Kenneth L. Lauer

Born February 27, 1926, Kenneth Lawrence Lauer was the fifth child of Paul Anthony Lauer and Florence Elizabeth Becker. His siblings were Margaret Ann (Lauer) Sherlock, Richard Paul Lauer, Mary Alice (Lauer) Burns, Phyllis Mae (Lauer) Traylor, and Lawrence James Lauer.

Ken’s formal education began at Saint Peter’s Catholic Grade School, where, on the first day, he began lifelong friendships with Paul Ueber and William Hodde (later Father Hodde) and acquired deep respect for the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Following the divorce of his parents, the family moved into the parish of Saint John the Baptist. He graduated from that grade school with the Class of 1940 and attended South Side High School. His treasured friends from those years were Carl Schurenberg and Warren Lotz.

Although he had the following degrees: Bachelor of Liberal Arts from Butler University, Master of Arts in English from Colorado State College of Education (now Colorado University), and Master of Arts in Library Science from Western Michigan University, the school he always loved was South Side. While a student there, he was President of both his Junior and Senior Classes, recipient of the Kiwanis Best Citizen Award, a member of National Honor Society and the Four-Year Honor Roll.

Graduating during World War II, Ken aspired to serve his country in the Army, Navy, or Marines. However, because of amblyopia in his left eye, he was not accepted. Still determined to serve, he joined the Maritime Service.

His first trip was on the S.S. Alcoa Master. He and Paul Ueber sailed together on the Liberty Ship Hubert Howe Bancroft and on the S.S. Sea Fiddler, a cargo/passenger ship, which transported German prisoners of war back to Le Havre, France and brought home American soldiers. Aboard the S. S. Pompero, Ken sailed all the way around the world.

On January 27, 1951, Ken and Mary Joan “Jo” Piatt were married in the rectory of Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church. He died Friday, December 27, 2013, one month before the 63rd anniversary of their wedding. Their children are Beth Ann Lauer, Linda Sue Lauer, and Philip Gregory Lauer. Greg’s wife is Joletta Charun Lauer, and their children are Austin Charun Lauer, Braden Charun Lauer, and Audrey Charun Lauer.

Ken taught English in Lovington New Mexico High School and at Indiana Institute of Technology. He also did technical writing for ITT. During his years at Butler University, he had worked summers for Fort Wayne Public Library, now Allen County Public Library. Fred Reynolds, Head Librarian, persuaded Ken to change careers by working at ACPL and going to library school for three summers. During this time, he made 52 trips to Newberry Library in Chicago to help ACPL build its now famous genealogy collection. ACPL was building branches at that time. Ken opened the first small Waynedale Branch and the newly constructed Hessen Cassel Branch. He managed it until the new Shawnee Branch was opened. He then became branch manager of Shawnee, and he loved the staff and the patrons. Following his retirement from ACPL, he worked part-time at Do It Best Hardware on South Calhoun. Many Shawnee patrons shopped at Do It Best. What could be nicer than continuing to see them and to make new friends?

Having been a Boy Scout, he was pleased that his was a Scouting family. Whenever possible, Ken helped with Beth’s and Linda’s troops and especially remembered a money raising project of Troop 325. He cut the Christmas-Tree-shaped boards onto which the Girl Scouts glued nuts and pinecones which they had gathered in Foster Park. The trees were sprayed gold and sprinkled with glitter. Later, during all of Greg’s Scouting years, Ken went on the camping trips and made certain that Greg’s Eagle Project succeeded. Further, he served on the Board of Directors of Limberlost Girl Scout Council.

Reading was his joy, and he liked Glenn Miller music and traveling. In museums, he wanted to read every word on every explanatory sign. Beyond learning from the explanations, he often pointed out errors in grammar and punctuation, as well as logic. His collections were of coins and old radios. If he had been a wealthy man, he would have collected cars, starting with Model T’s and A’s.

In addition to his family of eight, Ken is survived by his brother, Larry, 19 nieces and nephews, two cousins, and eight Godchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 am on Saturday, January 4, 2014 at St. Therese Catholic Church, 2304 Lower Huntington Road, Fort Wayne with visiting one hour prior. Visiting with relatives and friends will also be from 5-7 pm on Friday, January 3, 2014 at Elzey-Patterson-Rodak Home for Funerals, 6810 Old Trail Road, Fort Wayne.

Regarding memorials, the family has requested NO flowers and NO traditional memorials. Instead, PLEASE do an act of kindness in memory of this sweet and kind man. He will surely smile down on you from Heaven.