On Thursday, November 10, 2022 Althea McKinley Laakman passed away at the age of 99 with her son, Scott at her side. Althea was born in 1923 In Steen Township, Knox County to William H. McKinley and Kathryn E. (Wheeler) McKinley. In 1955 she married Bill (William R.) Laakman, and they had one son, Scott.
A lifelong resident of this area, Althea graduated from Wheatland High School and from Indiana Business College. In 1943 she moved to Vincennes and began working at the Emison & Emison Law office in 1945 where she eventually worked for 49 years, taking a 10-year period to be a full-time mother and homemaker before returning to the law office when she felt that the time was right. While at home she was happy to be a room mother and help in the library at Washington School and be a den mother in Scott’s Cub Scout troop. When Althea started her work, she took notes by hand on a steno pad and used a manual typewriter and mimeograph machine. As office equipment advanced, she learned and adapted and was proud to say that she had the first electric typewriter in Knox County. She became a legal assistant by virtue of her quick learning by experience, and when Vincennes University started a Paralegal Program in 1976, she was asked to serve on the advisory board, which she happily agreed to do. A position that came with her job at the law office was that of secretary of the Brevoort Levee Conservancy District. When she retired from Emison, Doolittle, Kolb & Roellgen she was asked to remain as secretary of the levee, and she did so, eventually serving for 59 years, an unheard of tenure. She was audited every two years by the state which never filed an exception or objection to any of her work.
Althea served as an American Red Cross volunteer for many years in different positions. She was chairman of Service to Military Families and in 1962 organized the After Hours Telephone Service. She served with this group for 15 years and spent many hours in the middle of the night providing needed communication to and for those serving in the military and their families.
Althea was raised a Methodist and was a member of the First United Methodist Church. After her marriage to Bill in 1955 she became a regular attender with him at First Baptist Church of Vincennes where he was a deacon and they enjoyed singing in the choir for a time. The First Baptist Church family always accepted her as an unofficial member.
For 75 years Althea was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, holding many positions throughout that time. She was pleased to be honored with a special presentation for her 75th Anniversary of Membership by the Indiana Grand Chapter.
For much of her life, after joining in 1946, Althea enjoyed being a member of the Delta Theta Tau sorority and then the alumni. She held every office at least once and was proud to be involved in their philanthropic work. A highlight for her was making teddy bears which they gave to the pediatric department at the hospital, which she often delivered. Going to conventions with her Delt sisters were happy times for her.
In her later years Althea became an avid amateur genealogy researcher, searching and building the trees of the McKinley, Wheeler and Laakman families. She was proud to be a member of First Families and DAR. Before the pandemic prevented it, she was a very regular visitor to the McGrady-Brockman House genealogy section of the library and would want to extend special thanks to those who assisted her there, as well as her friends at DAR. Preserving the accuracy and availability of the facts and records of our heritage was very important to her.
Althea was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Bill, along with her brother William C. McKinley and sisters, June Wise and Bette J. McKinley. Several brothers and sisters-in-law and some nieces and nephews, who were all important parts of her life as dear family members, preceded her as well.
She will be lovingly remembered by her devoted son, Scott, and many nieces and nephews and their families. A special thanks to Kelly and Lisa Perry for being a trusted and beloved source of help and support through the years.
There will be a private burial with plans for a memorial and life celebration service in the future. Friends and family are invited and encouraged to post memories of and tributes to Althea at www.goodwinsievers.com
