John Joseph Lauer, 69, of Blue Rapids, formerly of Westmoreland, Kansas, died Saturday, November 24, 2012, at the Frankfort Community Care Home. He was a life-long resident of the area.
John was born May 13, 1943, in Westmoreland, Kansas, the son of Sylvester “Sonny” and Monica Willis Lauer. He attended local schools and graduated from Flush High School in 1961. John lived in Westmoreland for thirty eight years and then moved to Blue Rapids six years ago.
For thirty years, John was the Transportation and Maintenance Director for the Rock Creek School District. Prior to working for the school system he worked nine years for Walters-Morgan Construction in Manhattan. He was a member of the Westmoreland Jaycees and the Riley County Fliers, flying remote control model airplanes. His passion was woodworking. He built beautiful furniture, china closets, jewelry boxes and most everything in between. John was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Flush and a life member, Third Degree, of the Knights of Columbus.
John married Nancy Luthi on October 22, 1966, at Flush. She survives at their home.
He is also survived by his daughter, Theresa “Cissy” Figge and her husband, Craig, Holton; his sons, Rob Lauer and his wife, Allyson and Jake Lauer and his wife, Jody, all of Marysville; his sisters, Joyce Kroeker and her husband, Bob, Vandalia, Ohio and Janice Turner, Wichita; his grandchildren, Daniel Figge, Katherine Lauer, Kyle Figge, Grace Lauer, John “Jack” Lauer, Luke Lauer and Andrew Lauer. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Marie Conlin.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, November 28, 2012, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Flush, Kansas. Father Jim Shaughnessy will be the Celebrant. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery. Mr. Lauer will lie-in-state on Tuesday starting at 2:00 p.m. at Campanella-Evans Mortuary in Wamego where the family will greet friends from 6:00p.m. until 8:00 p.m. A rosary prayer service will be held at 7:00 p.m. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Frankfort Community Care Home or St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, and those may be sent in care of the mortuary. Online condolences may be made at www.campanellafuneral.com.
