(Durner)
SLINGERLANDS, NY - Anne Marie (Durner) Lauenstein, 81 passed away on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.
Born on August 23, 1938 at Fitch Sanitarium in the Bronx to Florence and Edward Durner.
Anne grew up in the Bronx neighborhood of Parkchester and attended St. Raymond Catholic
Elementary School and the Academy of Mount St. Ursula High School. A National Merit Scholar, Anne was offered a full tuition scholarship to study math at The University of Chicago but, in keeping with her parents wishes, she instead lived home in the Bronx and day-hopped to The College of New Rochelle where she graduated with honors in English, 1960.
In Parkchester, she met the love of her life, Raymond James Lauenstein and they wed on April 8, 1961. Ray was immediately drafted into the army and the couple relocated to Belmar, NJ where Anne started her first teaching job at Asbury Park High School.
Over the years, Anne and Ray started a family and moved back to the Bronx, then Natick, Mass, Barrington IL, Norwich, NY and eventually in retirement settled in Altamont, NY. In Norwich, Anne was a community leader serving as President of the League of Women Voters and led an aggressive effort to promote the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. She also served as Chairwoman of the Housing Development Authority, Library Trustee and a long time parishioner and lector of St. Paul’s Catholic Church where she also taught CCD classes. She and Ray took great pride at living in a Gustav Stickley craftsman home, lovingly caring for its original detail.
In 1981, Anne and Ray started a successful pharmaceutical manufacturing business in Norwich, Culture Kits, Inc. Their business took them around the country and the world traveling to many medical conferences.
Upon retiring in 2006, Anne and Ray moved to Altamont, NY to be near children and grandchildren. They continued to travel as often as possible to Europe but when at home, Anne was an active participant in her book club, Strong Bones class, the local choir and an active parishioner and lector at St. Lucy’s Church in Altamont and Saint Matthew’s Church in Voorheesville.
Throughout her life, Anne’s passions included music, reading (especially mysteries), antiques, Persian carpets, art museums, factory tours, evening Jeopardy and college basketball. She was known for her love of fine china, freshly pressed linens and the correct serving dishes. She and Ray loved to entertain family and friends and while Ray was the cook, Anne knew how to set a beautiful table.
Anne passed on her passion for travel and her fascination with graveyards and history to her children and grandchildren. Over the years, many a picnic was organized in front of a historic landmark or an interesting gravestone.
Devoted wife and inseparable companion of Raymond J. Lauenstein (deceased), loving mother of Francis Lauenstein (deceased), A. Cecilia Lauenstein (Ron Nadeau), Elizabeth Lauenstein (deceased), Raymond Lauenstein, Jr. (Allison Wallach Lauenstein); proud and loving grandmother to Ryan and Audrey Nadeau and Sophie and Hannah Lauenstein. Anne is also survived by three sisters Margaret Kubasiak (Gerald), Katherine Swarzell (Lawrence) and Fran Durner.
The family wishes to thank the staff of the Eddy Village Green at Beverwyck for their care of Anne during her last stages of Alzheimer’s disease. And, Father Chris, of St. Matthews Church in Voorheesville, for the love and spiritual guidance he generously provided both Ray and Anne in their last years.
The family plans a private memorial service. Those who wish may send memorial contributions to St. Matthew’s Church, 25 Mountainview St., Voorheesville, NY 12186.
Online condolences may be offered at www.danielkeenanfuneralhome.com.