Duncan, Tin Lizzie Treasurer had communicated with Agnes over a number of years relating to Don’s Tin Lizzie membership and the Club newsletter that she enjoyed reading. Marilyn and Director, Phil Lance volunteered to help organize the auction.
An auction flyer was circulated to the Club membership via email. There were 2 bidders who participated. President, Paul Duncan stepped in to handle the final round of bidding and Jessica Lance, was declared the winner with a high bid of $4,520.
On December 12, 2020 Jessica, husband Phil, daughter Danielle and 2 other friends picked up the T in Santa Fe. Jessica plans to give us an update once they have had a chance to assess the T’s condition. She also is planning to drive “her T” in future Club events. Agnes was thrilled to learn that a woman will own and continue to drive their beloved family sedan.