Lawrence Rathbun 1914-1997

RATHBUN, HUFFEY, MOE, LEIRAN, ERICKSON

Posted By: AMK (email)
Date: 2/23/2010 at 17:03:24

Lawrence Rathbun
Memorial services were held Monday Nov. 10 for Lawrence Richard Rathbun, 82, of Waterville who died Thursday, Nov. 6, 1997 at his home. Pastor Ken Kimball conducted the 1:30 p.m. services at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church, rural Waterville. Burial of ashes was in the church cemetery with arrangements by Martin Funeral Home.
He was born Nov. 27, 1914 to Charles and Harriet (Huffy) Rathbun on their rural Postville farm. The family moved to the Harpers Ferry area when Lawrence was very young.
He attended the Prairie rural elementary school and graduated from Waterville High School in 1932.
For several seasons Lawrence worked on harvesting crews in the Dakotas.
May 7, 1942 he married Hilma Moe at Old East Paint Lutheran Church. Lawrence was an electrician and had worked on activating service in many rural areas when REA was first installed. He continued to do electrical work as well as some residential plumbing and heating in the area for many years. Since 1947, he and Hilma had lived in Waterville.
Lawrence was a longtime member of Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church and for a time was a member of Waterville Lutheran Church. He had been a member of the Waterville Volunteer Fire Department since 1946, serving as chief as well as many other offices, and also served as secretary of the Paint Creek Telephone Company for many years.
Surviving are his wife; a daughter and her husband, Laurel and Gene Leiran of Waterville, five sons and their wives, Lynn and Angela of Alda, NE, Lee and Nobuko of Minden, NV, James and Nancy of Dorchester, Kurt and Diane of Waterville, and Eric and Angi of Musela, GA; 16 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Preceding him in death were a daughter, Elizabeth Erickson; two sons, David and infant Lawrence; a grandson, and two brothers, Hartley and Kenneth.
Members of the Waterville Volunteer Fire Department were honorary casket bearers.

Eloise Meyer's obit collection from the Allamakee Historical Society dated 1997.