Dear Ned, Chris, Kacki, Steve, Stew,
Our stars are crossed.  We are miserable.  The Stevenson Center is co-hosting an event in Highland Park at 2:00 P.M. on the 18th.  I can't believe it.  Norm Ornstein is flying in to speak.  AES is introducing him.  We can't wiggle out of it.  Horrors.  This has been on our books since July.  Misery, misery.
Wonderful Albe and Ned have been part of every Stevenson campaign venture, the jubilant victories, the harder losses, always with style, good humor, glorious talent and dogged determinism.  That we must miss this opportunity to bear witness for Albe literally breaks our hearts.
My mom used to say "what will be will be" at times like this, but I've never found that very satisfactory.
Thank you for thinking of us and sending us the notice.  We know there will be tears and grateful joy from all who have been blessed with Albe's embrace. Adlai and Nancy  

Dear Chris, Steve, Stew, Kacki and Amy,

It's always painful to learn of the ending of a lifelong loving relationship.  Yes, Albe and Ned have meant so much to me in our lives of saving the world.  I do feel grateful that I had the opportunity to celebrate her 90th birthday and look forward to the ability to celebrate her life on November 18th.

Albe meant so much to me and my family, and always enriched our sense of being.  Working on Democratic campaigns and social justice campaigns was enriching as we worked together.  When I left Evanston, it was very painful; I subscribed to the Evanston Review for 10 years afterwards.  Whenever I returned to stay in Evanston, I stayed with her.  It was forever enriching.

I have, in a large frame, a picture of Albe and Ned when they first met at Antioch; they look the same as they always did when I continued our relationship through the years.  I will always remember Albe for the treasure that she was, not only to her family, but to her friends.  I do look forward to continuing my relationship with Ned, whom I admired for his creative gardening, additions to their house, and treasures for their children.

The Lauterbachs have been everlasting nourishment for the Gotbaums.

All my everlasting love,

Sarah

I look back at my high school days and do not know how mom managed everything.  I swam for all 4 years of highschool, and mom attended all the meets I swam in.  Not just the home meets but ALL the meets, home, away, inventational, and any other.  

In addition to this she managed to keep up with 4 other kids, and have dinner on the table every night.  I thought my time management was tough, with only one kid and a pretty flexible job.

 

Adlai E. Stevenson For U.S. Senate '74
Citizens for Stevenson Committee Campaign Manual

I just got a big reminder of just how pervasive politics has been in the Lauterbach family.  A couple years ago my dad prepared a notebook of documents for me, with info on all of their accounts, pension plans, etc.  I pulled out the notebook today in order to notify my mom's pension plan that she died last week.  The cover of the notebook has a big Adlai sticker.  Why would one ever buy a new notebook, when there's an old Adlai notebook that can be reused!

In the Spring of 1986 an event occurred that occurs only once every 76 years: the reappearance of Halley’s comet.  The comet that came the year Mark Twain was born and returned the day he died.  A phenomenon so rare and so unique, it was not to be missed.

Albe and Ned put it to us one day at brunch.  “We can’t let this pass unnoticed in this jungle of city lights and buildings. We need to go somewhere we can SEE IT, where the stars are big enough to touch, large enough to kiss…we need the desert in Utah, and we need to go to Paria Canyon.”

Onward, we shouted. Let’s go!  In April, off we went with Donna Gerson, Albe and Ned.  

The five of us started our trip hiking along a trickle in a ditch, but as we followed it down that first night, Tommy and I looked at each other.  “Weren’t we descending all day?”

 On the second day, we could wade through the water and watched the canyon walls grow taller than ourselves. 

By dusk on the third day, the stream was flowing and the majestic rock formations and canyon walls were closing in.  Tommy and I glanced at each other and looked up at the narrow slit of sky between 500 foot high sheer rock walls.   There would only be a few stars big enough to kiss.  Isn’t tonight Halley’s comet?  Albe sat knitting by the camp stove.  Then we heard Ned whistle. I have a surprise for you! 

Albe rolled her eyes but smiled as Ned stood holding five local beers cooled in the stream and ready to distribute for a glorious happy hour as the sun bounced off the terracotta canyon walls, the dying sun, the twilight falling quickly.

We never did see Halley’s comet. We never really cared.  We had an amazing trip descending through centuries of stratified rock as warm and colorful as our companions and as varied as our evening conversations.     

Submitted with great affection: 

Tom Herman and Jennifer Moran

I have the best parents.  To my mom and my dad I owe my love of family, love of the great outdoors, and of course my political leanings and world view.  My memories of Albe are rich and vast - from cooking bacon and eggs over a Coleman stove in a wooded campground to stuffing envelopes at the Abner Mikva for Congress headquarters.  She was a remarkable woman and I had the unbelievable good luck to have her as my mom.  
Love you mom, your legacy will not fade.