H. Paul Lauster

1921 - 10

H. Paul Lauster, 88, of Winona Lake, Ind., died Sunday, May 9, 2010, at Kosciusko Community Hospital. He was born Oct. 6, 1921, in Rural Valley, to William P. and Dora (Roney) Lauster. On Feb. 22, 1950, he married Mary E. Cox in Kittanning. Prior to moving to Winona Lake, Ind., he was the manager for nine years of Lauster Milling Co., a third generation family owned business founded in 1904. He retired from the Times-Union in 1999 after 50 years. He also was employed at Clausing Inc. for 15 years. In Pennsylvania, Mr. Lauster was a former city councilman and chairman of the American Red Cross. He was the elected finance chairman for the National Christian Radio Broadcast (Friends of McIntire) for 22 years. He served in World War II from 1944 to 1946 in the 6th Division of the Air Force. He earned the rank of sergeant and was an armor gunner on a B-17 Bomber and later on a B-24 Bomber. He was stationed on a United States Air Base in the Galapagos Islands, a province of Ecuador in the eastern Pacific Ocean. He was a 1940 graduate of Rural Valley High School and graduated a salutatorian of his graduating class at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., in 1955. He also graduated from Grace Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity Degree in 1960. He was a member of United Presbyterian Church of Kittanning, where he served as trustee, financial chairman, elder and Sunday school superintendent. He was an original charter founding member of Bible Presbyterian Church, where he was a member and elder. In later years, he attended Winona Lake Free Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, William Lauster; and half-sister, Isabel Beyer. He is survived by his wife, Mary Lauster, of Winona Lake, Ind.; two daughters, Leana Allison and Eileen Smith, of Warsaw, Ind.; six sons, David Lauster, Wesley Lauster and Chris Lauster, all of Warsaw, Ind., John Lauster, of Leawood, Kan., Carl Lauster, of Winona Lake, Ind., and Martin Lauster, of Warsaw, Ind. He is survived by 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Also surviving is a sister, Louise Evick, of Youngstown, Ohio; three nephews, William Evick and Richard Evick, of Austin Town, Ohio, and Neal Beyer, of Clearwater, Fla.; and a niece, Jane Skerl, of Allison Park. Private services are planned Wednesday at MCHATTON-SADLER FUNERAL CHAPEL, 2290 Provident Court, Warsaw, Ind., with the Rev. Glenn Byers officiating. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw, Ind. McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw, Ind., is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to World Missionary Press, 19168 County Road 146, New Paris, IN 46553.