 |
Lauretta was born on June 30, 1918, to Charles and Emma Tase of Flint, Michigan. She loved learning and was the oldest of four children. Her family enjoyed hunting, camping, fishing as well as many other outdoor activities.
Her father built a house car which they used as a camper. They would go to northern Michigan to cut Christmas trees in the fall to provide income for the family. Lauretta fondly told of one fall when they had taken their Christmas trees all the way to Florida and made a family expedition out of it.
She also had a passion for baseball. She was an avid Chicago Cubs fan. Perhaps this stemmed from a trip her father took her in 1932 to see the Cubs lose the World Series to the Yankees, led by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. She watched and cheered happily as the Cubs won the top prize last fall.
She had always said she wanted to live long enough to see her Cubs win the World Series.
WWII gave Lauretta a chance to serve the country she loved. She enlisted in The United States Navy as an Aircraft Machinist Mate specializing in instrument assembly, and was honorably discharged after two years of service. The main reason she left the service was because she had met and soon married her husband, Leroy P. "Walt" Walters.
The couple were stationed in San Diego, California, until they moved to Moyie Springs and bought their homestead in 1956, where they lived together until Walt's untimely death in 1995.
Walt and Lauretta enjoyed their homestead and built their own house as well as a comfortable life together. They enjoyed traveling which, included three different excursions to Alaska, each lasting one to three months.
They were also active in HAM radio, where they would talk to and meet with people from around the world.
Lauretta also accompanied her dear friend Cheryl Sharp on The Honor Flight in 2014. This was an amazing and wonderful experience for her. She knew she was blessed to have a dear friend like Cheryl.
She continued to live at their home until influenza weakened her enough to force her to Boundary County Community Hospital on February 4, 2017, and eventually Boundary County Restorium to live her last days.
Lauretta enjoyed gardening, picnicking, family gatherings, shopping, games and puzzles of all kinds. She was a longtime member of the Curly Creek Curly Qs. Although she had no children of her own, she was adopted grandma loved by three generations of the Rob and Kim Pluid family.
She saw many changes in her life. Technology and gadgets intrigued her and kept her mind always busy. She was the only person we knew who read every manual cover to cover.
Lauretta was also a giving person, when she no longer had need her motor home she gave it to Boundary County Search and Rescue an organization she had much respect for.