Catherine Louise Laswell, 91, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at The Springs of Lafayette, where she resided. She was born in Salem, Indiana, on September 6, 1932, to William Benjamin and Esther Marie Hoggatt Walton.
She married Stancel Lee “Sonny” Laswell on September 12, 1952, and they shared 58 beautiful years of marriage until his passing in 2011. Catherine’s gentle and nurturing spirit shined from an early age as she helped her parents with the farm and cared for her siblings. Catherine spent her early childhood attending a one-room school, where she often helped her teacher oversee the lower-grade students. She graduated from Campbellsburg High School.
Catherine’s deep-rooted compassion and love for others led her to make career choices that would bless her family and all around her. She lived by a hands-on approach in all she did, whether as a wife, mother, switchboard operator, secretary, or caregiver to the elderly. She organized and delivered the Ross Gear care packages to families at Christmas and often prepared and provided meals for the homeless. A devout Christian, she loved Jesus and was a faithful member of the West Lafayette Seventh Day Adventist Church for nearly forty years, helping oversee their community services program, providing poor families in the area with food and clothing, as well as being a deaconess, clerk and managing the church food store.
Catherine liked to write and had her own social column, “Cathy’s Corner,” with the Ross Gear company newsletter that often highlighted one of the employees and their families. She wrote stories and poems and kept a journal of her life for many years. She was a good athlete, winning the Lafayette city bowling tournament and playing on the Ross Gear company softball team. She enjoyed crafts, sewing, knitting, and pottery. She liked bargain shopping and collecting knick-knacks.
Catherine was full of energy as she worked full-time and cared for her five children, helping them with school and extracurricular activities like Rainbow, Cub, and Boy Scouts, as well as all sports. She cherished time spent with her family, often taking trips to visit her siblings and their children and vacations to Florida. Her home and refrigerator were always open, and the grandchildren especially loved to visit Grandma. In recent years, she liked to take scenic drives and get ice cream. She looked forward to her Friday “dates” with her son, Jon, where she happily explored the local eateries all over town. She was very involved with activities at The Springs and enjoyed their bus rides around the area. Known for her hearty laugh and warm heart, Catherine brought people and smiles together until the day she passed.
Catherine is survived by her children Phyllis Mabbitt (Richard) of Plano, Texas, Melody Runkle (Keith), Jon Laswell (Roylene), and Joel Laswell (Debbie), all of West Lafayette; eleven grandchildren; seventeen great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Stancel; her son, Jerry R. Laswell; her parents; a sister; and six brothers. Catherine’s children would like to thank the staff at The Springs of Lafayette, IU Hospice, and Tippecanoe Memory Gardens for their loving attention and care of our mother.
A service for the immediate family will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Lafayette Urban Ministry (LUM), 420 N 4th Street, Lafayette, IN 47901, (765-423-2691). Interment at Tippecanoe Memory Gardens.
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