Tucked in a nondescript corner of a beautiful cemetery in South Minneapolis, lies the final resting place of one of the most significant Democratic politicians of the mid-20th-century.
Hubert Horatio Humphrey was a politician from Minnesota who served as Mayor of Minneapolis, Senator from Minnesota, and Vice President of the United States under Lyndon B. Johnson. He ran for president on multiple occasions, garnering the nomination of the Democratic Party in 1968, although he would be defeated by Richard M. Nixon.
Humphrey was a congressional leader at the forefront of passing civil rights legislation and several other initiatives. Of course, not everyone was a fan. Political reporter Hunter S. Thompson famously lambasted Humphrey in Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 1972.
Humphrey was considered a humble man who loved his life, which is exemplified by his gravesite. It’s a simple slab of concrete, with a square of grass in the center that holds the graves of Humphrey and his wife of 42 years, Muriel. Inscribed on the grave marker is a quote from Humphrey himself:
“I have enjoyed my life, its disappointments outweighed by its pleasures. I have loved my country in a way that some people consider sentimental and out of style. I still do. And I remain an optimist with joy, without apology, about this country and about the American experiment in democracy.”
The Lakewood Cemetery also contains the graves of many Minnesota luminaries and people of interest, such as Senator Paul Wellstone, long time Governor Rudy Perpich, singer Tiny Tim, and Franklin C. Mars, creator of the Milky Way bar.
