LaMonte “Monty” Lauridsen

LaMonte “Monty” Lauridsen, age 76, of Baldwin City, died September 8, 2012, at Bridge Haven Memory Care Cottage, Lawrence. He was born January 14, 1936, in Storm Lake, Iowa, the son of Lloyd Lauridsen and Lorna (Brewster) Lauridsen.
He graduated from Grand Meadow High School, Grand Meadow, Minnesota, with the class of 1953. He then graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College, University of Missouri with a Master’s Degree and Kansas University with a Doctorate in Education.
On August 24, 1957, Monty was united in marriage with Louise “Bootsie” Anderson in Fairmont, Minnesota. They shared over 55 years of loving marriage.
Monty taught at Alden, Minnesota High School for seven years as a math and science teacher. In 1964 he moved to Baldwin City and began his 36 year career as a science and computer science professor at Baker University, retiring in 2000.
He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Baldwin, a founding member of the Baldwin Big Brothers/ Big Sisters Board, and served on several ad hoc city council committees. He was a little league baseball coach and a ball field manager, as well as a member of the Jaycees of Baldwin. In 1985 he was the first recipient of the Chamber of Commerce Service Partnership Award recognizing him as a Baker University faculty member who gave leadership and service to the Baldwin City Community. In 1967, he spent a summer on a teaching mission to Botswana, Africa with Baker faculty and students. Since 2000, he and Bootsie worked one day a week building houses with Lawrence Habitat for Humanity, and won the Tom Church Award for Construction Site Volunteers in 2001. Monty also served the Baldwin Community in the 1980’s as a Municipal
Court Judge. He also officiated basketball and football games in the area for many years.
Monty is survived by his wife, Louise “Bootsie” Lauridsen, of the home; three sons, Lee Lauridsen and his wife, Cathy, Lawrence, Scott Lauridsen and his wife, Laura, Baldwin City, Kent Lauridsen and his girlfriend, Gina, Baldwin City; a daughter, Diane McQuerry and her husband, James, Independence, Missouri; two sisters, Doris Speer and her husband, Robert, Burlington, Iowa, Katherine Speer and her husband, Dale, Elgin Minnesota; Fourteen Grandchildren; One Great-Granddaughter; and several nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents.
Memorial services will be held 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 15, 2012, at First United Methodist Church, Baldwin. The family will receive friends following services. Private Scattering will occur at a later date.
The family suggests in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Baker University Mulvane Transformation Fund or Douglas County Visiting Nurses, c/o Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home, 712 Ninth Street, Baldwin City, Kansas 66006. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.
The family wants to thank Bridge Haven Memory Care Facility for the loving care they gave Monty for nearly five years. As Monty said a few months after being there, “This is a nice place!”
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