Obituary of Kenneth Vernon Laurion

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.