Grandma LaBar - Not Quite a Century

I'm stealing the blog title and this picture from Uncle Martin's blog today (hope you don't mind). :) Today Grandma LaBar would have been 100 years old. Many of us were planning on spending the day with her as well as having a big 100th birthday bash everyone could attend later this summer. Instead our family is in the process of building a school in her memory in Cambodia to help underprivileged children, and specifically girls, avoid some of the worst situations imaginable. You can learn more about the rural school project and what we are doing in memory of Grandma at the American Assistance for Cambodia (AAfC) website at the following link: http://www.cambodiaschools.com/ . In the meantime, the girls and I will be enjoying lots of books together today in memory of Grandma's love for, as well as ours, of reading! :)

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This is a picture of Grandma at her 95th birthday celebration with her four sons Uncle Martin, Uncle David, Dad (Ted) and Uncle George

Here is some more information on Grandma we are working on publishing on the AAfC website so people know who Grandma was and how important the Lord, education and assisting the world's poor were to her.

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Helen LaBar (1910-2009)

Helen Christie Mathews LaBar was born in the state of Indiana in the United State of America on May 4, 1910. Mrs. LaBar died just seven months short of her 100th birthday when she died in October of 2009. Most of her life, Mrs. LaBar lived on farms where her family raised crops, as well as horses, cows, pigs, and chickens, along with vegetables and flowers. But teaching was her pride and joy. She loved teaching and was a lifelong teacher of her own children and hundreds of others. Her own mother earned a teaching certificate in 1906 and taught at small schools in Indiana.

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Helen LaBar attended elementary and high school in the U.S. state of Michigan. She then attended Albion College and Ypsilanti College in Michigan, obtaining a teaching certificate in mathematics. With her certificate, Mrs. LaBar began her teaching career in one-room schools in Michigan, including one school that was within sight of her childhood home. Sometimes her class had only eight or ten students from the 1st grade through the 8th grade.

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In 1931, Helen LaBar graduated from Anderson College in Indiana. While there, she met her husband, William. They were married in 1937 at her parent’s home, and immediately moved to the U.S. state of Wisconsin where Mr. LaBar constructed a small cabin made of logs from trees that he cut down himself. Two of their sons were born in that cabin. Mr. LaBar loved reading and was a teacher of Sunday School classes for many years.By 1952, Mr. and Mrs. LaBar's four sons were of school age, and Mrs. LaBar decided to return to teaching while Mr. LaBar operated their small farm. Mrs. LaBar taught English and Math to high school students, including her own sons. Later, she taught French and also served as librarian and interim principal at her school. After her retirement from teaching in 1970, she volunteered to lead weekly hymn-singing and classes studying the Bible in homes for the elderly. She continued to do this into her late 90s.

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Mrs. LaBar loved the Bible, reading it daily, and memorizing much of it, including the entire book of Mark. She and her husband contributed to various missionary organizations and missionaries throughout their life together, and she continued to do so after Mr. LaBar passed away. It was her desire that some of the funds from her estate be used for charitable causes, including missions and education. Part of these funds have been given to the local public library. Mrs. LaBar occasionally entertained missionaries, or former missionaries, at her home.

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Mrs. LaBar did more than teach school children. She also developed her own unique method of weaving rugs from used woolen fabric, making more than 500 such rugs. She gave weaving demonstrations and taught many others to make rugs as she did. She also taught knitting classes, and knitted hundreds of vests, capes, and sweaters for people of all ages, usually creating her own patterns. She taught other skills, including reading and piano playing, throughout her life, when she had opportunity.

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Helen had a thirst for knowledge and enjoyed reading books of non-fiction in particular. She was still actively reading books a week before she passed away.

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Helen and her husband both loved music. She played the piano for church services and at school for many years. Sometimes Mr. LaBar would play the violin together with Mrs. LaBar while she played the piano at home and at church.

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Over the course of her whole life, hardly a day went by where Helen was not actively seeking to learn something new from her books, especially the Bible. She greatly enjoyed playing word games like Scrabble with family and friends where she could exercise her mind.

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All four sons acquired their Mother's love for learning. Two of her sons have PhD degrees and three were University Department Chairmen. All four of them were teachers like their mother, and taught everything from Sunday School class to college physics, math, biology, and music. The LaBar sons have written many scholarly articles and books. Two of the LaBar daughters-in-law have also been elementary school teachers.

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Mr. and Mrs. LaBar had ten grandchildren, all of whom have college degrees. Some have advanced degrees.