NORTH MANKATO, Minn. -
Most of what the public knows about 83-year old Lloyd Tschohlis from his obituary in the newspaper, or from television coverage of thestandoff that led to his death and the days following.
But for Jo Tschohl, Lloyd was both a relative and friend.
"My husband was his first cousin, their father werebrothers," Jo said. "I would be at Lloyd's house several times a weekbecause be he didn't buy the paper so I took the paper over to him. We justhad a delightful time and we would visit"
Jo said Lloyd was a quiet person, but loved children andanimals, and enjoyed spending time outdoors.
Jo said, "These last few years he and I would do a lotof walking."
She said he was also quite the handyman and always there forher when she needed help.
Jo said, "He was a good hearted person, he never harmedanyone, he never swore, he never did anything mean to anyone, he alwaysbelieved what they told him and he lived a good life."
Lloyd was in his 80's, but Jo said he was still quite sharp,"All these months ahead of this there was no sign of anything, he did havea hearing problem a bad hearing problem."
He had also been having some personal problems lately.
Jo said, "He called me on Tuesday before this happened[and said] that he had an argument with his lady friend and he had asked her toleave."
That was the last time she talked to Lloyd...but she diddrive by is house on Thursday.
Jo said, "I saw the police cars and stuff so I did drivein to see if I could do anything or why was going on."
But there wasn't anything she could do.
Jo said, "It is very hard because we were such closefriends and we had done so many things together."
After learning the details of what happened that day, she saidshe doesn't blame police officers.
Jo said, "There is nothing else they could have done,they were trying to save his life, or find out what was going on. When somebodyis shooting at you, you have to respond, and I think the officers are verybrave in coming in and doing the things they did...so I have no disagreementwith any of that, but I will miss him."
Whether Lloyd Tschohl was a friend, neighbor, or a man whoyou first heard about on TV, Jo said she wants people to know his death was atragic ending, to a memorable life.
Jo said, "It was a heartbreaker and I just feelso bad for his death, but his life, I will remember it well.
