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Laura Maxine <I>Carrothers</I> Hathaway

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Laura Maxine Carrothers Hathaway

Birth
Warsaw, Kosciusko County, Indiana, USA
Death
29 Apr 2014 (aged 90)
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois, USA
Burial
Marshall County, Indiana, USA GPS-Latitude: 41.4490272, Longitude: -86.3642889
Plot
Row 1, Space 6
Memorial ID
View Source
Laura Maxine Hathaway-Minter
Sept. 26, 1923 - April 29, 2014

WALKERTON - Laura Maxine Hathaway-Minter, 90, of Rockford, IL, formerly of Walkerton, IN, passed away on April 29, 2014. Laura was born in Warsaw, IN, Sept. 26, 1923, to the late Carl and Rhoda (Bacon) Carrothers. She lived most of her life in Walkerton, IN. She was strong, feisty, and sharp, and had a knack for finding the humor in any situation. Her character and her faith in God set a standard for all of her loved ones to struggle to keep up with.

She married the late John Royal Hathaway in 1946, and they had 6 children. She was a sister to 7, a mom to 6, a grandmother to 17, and a "Grandma Great" to 19. In 1995, she married the late Charles Minter, who had 6 children from a previous marriage.

Laura graduated as a Registered Nurse from St. Joseph School of Nursing in Kokomo, IN, 1946. She took great pride in her work, and never fully adjusted to the fact that nurses started wearing scrubs instead of perfectly starched white nurse's uniforms. She was a nurse until the end, giving ample "guidance" on her care to anyone else pretending to be in charge. (the family wishes to thank all the nurses who have cared for her over the years, particularly at times when she may have been expressing strong opinions such as these.) She was a strong woman long before strong women were cool. In 1964, while pregnant with her fifth child, she opened RN Nursing Home in Teegarden, IN, concealing her pregnancy for as long as she could so that people wouldn't doubt that she could handle such a task on her own. There was nothing she couldn't handle. She lost her first husband 8 years later, when her kids were ages 25, 24, 22, 20, 8 and 5. She supported her family on her own after that, a successful businesswoman and R.N., finally closing her nursing home and ultimately retiring in 1989. She still managed to play the piano at her church, to bring three-layered chocolate cakes to parties, to make pie crust from scratch, to volunteer at the polls on election day, to keep her nails perfectly painted, to make the best banana nut cake (always with black bananas, of course), and to get her hair done once a week. She tried to make fun where little existed, making popcorn and fudge for the family to partake of during "house cleaning parties." She was tough as nails. In her 70s, she broke her leg while climbing through an electric fence when looking for mushrooms in a field. She hiked all the way back to her house on her own, and drove herself to the hospital. In her early 80s, she was still staying up all night before the Christmas service at church, putting together bags of candy to distribute to ensure everyone received something at Christmas. She maintained an amazing sense of humor, teaching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren songs and riddles that would make most grandmothers' hair stand on end. She told stories of her life with a chuckle and a glint in her eyes. When Laura's heart began to give her troubles in 2009, she moved to an assisted living apartment in Rockford, IL, after much tough negotiation with family members (she was finally won over, undeniably, by the incredible hair salon in her building). One great concern for her leaving Walkerton was that she had several elderly people she still looked in on regularly (she was 85 at the time). Care from staff at Peterson Meadows Retirement Village, the doctors and nurses at St. Anthony's Hospital and P.A. Peterson Rehab Center, and her son and daughter-in-law, Darold and Andi Hathaway, down the street, as well as regular visits from a huge family, no doubt, gave her 5 more years of life. She lived a full life, and leaves behind a rich legacy, for which she would want us to give God the glory. She was predeceased in death by both husbands, brother, Bill Carrothers, sisters, Lennis Wise, Gayle Hurst, Carol Louise Carrothers, Thelma Ring, and granddaughters, Laurie Jo Hathaway and Brittany Craft.

She is survived by a large family, including six children, Darold (wife Andi) Hathaway of Rockford, IL; Diann (husband James) Jordan of Ardmore, OK; Rodney (wife Pat) Hathaway of Plymouth, IN; John (wife Fran) Hathaway of Walkerton, IN; Zane (wife Cecelia) Hathaway of Orange County, CA, and Zonda (husband Matt) Feulner of West Hartford, CT; 2 sisters, Mary Whisler and June Burt; 15 grandchildren, Tim Hathaway, Ryan Hathaway, Janette Neiswender, Joseph Jordan, Myriah Jordan, Anastasia Hathaway, Erin Morey, Jackie DeLucia, Johanna Hathaway-Crosier, Janine Hathaway, Kylie Hathaway, Donald Hathaway, Jeanna Hathaway, Calvin Feulner, and Zade Feulner; and 19 great-grandchildren, Leigha Hathaway, Bridget Craft, Tiffany Craft, Sydney DeLucia, Isabella DeLucia, Lainie Rensberger, Tim Hathaway, Zach Neiswender, , Zane Hathaway, Alex DeLucia, Patricia Rensberger, Nicholas DeLucia, Addie Morey, Colin Morey, Moise Crosier, Christelle Crosier, Emelie DeLucia, Isaac DeLucia, and Kennedy Jordan.

Visitation will be today, May 1st, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Hanley and Sons Funeral Home "Walkerton Chapel" located at 1216 Roosevelt Rd., Walkerton, IN. Funeral services will be held Friday, May 2nd, at 11:00 am at Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church, North Liberty, IN, with Pastor Steve Covington officiating. Friends may visit 1 hour prior to service at the church. Burial will follow at Morris Cemetery, Walkerton. Condolences may be expressed online through our website: www.hanleyandsonsfuneralhomes.com. The HANLEY & Sons Funeral Home "Walkerton Chapel" handled arrangements and extends its deepest sympathy and heartfelt prayers to Laura's family.

Published in South Bend Tribune on May 1, 2014
Laura Maxine Hathaway-Minter
Sept. 26, 1923 - April 29, 2014

WALKERTON - Laura Maxine Hathaway-Minter, 90, of Rockford, IL, formerly of Walkerton, IN, passed away on April 29, 2014. Laura was born in Warsaw, IN, Sept. 26, 1923, to the late Carl and Rhoda (Bacon) Carrothers. She lived most of her life in Walkerton, IN. She was strong, feisty, and sharp, and had a knack for finding the humor in any situation. Her character and her faith in God set a standard for all of her loved ones to struggle to keep up with.

She married the late John Royal Hathaway in 1946, and they had 6 children. She was a sister to 7, a mom to 6, a grandmother to 17, and a "Grandma Great" to 19. In 1995, she married the late Charles Minter, who had 6 children from a previous marriage.

Laura graduated as a Registered Nurse from St. Joseph School of Nursing in Kokomo, IN, 1946. She took great pride in her work, and never fully adjusted to the fact that nurses started wearing scrubs instead of perfectly starched white nurse's uniforms. She was a nurse until the end, giving ample "guidance" on her care to anyone else pretending to be in charge. (the family wishes to thank all the nurses who have cared for her over the years, particularly at times when she may have been expressing strong opinions such as these.) She was a strong woman long before strong women were cool. In 1964, while pregnant with her fifth child, she opened RN Nursing Home in Teegarden, IN, concealing her pregnancy for as long as she could so that people wouldn't doubt that she could handle such a task on her own. There was nothing she couldn't handle. She lost her first husband 8 years later, when her kids were ages 25, 24, 22, 20, 8 and 5. She supported her family on her own after that, a successful businesswoman and R.N., finally closing her nursing home and ultimately retiring in 1989. She still managed to play the piano at her church, to bring three-layered chocolate cakes to parties, to make pie crust from scratch, to volunteer at the polls on election day, to keep her nails perfectly painted, to make the best banana nut cake (always with black bananas, of course), and to get her hair done once a week. She tried to make fun where little existed, making popcorn and fudge for the family to partake of during "house cleaning parties." She was tough as nails. In her 70s, she broke her leg while climbing through an electric fence when looking for mushrooms in a field. She hiked all the way back to her house on her own, and drove herself to the hospital. In her early 80s, she was still staying up all night before the Christmas service at church, putting together bags of candy to distribute to ensure everyone received something at Christmas. She maintained an amazing sense of humor, teaching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren songs and riddles that would make most grandmothers' hair stand on end. She told stories of her life with a chuckle and a glint in her eyes. When Laura's heart began to give her troubles in 2009, she moved to an assisted living apartment in Rockford, IL, after much tough negotiation with family members (she was finally won over, undeniably, by the incredible hair salon in her building). One great concern for her leaving Walkerton was that she had several elderly people she still looked in on regularly (she was 85 at the time). Care from staff at Peterson Meadows Retirement Village, the doctors and nurses at St. Anthony's Hospital and P.A. Peterson Rehab Center, and her son and daughter-in-law, Darold and Andi Hathaway, down the street, as well as regular visits from a huge family, no doubt, gave her 5 more years of life. She lived a full life, and leaves behind a rich legacy, for which she would want us to give God the glory. She was predeceased in death by both husbands, brother, Bill Carrothers, sisters, Lennis Wise, Gayle Hurst, Carol Louise Carrothers, Thelma Ring, and granddaughters, Laurie Jo Hathaway and Brittany Craft.

She is survived by a large family, including six children, Darold (wife Andi) Hathaway of Rockford, IL; Diann (husband James) Jordan of Ardmore, OK; Rodney (wife Pat) Hathaway of Plymouth, IN; John (wife Fran) Hathaway of Walkerton, IN; Zane (wife Cecelia) Hathaway of Orange County, CA, and Zonda (husband Matt) Feulner of West Hartford, CT; 2 sisters, Mary Whisler and June Burt; 15 grandchildren, Tim Hathaway, Ryan Hathaway, Janette Neiswender, Joseph Jordan, Myriah Jordan, Anastasia Hathaway, Erin Morey, Jackie DeLucia, Johanna Hathaway-Crosier, Janine Hathaway, Kylie Hathaway, Donald Hathaway, Jeanna Hathaway, Calvin Feulner, and Zade Feulner; and 19 great-grandchildren, Leigha Hathaway, Bridget Craft, Tiffany Craft, Sydney DeLucia, Isabella DeLucia, Lainie Rensberger, Tim Hathaway, Zach Neiswender, , Zane Hathaway, Alex DeLucia, Patricia Rensberger, Nicholas DeLucia, Addie Morey, Colin Morey, Moise Crosier, Christelle Crosier, Emelie DeLucia, Isaac DeLucia, and Kennedy Jordan.

Visitation will be today, May 1st, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Hanley and Sons Funeral Home "Walkerton Chapel" located at 1216 Roosevelt Rd., Walkerton, IN. Funeral services will be held Friday, May 2nd, at 11:00 am at Beaver Creek Wesleyan Church, North Liberty, IN, with Pastor Steve Covington officiating. Friends may visit 1 hour prior to service at the church. Burial will follow at Morris Cemetery, Walkerton. Condolences may be expressed online through our website: www.hanleyandsonsfuneralhomes.com. The HANLEY & Sons Funeral Home "Walkerton Chapel" handled arrangements and extends its deepest sympathy and heartfelt prayers to Laura's family.

Published in South Bend Tribune on May 1, 2014


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