Noreen E. Lautzenhiser

My mother Noreen E. Lautzenhiser was a woman ahead of her time. Although her father died when she was young and her family was poor she overcame these challenges to be the only one of her siblings to continue her education past high school. She was able to attend nursing school in exchange for serving in the U.S. Navy. She met my father while stationed at Great Lakes Naval Base. The first months of their marriage were spent apart as she completed her service in California and my father remained in Illinois. Noreen raised three children and was a working mom before it became a trend. Her work was important to her and this served as an important example to my sister and me. She and my father attended every school function any of us were in.

We knew that we could always count on their love and support. Noreen died in 1987. She was a good mother wife friend nurse and person. She gave me many gifts including the love of learning and reading and the belief that I as a woman could do anything I put my mind to. She is the heroine in my life.

7/19/95