Where Are They Now? Rockford Plumbing and Heating: Lommens celebrate 60 years

The history of Rockford Plumbing and Heating can be traced all the way back to Regal Plumbing. In 1948 Raymond Lommen, a carpenter by trade, took an offer from Spot Hatling to work at his Regal Plumbing business. Rockford Plumbing and Heating, though, as we know it today, was born when Ray opened his own business in the former Logan Hotel in 1959. The startup cost for this venture was a whopping $2,000, which was an investment that has paid dividends for six decades and has involved three generations of the same family.

In the early '70s, it was necessary for Ray to move his business to a location near the Rockford Hotel. When the hotel fire occurred, Ray's shop was affected, so the business was moved again to the English Dry Cleaners, which was located directly west of the post office. In 1985, when son Dennis purchased the machine shop in which Rockford Plumbing and Heating is currently located, Ray retired from the profession. Presently, Jacob, Dennis's son and third generation soon-to-be plumber, is working toward his Master Plumber license.

To own and operate a plumbing business, one must go through a process of three licensing levels. After logging 7,600 hours at the apprenticeship level, Jacob applied for his Journeyman license. He studied for the Journeyman test by reading the North Dakota Plumbing Code manual. Jacob became a Journeyman in 2018, and he must wait two years to apply for another test, that of the Master Plumber.

 Every type of residence needs a plumber at one time or another. Jacob says that typical jobs involving plumbing work are residential repairs, drain cleaning, bath or kitchen remodels, and installation of plumbing systems in new constructions. Whereas lead, steel, copper, or cast- iron pipes were used in the early days of plumbing, now plumbers work with plastic pipes or tubing.

Although the work varies from job to job, having to work from crawl spaces can present complications. Because crawl spaces in older buildings are much smaller than recent constructions, plumbers have to be ingenious about how they can enter the space. Jacob relates, "I have worked in crawl spaces so small that I could not move my arms from my sides. I have also had to belly crawl in with my hands over my head so that I could do the necessary work."

Graduating from New Rockford-Sheyenne School in the Class of 2013, Jacob attended NDSU, and majored in Business Management with a focus in Human Resources. After earning his degree in 2017, Jacob wanted to come back to continue with the family business. "I loved growing up here, and I love this town." An avid athlete in various sports while he was in high school, Jacob says, "It's fun for me to watch the New Rockford sports teams as we have some talented kids."

Jacob's father Dennis has been a lifelong resident of New Rockford. Born at City Hospital, Dennis attended school in New Rockford, graduating in 1969. He earned his B.S. degree in Economics from NDSU. Debra, Dennis's wife, has served as chaplain of the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd for the past 16 years, and she has done the bookkeeping for the Rockford Plumbing and Heating business for 28 years. A "Where Are They Now?" feature article was written about Matthew, the Lommens' oldest child, in April of 2018. He lives with his wife Jade in Bettendorf, Iowa, where he is a senior electrical systems engineer at John Deere. Matthew's sister, Ashley, is currently working as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in Fargo and is pursuing her Registered Nurse (RN) degree.

In New Rockford and the surrounding area, the Lommen name is synonymous with the plumbing services the family provides. Jacob sums up the success of his grandfather's, his father's, and eventually his own business in four words: "Hard work pays off." An excellent way to recognize the Lommens' 60- year-history is to look closely at the east side of the building behind the Wonder Lanes bowling alley. The word "Regal" is still there.