Adelma Louise Lauer

Adelma (Johnson) Lauer lived a life of change and loss. Born in Kansas, her family moved west following the oil field strikes, ending in Long Beach CA. Her parents, Elmer and Estel (Blair), her younger brothers Vernon and George, and sister Ladine ‘Tootie’, suffered as most did through the Great Depression.

     She met Albert Lauer at the local city college and they married Dec 4th 1941, 3 days prior to Pearl Harbor. Albert joined the Army Air Force and became a B-17 then B-29 pilot. He was discharged at war’s end, but returned as the Air Force and Strategic Air Command was formed. Adelma now with 3 children, Becky, Denny and Cathy, moved numerous times base to base, with Adelma leading the family with Albert deployed for many months. Because of the separations, Albert transferred to the Weather Command and the family moved to Guam. On Jan 15th 1958, he and his crew flew a night mission to track Typhoon Ophelia and were lost.

    Adelma and her children returned to Long Beach. She became involved with the Methodist Church, which she served for the rest of her life. She was a supervisor of book binding at the Long Beach City Library and found some happiness with her church friends and her books. Adelma never really recovered from the loss of her husband but she got her children educated and helped them become independent people.

     Becky Montgomery and her husband Bill live in Santa Rosa CA. They raised two daughters Lexy and Jill, lost a son Alex, at birth and have two grandchildren Griffin and Sophia. Denny Lauer and his wife Karen, live in Shalimar FL. They raised 3 daughters Heather, Amanda and Kim and have two granddaughters Sascha and Annabelle. Cathy Hutchison and her husband Stan live in Lincoln NE.

     Adelma moved to Ft Walton Beach in 1990 to be cared for by her son. She became active at Trinity UMC, especially with the United Methodist Women which she had been involved with since 1958. She lived on her own until moving to Brookdale Senior Living in 2019. After a fall and a short hospital stay, she was moved to FWB Rehabilitation Center where they cared for her until her quiet passing. She lived 99 years though the Great Depression, World War II, widowhood, motherhood and many friendships.

   Because of COVID, a service will not be held at this time. Donations can be made to the Trinity United Methodist Church in her name.

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