Jean Frances (Dekat) Lauer

Jean Frances (Dekat) Lauer, 89, of Westmoreland, Kansas died Saturday, March 28, 2015 at Good Samaritan Valley Vista Care Home in Wamego where she resided for the past six months. She was a lifelong resident of the Flush and Westmoreland area. Jean was born August 20, 1925 on her family’s farm near Flush KS, the daughter of Meinrad and Loretta Riat Dekat. She attended Flush schools. After High School graduation in 1944 Jean worked for Kansas State University. After marriage she was a dedicated homemaker and farmwife, which included going on custom wheat harvest with her husband and sons. Later in life she did child daycare in her home. She was happiest when surrounded by the laughter and love of her family and friends. She loved to cook, enjoyed listening to jazz music, going to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s school musicals and watching them play sports. Her religion and family were most important to her, she will be dearly missed by her family and friends. Jean was a lifelong member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Flush, St. Joseph's Alter Society, American Legion Auxiliary and Wamego Senior Center. On October 22, 1947, she was united in marriage to James Martin Lauer at St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Flush KS, and together they had six children. He preceded her in death on October 19, 2005. She is survived by one daughter, Brenda J. Heston (Jim) of Wamego, KS; four sons: Larry J. Lauer (Pam), Alan A. Lauer, Robert L. Lauer all of Westmoreland, KS, and Steven F. Lauer (Patty Larson) of Emporia, KS; eleven grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren; four sisters: Dorothy Umscheid and Ruth Walsh (Ron) of Wamego, KS, Mary Dolores Schlegel of Manhattan, KS, and Alice Marten (Bob) of St. George, KS; and many nieces and nephews. Jean was preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter Mary Jane Chilcott, daughter-in-law Carmela "Susie" Lauer, brother Delbert Dekat and sister Geraldine "Jerry" Ebert. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 6, 2015 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Flush, KS. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Mrs. Lauer will lie in-state Sunday, April 5th beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego, where a Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. followed by visitation with family until 9:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Flush or Good Samaritan Valley Vista of Wamego, and may be left in care of Stewart Funeral Home, PO Box 48, Wamego KS 66547.