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Retired doctor pivots from medicine to watercolors

The Pine Knot is delighted to be exhibiting Dr. Lloyd Backus' watercolors in our downtown Cloquet gallery through April. I recently sat down with Lloyd, surrounded by his paintings.

Lloyd was family physician for my Uncle Sidney, Aunt Laurel and cousins Martha, RuthAnn, Jana and David Markusen, helping them through births and a series of health challenges.

The retired doctor has lived a fascinating life so far.

Backus was born in China. His father was a medical missionary, working on behalf of the Dakota Wesleyan Church. The church asked his father as a young man what occupation he'd like to p...