Obituary of Gertrude Ann LaFond

Gertrude Ann LaFond; teacher, educator, loving spouse, loving mother and grandmother, former police officer, social activist, died peacefully on May 12, 2014 at her home in Albany surrounded by her children and grandchildren. She was 92. Gertrude Ann LaFond, originally from a small rural community located in Baraga, Michigan’s upper peninsula on the shores of Lake Superior. Gertrude Ann LaFond lived in several cities throughout the United States (Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Idaho, Texas, and New York) to pursue new opportunities. Gertrude Ann LaFond led a transformative life as an educator, mother, grandmother and conscientious citizen. As educator, Gertrude A. LaFond drew from democratic principles found in Greek history and followed politics with a deep abiding belief in furthering democratic process. Through her consistent efforts to learn and further her awareness, while raising 6 children, she connected with and participated in most of the social movements of her time, including civil rights, women’s rights, education reform, economic equity, food cooperative movements, and mental health rights. Known to her friends as Ann, she was dedicated to teaching and working toward innovative and equal access to education. As mother, grandmother and conscientious citizen, Ann actively worked on social issues throughout her life. Ann’s life and outlook was strongly influenced by her mother's and her Aunt’s lessons of compassion and assistance to those less fortunate, particularly during the Great Depression and WW II years. Gertrude Ann was the first child born to Gertrude and George Van Straten on April 15th, 1922 in Baraga, MI. Along with her 4 siblings, she was raised by her mother and Aunt on a farm in Baraga and graduated from Baraga High School in Michigan (1939). Ann worked in Chicago after high school. Ann chose to become a teacher and enrolled in college in 1943. While 3 of her siblings did not attend college, they married and/or went on to successful careers. Lessons inspired by particular family hardships on the farm, her formal education, World War II, work in the defense factories in Chicago before college, and her teaching, forged Ann's consciousness. Ann graduated from Northern Michigan Teachers College in Marquette, MI in 1946. Ann began her teaching career in Manistique, MI. Her younger sister, Martha, attended Northern Michigan Teacher’s College as well and also devoted her life to teaching while raising a family. As sorority president in college, Ann resigned from the post after the sorority voted to exclude an African American student. Ann recounted to her children that she was inspired by her professors, who encouraged her to analyze thoroughly her own political positions and consider how to achieve broader equity in the world. Many of her inherited views shifted. In 1947, Ann accepted a position as one of the first female Detroit Police officers when the women’s division was formed. While the position offered much more income than a teacher’s salary and she received public accolades and a news account in the Detroit Times news, “Police Perfect” for her work on rape and sexual abuse cases, she was aware of inequities on the force and chose to leave that profession and returned to teaching. Ann married William Henry LaFond in 1948. Together they had two children in Marquette, MI and later 4 children in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where Ann taught high school and elementary school as a substitute teacher from 1960-1970. Ann believed deeply in the importance of libraries, public education, and was determined, despite the odds, that all 6 of her children would go to college. That they did, despite significant financial challenges, is a testament to the strength of her belief. It is also a testament to the core values, skills, and support her mother instilled, making her college education possible. Her devoted children recount many visits to public libraries, public art museums and being in the midst of public intellectual dialogues. They also recount that Ann was resourceful with a purpose and that she educated them through artistic and creative processes. Ann was a lover of jazz, folk and classical music. Bob Dylan was among her favorites. Ann often spoke of how, as a mother, Wisconsin Public Radio saved her life, surviving the chores of a large family, keeping sharp, and in community by listening to public radio. The radio and music were heard regularly in the home and several of her children had music lessons. Math and geometry were among her strengths and she applied this actively to creating patterns and handmade clothes for all 6 children. Colorful cloth and creativity in the environment made the actual economics seem somewhat invisible. On a weekly basis, Ann baked bread, made daily meals for 8 people. Ann read from the newspaper to her family at the dinner table incorporating a sense of connection between food, critical dialogue and social awareness in her family. Having had several journalism and history courses in college, Ann believed that learning by reading from the newspaper was good pedagogy and she included this in her teaching lessons. Ann continued to be an avid reader of news and was committed to lifelong learning by auditing classes at a variety of colleges including U Albany, Sage College, Boise State University, and Alverno College. Ann was keeper of the finances and salted a below average income to insure her dream of education for her children. She revered Eleanor Roosevelt, the Kennedy brothers, Martin Luther King, and many freedom seekers. As a civil rights and anti-war activist in Milwaukee, Ann sought to educate her children on issues of social justice. She was a member of Father Groppi’s anti-racism ministry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was active in education reform, co-founding two free schools, the Milwaukee Independent School (MIS) and the Milwaukee Multicultural School. Both schools developed out of an active education reform movement of the 1970’s. After her children were grown, and after the loss of her son Daniel, she and her husband retired and moved to Boise, Idaho (1980-1988) where she started her own business, “The Dress Doctor.” She also worked as an expert tailor/seamstress in a high end Boise dress shop, and was an active member of the National Association of University Women in Boise. Travel throughout the West, camping in pristine wilderness was a new adventure that both Ann and William enjoyed. When their first grandchild was born, Ann and William moved to Dallas, Texas to be near him. After the death of her husband of 45 years (1992), Ann moved to Albany with her daughter’s family, where she continued to love and care for her grandchildren and family while serving as a substitute teacher from 1999-2010. In Albany, New York Ann taught through the Americorp program (1999), and later as a substitute teacher at School 19, the Philip Schuyler Elementary School, the School for the Humanities, and other elementary schools in Albany New York between 2000 and 2010. Ann loved children. Her colleagues noted that she was a “naturally born teacher” who “through her consistency, patience, understanding and dedication to the human spirit, … [caused] students to flourish under her guidance.” Ann taught until she was 87, often providing a grandmotherly figure for young students. For the past 10 years, Ann was also active in promoting awareness of psychobiological health and supporting rights of those diagnosed with mental illness. Her growth as a socially conscious and active participant in civil matters, informed by her education, work and family experience, would continue to her last days. Ann was courageous and outspoken wherever she was. She believed that education should encourage voice and further democracy, especially at times when it might be hardest to speak up. As she was inspired to learn, she was inspired to teach, connecting social and global justice issues with compassion and understanding of the many intersecting needs and systemic inequities facing individuals and families. Most recently, Ann was a devoted listener of WAMC, WRPI and “Democracy Now” with Amy Goodman. Her children recount that, she believed as a citizen it was her duty to be an informed voter and supporter of grassroots change. She was a member of the League of Women Voters, JCC Silver Sneakers, several volunteer efforts, and other groups such as the Family Support Group at the Capital District Psychiatric Center, and Families of Murder Victims Against the Death Penalty. She attended and supported many of her family members’ social justice commitments and told her truth. Gertrude Ann LaFond touched many lives through her fiesty stands for mercy, access, fairness and justice. She was known for her wit in humor, and her critical acumen. She will be missed by her devoted family and friends. The family would like to thank friends, colleagues, nurses and caregivers from Hospice of Albany, Koinonia Health Care, and the many caregivers at Albany Medical Center, pulmonology department all of whom provided compassionate care and support over the final years. Ann was predeceased by her husband, William, her eldest son, Daniel, her sister Martha Bruckbauer of Colorado, and her brother Carl Mansfeldt of Baraga, MI. Ann is survived by her children Paul of Seattle; Patty and Deborah, of Albany; Margaret of Voorheesville, Bernadette of Union City, NJ.; grandchildren Nathan, Thomas and Aurora, Olivia, Miranda and Maya and Melania; her sister, Mary Graef of Downey, CA., and her brother, Pete Van Straten of L'Anse, MI; Daughter in-law Karen Nestvold of Seattle; Son in-laws Robert Alft Jr. of Voorheesville, and Peter Borten of Union City, NJ. A memorial service will be held on June 29th, 2014 from 1:00pm to 2:15pm at the Interfaith Center at the University at Albany, (across from the SEFCU Center) Albany, New York http://www.albanyinterfaithcenter.org/ Buffet and refreshments to follow the service from 2:30pm until 5:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the following: The Albany Catholic Worker in honor of Dorothy Day’s continuing ministry.http://www.catholicworker.org/dorothyday/index.cfm Emmaus House, 45 Trinity Place, Albany, NY, 12202 The Union City Music Project (New Jersey) supporting children to learn many things including music. http://www.ucmusicproject.org/ Student Scholarship Fund, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, The University at Albany http://www.albany.edu/womensstudies/