Rachel L (Whitman) Lauser

Rachel L. (Whitman) Lauser passed away suddenly at her home, Tuesday, September 12, 2017, age 84, after living courageously and determinedly for many years with COPD and pulmonary fibrosis.

She was preceded in death in 1998 by her husband and love of her life, Douglas L. Lauser, with whom she would have celebrated 61 years of marriage in June of this year.

Rachel found joy in spending time with her family, the company of her companion dogs and cats, listening to classical music, attending concerts and plays and traveling. She was an avid reader, rarely missed doing her daily crossword puzzle and Cryptoquote, and was a formidable opponent in cribbage and Scrabble. Her favorite place was the ocean at both Cape Cod and Cape Ann, MA, and even as her disease limited her mobility, she would get to the water's edge with the help of family to spend hours sitting with her feet in the water and laughing when splashed by waves.

As a teacher of court-placed children, she never gave up on her students. She taught the "will never learn how to read" students how to read and encouraged children, whom the rest of society had given up on, to earn their high school diplomas and overcome their disadvantages to make good lives for themselves and their future families.

Rachel was born in 1932 in Boston, MA, the daughter of the late Marion F. (Clapp) and Ira H. Whitman.

She grew up in Pittsfield, MA, graduating from Pittsfield High School in 1950 and North Adams State Teachers College, now MCLA, with a B.S. in elementary education and counseling in 1954. She began her life's work as a teacher in Trumbull, CT, until her marriage in 1956. She then moved back to Pittsfield and worked as a substitute teacher in the Pittsfield School district, while also raising her family. Beginning in 1970, Rachel lived briefly in Erie and then Grove City, PA, before moving to Glenville in 1972, as her husband took the family on a whirlwind tour of General Electric locations. She obtained her M.S. in special education from Russell Sage College in 1977. She began working at Northeast Parent & Child Society in 1978, where she served in the capacities of elementary school teacher, interim vice principal, middle school teacher, and high school English teacher, retiring in 1997 to care for her husband, who had been diagnosed with cancer.

Rachel is survived by her beloved children, Deborah Lauser of Springfield, MA, Karen (Lauser) Kelly (Sean) of Camillus, NY, Douglas Lauser Jr. of Glenville and Susan Lauser of Springfield, MA; seven grandchildren, Robin (McKechnie )Brown (William), Matthew McKechnie, Summer Kelly, Riley Kelly, Teshale Kelly, Kristiana Lauser and Lilia Rachel Lauser; and one great-granddaughter due to arrive in February. She is also survived by her cherished nieces and nephews, Jim Dugan, Sandy (Dugan) Digman, Rhonda (Jacobs) McBride, Kelley (Williams) Umphrey, Rick Williams, Jeff Williams and Paul Aparacio; as well as several great-nieces and nephews. Finally, she is survived by three dear companion cats, Lady Katherine, Pippin and Katze.

The family will receive guests from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Saturday, September 23 at the Bekkering Funeral Home, 1 Mohawk Ave., Scotia, NY. A brief memorial service will take place at 1 p.m. All are welcome back to the family home for a reception following.

A graveside service will be held Sunday, September 24 at Evergreen Cemetery in Stoughton, MA at 1 p.m., where Rachel will be laid to rest with her husband, parents, and maternal grandparents.

Donations in Rachel's memory may be made to one of the following charities, all of which were close to her heart: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 (form and online giving available at www.dana-farber.org/How-to-Help/Memorial-and-Tribute-Gifts.aspx); MCLA Class of 1954 Scholarship Fund, Office of Institutional Development, 228 East Main St., North Adams, MA 01247; or the Houston SPCA, attention Hurricane Harvey Relief, 900 Portway Dr., Houston, TX 77024.

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