Dorene L Lauseng

Sunrise June 15, 1947 – Sunset May 15, 2017

San Diego - Dorene was born June 15, 1947 to John & Helen Houdek in Pine City, Minnesota. She grew up on a small dairy farm just east of Pine City. In her teenage years’ she shared, with her mother and younger sister, in the daily chores associated with dairy farming, such as feeding the livestock, cleaning barn, milking cows, and tending crops, throughout the week while her father worked in the Twin-Cities.

She graduated from Pine City High School in early June, 1965. After graduation, she married her high school sweater heart LeRoy Lauseng who she had been dating since 1962. LeRoy had joined the Navy a year before, after his graduation. Becoming a career Navy wife, she traveled a lot throughout the next 15 years with LeRoy’s multiple tours of duty in Memphis/Millington, Tenn.; Jacksonville, Fla.; two tours overseas in Sigonella/Catania, Sicily; a tour in Lakehurst, New Jersey; and finally, in San Diego in 1979. She had two children, LeRoy Jr and Christopher, and two grandchildren David and Adam.

Dorene was a longtime employee of Insurance Company of then West (ICW) after moving to San Diego and retired after nearly 20 years. She became a dedicated volunteer at the Chula Vista American Legion Post 434 as a Post Auxiliary Unit Officer, contributing significantly to the American Legion programs such as Children & Youth, Veterans Assistance & Rehabilitation, Warrior and Community Service.

Dorene was predeceased by her father John and later on mother Helen, two older sisters, Renee Persons and Dorothy Eiffler, niece Missy Thompson, nephews Greg and Scott Schwartzwald, Mark and Scott Eiffler, father-in-law Leonard Lauseng, two sister-in-law’s Wanda Gunderson and Penny Auers.

She is survived by her loving husband LeRoy of 52 years, two sons LeRoy Jr and Christopher, daughter-in-law Faith, two grandsons David and Adam, an older brother Jack and younger sister Candace Thompson, her mother-in-law Maudine (Lauseng) Stamp, brother-in-law’s William, Wendell (Joyce) and Cameron (Deborah) Lauseng, sister-in-law Roselle (Donald) Blazek, many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews, and many friends.

Dorene enjoyed camping with friends and fishing trips to Baha Mexico. She adored her family and was dearly loved by all who knew her. She will be greatly missed by all.

A Celebration of Life will be held June 11 at 2:00 PM at the Chula Vista American Legion Post 434, 47 5th Ave, Chula Vista, Ca.