Lonnie Hammargren
{{Short description|American politician (1937–2023)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Lonnie Hammargren
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| order = 31st
| office = Lieutenant Governor of Nevada
| party = Republican
| term_start = January 2, 1995
| term_end = January 4, 1999
| governor = Bob Miller
| predecessor = Sue Wagner
| successor = Lorraine Hunt
| order2 =
| office2 = Regent of the Nevada System of Higher Education
| term_start2 = 1988
| term_end2 = 1994
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| birth_name = Lonnie Lee Hammargren
| birth_date = {{birth date|1937|12|25}}
| birth_place = Harris, Minnesota, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|6|13|1937|12|25}}
| death_place =
| profession = Neurosurgeon
| spouse = {{marriage|Sandy|1989}}
}}
Lonnie Lee Hammargren (December 25, 1937 – June 13, 2023) was an American politician and neurosurgeon who served as the 31st lieutenant governor of Nevada from 1995 to 1999. Prior to being lieutenant governor, Hammargren also served a regent of the Nevada System of Higher Education from 1988 to 1994.
Hammargren, a Republican, was the most recent lieutenant governor of Nevada who belonged to a political party different than that of the sitting governor. He served with Governor Bob Miller, a Democrat, during Miller's second four-year term.
Prior to politics, Hammargren was a neurosurgeon and was as a flight surgeon at NASA for the Apollo program from November 1965 to March 1966.
The eclectic collection of artifacts, including old casino signs, and an Apollo space capsule".{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Cy |date=July 29, 2009 |title=Ex-pol Agrees to Settle Malpractice Complaint |work=Las Vegas Sun |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jul/29/ex-pol-agrees-settle-complaint/ |access-date=July 21, 2012}}
Career
=Medical career=
Hammargren was a neurosurgeon and was as a flight surgeon at NASA for the Apollo program from November 1965 to March 1966.
He also operated on boxer Duk Koo Kim in November 1982, following Kim's loss to Ray Mancini; Kim died as a result of his injuries in the fight.{{Cite news |last=Carp |first=Steve |date=September 26, 2008 |title='It Was a Brutal Fight' |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |url=http://www.lvrj.com/sports/11232441.html |access-date=July 21, 2012 |quote=Kim was carried out of the ring by stretcher and rushed to Desert Springs Hospital. He was quickly prepared for surgery, and neurosurgeon Dr. Lonnie Hammargren removed a blood clot that had lodged in his brain.}}
Following Roy Horn's near-fatal tiger attack in 2003, Hammargren spoke up to correct misinformation in the press about the procedure Horn (of Siegfried & Roy) had received.{{Cite news |date=October 16, 2003 |title=Doctors Removed Portion of Roy's Skull |work=USA Today |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/2003-10-16-roy-update_x.htm |access-date=July 24, 2008}} Hammargren has collected some of the skulls and brains of his former patients.{{Cite episode |title=Lonnie/Linda |series=Hoarders |network=A&E |season=9 |number=ONE}}
According to Hammargren, he gave up surgery in 2005, when the cost for his malpractice insurance was raised to $275,000/year; in 2009, as part of a medical malpractice settlement, he agreed to give up surgery permanently, though he retained his medical license. Hammargren's Nevada medical license expired in 2017. According to the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners, Hammargren had 4 medical malpractice judgments against him that were $5,000 or more each.{{Cite web |title=Lonnie Lee HAMMARGREN |url=https://nsbme.us.thentiacloud.net/webs/nsbme/register/#/profile/Hammargren/0/20/5fd29a2eb952d61efc798ea1 |access-date=May 26, 2023 |website=Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners}}
=Political career=
From 1988 to 1994,{{Cite web |last=Lake |first=Richard |date=June 3, 2012 |title=2012 Primary Election - Board of Regents District 12 |url=http://www.lvrj.com/special_sections/board-of-regents-district-12-154692275.html |url-status=dead |access-date=July 21, 2012 |website=Las Vegas Review-Journal |archive-date=May 31, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531140757/http://www.lvrj.com/special_sections/board-of-regents-district-12-154692275.html }} Hammargren served as a regent of the Nevada System of Higher Education.{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Cy |date=August 6, 2009 |title=Ex-Lieutenant Governor Has Performed His Last Surgery, per Settlement |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/aug/06/ex-lieutenant-governor-has-performed-his-last-surg/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090809210039/http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/aug/06/ex-lieutenant-governor-has-performed-his-last-surg |archive-date=August 9, 2009 |access-date= |work=Las Vegas Sun}}
Hammargren was the lieutenant governor of Nevada from 1995 to 1999. He lost his election bid in the primaries for that office again in 2006.{{Cite web |title=2006 Lt. Gubernatorial Republican Primary Election Results - Nevada |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=32&year=2006&f=0&off=6&elect=2 |access-date=July 24, 2008 |website=Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections}}
As of 2008, Hammargren was the honorary consul for Belize.{{Cite news |last=O'Reiley |first=Tim |date=September 21, 2008 |title=Working Locally at Trading Globally |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |url=http://www.lvrj.com/business/28908124.html |url-status=dead |access-date=September 21, 2008 |archive-date=March 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305170000/http://www.lvrj.com/business/28908124.html }}
Personal life
Hammargren built his house, Castillo del Sol, in 1969, which he filled with various artifacts relating to Las Vegas history, and regularly opened it to public tours.{{Cite book |last1=Green |first1=Michael S. |title=Las Vegas: A Pictorial Celebration |last2=Elan Penn |date=2006 |publisher=Penn Publishing |isbn=1-4027-2385-7}} Among his acquisitions were the High Roller roller coaster from the Stratosphere. His home has been featured on the Travel Channel's show Vegas VIP Homes.{{Cite news |date=June 17, 2002 |title='Ripley's Believe It or Not' takes over Fremont Street Experience |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Jun-17-Mon-2002/living/18978512.html |url-status=dead |access-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-date=September 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929061802/http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Jun-17-Mon-2002/living/18978512.html }} His collections eventually occupied two neighboring houses as well.{{cite news|url = https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/lonnie-hammargren-dies-was-nevadas-former-lieutenant-governor-2793701/|title = Lonnie Hammargren dies, was Nevada's former lieutenant governor|last = Hynes|first = Mary|date = June 14, 2023|accessdate = June 14, 2023|newspaper = Las Vegas Review-Journal}} Hammargren appeared in a 2014 episode of Pawn Stars, in which he attempted to sell some of his collection to show host Rick Harrison. In 2016, Hammargren and his collections were featured on an episode of the A&E series Hoarders. In the episode, it was revealed he had spent an estimated $10 million acquiring his collection and was $750,000 in debt. He sold 27 items at auction for a net gain of slightly over $4,000, which he planned to use to write his autobiography.
Hammargren married his wife Sandy in 1989, an event which in part was filmed for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.{{Cite news |last=Taylor |first=F. Andrew |date=October 25, 2011 |title=Celebrate Nevada Day with a Trip to Hammargren Home |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |url=http://www.lvrj.com/view/celebrate-nevada-day-with-a-trip-to-hammargren-home-132511043.html |url-status=dead |access-date=July 21, 2012 |quote=Renee returned to the tank and reprised her act sans dolphin for Lonnie and Sandy Hammargren's wedding 22 years ago, which was filmed for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. |archive-date=January 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106163225/http://www.lvrj.com/view/celebrate-nevada-day-with-a-trip-to-hammargren-home-132511043.html }}
On March 31, 2007, Hammargren held an "Awake Wake" for himself, in which he had a mock funeral service, a New Orleans style Jazz Funeral March back to his house, and buried himself in a sarcophagus in the Egyptian tomb in his garage. He emerged an hour later.{{Cite web |title=The Awake Wake |url=http://www.argentiero.com/family/awakewake/ |access-date=May 1, 2007 |website=argentiero.com}} In 2008, he began building a replica Orion spacecraft to add to the collection.
Hammargren died on June 13, 2023, at the age of 85 from a subdural hematoma, complications from dementia and heart disease. {{cite news|url = https://www.fox5vegas.com/2023/06/14/lonnie-hammargren-eccentric-former-nevada-lt-governor-dies-age-85/|title = Lonnie Hammargren, eccentric former Nevada Lt. governor, dies at age 85|work = KVVU|date = June 14, 2023|accessdate = June 14, 2023|last = Lilly|first = Caitlin}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
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{{Succession box|title=Lieutenant Governor of Nevada|before=Sue Wagner|after=Lorraine Hunt|years=January 2, 1995 – January 4, 1999}}
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{{Lieutenant Governors of Nevada}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammargren, Lonnie}}
Category:Lieutenant governors of Nevada
Category:American neurosurgeons
Category:People from Harris, Minnesota
Category:Politicians from the Las Vegas Valley
Category:Physicians from Nevada
Category:Candidates in the 2006 United States elections
Category:20th-century American surgeons