"Delores was such a warm, friendly person--I don't think I ever saw her when she wasn't smiling! Our sympathy to her entire family. Peace! Karen Monson"
In loving memory of
Delores C. Laughery
November 6, 1915 - August 15, 2014
FOREST CITY - Delores C. Laughery, 98, of Forest City, formerly of Eagle Grove, died August 15, 2014 at the Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt.
A Celebration of Life service will be held 11:00 A.M., Saturday October 25, 2014 at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City. A private family burial will be held following the service at North Lawn Cemetery in Iowa Falls.
Delores C. (Lichtenberg) Laughery, the daughter of Frank and Mary (Kolpin) Lichtenberg was born on November 6, 1915 in Galva, Iowa. She was baptized into the Christian faith at St. John's Lutheran Church in Galva and was confirmed in her faith in 1927. She began her formal education at Galva Public School and graduated as valedictorian of her class in 1933. She attended Buena Vista College where she received her AA Degree in 1935.
Her first teaching position was in Lake Park Public School where she taught first grade. In 1940 Delores moved to Eagle Grove where she taught kindergarten and third grade. In 1954, after many years of summer school, she earned a Bachelor of Education Degree from the University of Northern Iowa. She received her Masters Degree in Education from Drake University in 1957 and became principal of Lincoln Elementary School as well as an instructor at Iowa Central Community College in 1958.
In 1968, Delores was united in marriage to Lloyd Laughery in Eagle Grove. That same year she became a full time employee of Iowa Central Community College. At the time of her retirement in 1974, she was the Head of the Department of Education and Psychology.
Delores loved her church and was an active member of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Eagle Grove where she was a Sunday school teacher, choir member and served on various committees. She also served as president of the Fort Dodge Conference of the American Lutheran Church Women.
Delores is survived by three children, Diana (John) Toillion of Mililani, Hawaii; Leon (Patsy) Laughery of Thornton, CO; and Jean (Doug) Yeager of Forest City. She is also survived by six grandchildren; Brad (Denise) Yeager of Forest City, Jennifer (Ryan) Koenen of Hampton, Kirsten (Guy) Nakashima of Mililani, HI, Reed (Samantha) Laughery, Lindsay Laughery and CJ Laughery all of Colorado. She is survived by eleven great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Delores was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd Laughery, her parents, sisters Arlene Hunt, Marjorie Kaltenheuser and brother Frank Lichtenberg.
Tributes
"Sorry to hear of Miss Lichtenberg's passing. Delores was my third grade teacher and also my instructor at EGJC prior to my transfer to ISTC. There were times she was available to help me and talk about methods classes when I came home for the weekend. It is because of her and Ovedia Peterson that I became an elementary teacher. She was a great mentor! RIP"
"So sorry to learn of Delores' passing. She was in my church circle but I didn't meet her until she was a resident at the assisted living. She later moved to Good Sam where again I met up with her. She was always so kind and gracious and will be missed."