Katie Floy (Ballou) Lauchner (1891 - 1968)

Born 17 Apr 1891 in White Hall, Illinois

Ancestors

Wife of Arvey Aden Lauchner — married 5 Apr 1909 (to 11 Oct 1944) in Springfield, Illinois

Wife of Henry Hector Moline — married 31 Jan 1945 (to 24 Jun 1952) in Springfield, Illinois

Descendants

Died 8 Jul 1968 at age 77 in Springfield, Illinois

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Biography

On 13 Dec. 1920, Katie Lauchner accepted the Baha'i Faith in Springfield, Illinois and remained a member until her death in 1968. She was one of the first believers in Springfield, and was elected treasurer of the First Assembly formed on the 21st of April in 1931. When the Springfield Assembly incorporated in 1943, she was its chairman and signed its documents of incorporation. Her son, Aden Harvey Lauchner was treasurer of this first incorporated assembly. Spring her lifetime, her sister, her son, daughter-in-law, grandson and his wife, all became declared members of the Baha'i Faith. She worked to establish the Baha'i Faith in Springfield, Illinois and contributed to the construction of the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois.

During the years when Katie lived at 1041 West Monroe, Springfield, Illinois, she was hostess to many well known Bahai's, including Louis g. Gregory, Mabel Hyde Paine, and Anna Kunz. When she lived at 1142 South First Street, the apartment on the second floor of her home became the location of the Third Baha'i Center in Springfield, Illinois.

After her divorce from Henry Moline, Katie worked as a nurse's aid at the St. John's Hospital in Springfield. After retirement, she took care of her first husband, A. Aden Lauchner, full time for several years before his death in 1966. At the time of her death in 1968, she was living in the Haven Nursing Home in Springfield. Her funeral was conducted by the Springfield Baha'i Assembly at Boardman-Smith Funeral Home in Springfield and Fernwood Cemetery in Roadhouse, Illinois. She was buried in the Busey family plot near her first husband, her sister, her parents, James Harvey and Mollie (Busey) Ballou, and her grandparents, Rev. Samuel Marion and Mary (Ealy) Busey.

Internment at Fernwood Cemetery, Roadhouse https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Moline&GSfn=Katie&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=65787853&df=all&

Sources

• Lauchner, Aden J., AIA. The Pinkerton Family of Greene County, Illinois and Its Descendants. Springfield, Illinois 1988. Published for Sangamon Valley Collection. Section E-29
• Birth - White Hall Register, 17 Apr. 1891, v. 22, p. 5, col.1
• Obituary - Illinois State Journal, 8 July 1968, p.17.
• Springfield Baha'i History, Sangamon County Court Records