John Strachan

Vessey Funeral Service - Fort Collins

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Kenneth Laurion, 92, of Charlotte, North 
Carolina - formerly of Washburn, Wisconsin, Hammond, Indiana, and 
Duluth, Minnesota - died Wednesday, Jan. 10, in Avante At Charlotte 
Skilled Nursing And Rehabilitation Center.
Kenneth is survived by his wife Lois (Johnson), Charlotte; children 
Dennis Laurion (Bonnie Kaniewski), Duluth MN, Steven Laurion (Pam 
Bugbee), Menomonee Falls WI, Ken Laurion (Kim Voelker), Belleville IL, 
and Tricia Laurion (Terri Rhodes), Charlotte NC; grandchildren Damon 
Laurion of Minnesota, Michele Leopold of North Carolina, Jake Laurion 
of Minnesota, Sarah Kelly of Texas, Danielle Witter of South Carolina, 
Josh Laurion of Illinois, Margret Harmon of Texas, Ben Laurion of 
Wisconsin; and 12 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his 
parents Homer and Ruby (Coons) of Washburn WI, and his siblings Lloyd 
Laurion of Oregon, Louis Laurion of Wisconsin, Robert Laurion of 
Michigan, Raymond Laurion of Barksdale WI, and Dolores Janecek of 
Ashland WI.
Kenneth was born May 24, 1925, in Bemidji, Minnesota. His school years 
were spent in Washburn, Wisconsin, from which he received a high school 
diploma in 1943, while assigned to a Mobile Naval Hospital in the South 
Pacific. While a high school senior, Kenneth had enlisted in the Navy 
at age 17 during World War II. By age nineteen, he was a Navy combat 
medic in the Solomon Islands, a Petty Officer Second Class, then 
equivalent of an Army or Marine Corps Staff Sergeant.
Petty Officer Laurion married Lois Johnson of Ashland, Wisconsin, while 
on leave in Washburn, Wisconsin. After discharge from the Navy, Kenneth 
lived with Lois in Ashland while he attended Northland College. He was 
awarded a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in history. He also attended the 
University of Wisconsin, where he earned a Master's Degree in 
Counseling. His Master's Thesis advocated for a medical specialty of 
Geriatrics and predicted that "someday people will use their telephones 
to pay bills." Sons Dennis and Steven were born in Ashland.
Mr. Laurion worked two jobs and supported a family while obtaining his 
Ph. B. and M. S. He was a Boy Scout leader, an Elder in his church, a 
high school teacher, and a systems analyst at the advent of the computer 
age.
Kenneth began his work life as a high school teacher in Viroqua, 
Wisconsin, and Sauk City, Wisconsin. His classes included English, Math, 
and History. 
Kenneth accepted employment in Hammond, Indiana, in 1957, after 
attending summer school at Purdue University. Between 1957 and 1991, he 
trained sales representatives at IBM before becoming a Systems Engineer 
at National Steel. He served Covenant Presbyterian Church as an Elder, a 
Deacon, and a Trustee. He was Board Member for the Boy Scout Troop 
sponsored by Covenant. He subsequently became a member of Suburban Bible 
Church in Highland, Indiana. Twins Ken and Tricia were born in Hammond.
Kenneth and Lois retired in 1991 to Duluth, Minnesota, where they lived 
near son Dennis and his children. Kenneth attended Lakeview Church of 
the Covenant, where he assumed a non-leadership secondary role. He was 
the Congregational Secretary for a period of time, he worked in the 
nursery, he carried ice water to Sunday School classes, he attended 
prayer groups, and he acted as greeter for services. When not at church, 
Kenneth volunteered at St. Luke's Hospital Hospice, donated blood and 
platelets, helped deliver his grandchildren's Duluth News Tribune 
routes, and walked his son's dog - while professing not to like dogs.
After a hemorrhagic stroke in 2010 limited Kenneth's mobility, he and 
Lois moved in 2013 to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they purchased a 
single floor condominium near daughter Tricia. He briefly attended 
Providence Baptist Church until he required nursing home care.
Kenneth is remembered as a teller of corny jokes, a punster, an awarder 
of nicknames, and a virtual thesaurus, whose facetious motto was "Eschew 
Obfuscation." When he parted from somebody, he would see them 
subsequently; and in the evening, he would retire to the arms of 
Morpheus. He enjoyed discussing history and fostering other people's 
love of learning. He was not a demonstrative man, but his actions proved 
he loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He gave generously 
to his churches, missionary programs, and adoption agencies. He was kind 
to strangers in need: purchasing a tank of gas, buying a restaurant 
meal, or giving away a sweater he was wearing.
Interment will be at an undetermined date in a North Carolina military 
cemetery.

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Kenneth Laurion Obituary | Altogether