Louise (Louann) Ann Fouraker was born September 16, 1936 to Fred and Elsie Ford in Indianapolis, Indiana. She peacefully left the earth surrounded by many family members at her side on April 5, 2020.
Louise is survived by, Husband Don Fouraker, Brother Andy Ford (Amy), her children Rhonda Ewing (Ron), Russell Benson (Charlotte) and Ron Benson (Lisa). Grandchildren Blake Benson (Ashley), Kristen Benson, Bernadette Brown (Jaycob), Beatrice Benson, Amy Ewing, Chad Ewing, Tyler Mortimer and great grandchildren children, Tyler Ewing, Megan Ewing, Jaylin Benson, Raelyn Brown, Joelle Benson. She was proceeded by her granddaughter Jessica Benson.
Louise was very proud of her German heritage. This was evident in her immaculate housekeeping and organizational traits. She was able to make visits to Germany to see her Uncles, Aunts and cousins.
At a young age, Louise moved to Trona, California, with her family. There she enjoyed playing in her high school band. She recalled many stories about band trips and how the high school football field was sand, due to being in a desert. Home field advantage, she would say.
It was in the Trona area where she met her first husband, Ronald Benson. They married in 1955 and had their three children. Ron’s job had him transferring around many places, but in the mid 1960’s they ended up in Washington. This is where Louise called home.
In the 1970’s, she went to school to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. Her motivation was to earn extra money to be able to send her children to college. With her caring nature nursing was the perfect profession for her and she excelled at her job.
In 2003, Louise married Donald Fouraker. They enjoyed being part of many musical groups. This is evident when they would attend weekly jam sessions. Louise didn’t perform but loved listening as Don played and sang. Louise would help organize pot lucks and fund raisers for the groups.
Faith was extremely important to Louise and she embodied her Christian faith in the way she lived her life and treated others. She was very active at volunteering. This includes local food banks, St Vincent DePaul and many church functions through her parish, Holy Disciples Catholic Church. Louise enjoyed many hobbies and activities. She was always present for any of her children’s school or sporting events. She loved sewing, reading, hiking, gardening, and music to name a few.
Louise’s true passion was for her family and friends. She deeply loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. They all were her world. She never forgot a friend, even if it had been years. She remembered friends and would always reach out to them. She was the most non-judgmental person and this was shown by how she accepted everyone for who they were.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to, “Greater YMCA of Seattle Jessica Benson endowment fund” or “St Vincent DePaul.” Since Louise was a very giving person, you can also make a donation to an organization close to you with thoughts of Louise in your heart.
https://www.yahnandson.com/obituaries/Louise-Ann-Fouraker?obId=12614962#/obituaryInfo
Thanks to David Stevens for posting the Obituary for my sister: Louise Ann Ford Fouraker, known as LouAnn Ford in her Trona high school days. The Obituary was written by LouAnn’s wonderful children and is posted on the Funeral Home Website:
https://www.yahnandson.com/obituaries/Louise-Ann-Fouraker?obId=12614962#/obituaryInfo.
The website is still on line as of Nov 17, 2020. It includes nice photos of LouAnn with family and friends. It also provides an option for viewers to share memories on a “Tribute Wall.”
I’m sending comments and photos to share the story of how LouAnn and our family came to live in Trona. Mom and Dad, known as Elsie and Fred Ford in their Trona days were immigrants, mom from Germany, Dad from England. They liked their new country, a welcome change from the difficult conditions in both England and Germany during and after the 1st World War. Dad’s large family settled in Indianapolis. Mom came to America with Andrew Ziebold, her German grandfather. Mom was born Elsa Schneider, and her name was changed to Elsie Ziebold at the entry station on Ellis Island.
Both families settled in Indianapolis, where they met, fell in love and got married. Then in 1936 when they were in their early 20’s, Louise Ann Ford was born. Her 1st name honors mom’s mother Louise, and her middle name honors Andrew Ziebold who made it possible for mom to come to the USA. I think the 7-8 years in Indianapolis was a treasured time for the young family, as evidenced by many, photos of LouAnn in her early years. The photo shows a little girl’s smile to bring joy to the Ford family.
Big changes came around 1943-1944 when Mom’s doctor advised the Ford family to move west where a dryer climate would help mom live better with severe asthma. Dad looked for job openings for chemists in the west,
and came across an opening to work for a small company that created evaporation ponds on the shore of Owens Lake. As the ponds shrunk, salts were harvested for sale to ranchers to supplement the cattle diet. Dad’s new job was chemical testing to verify the salts’ suitability for cattle. Mom, Dad, and Lou Ann drove out west and found a new home on Lone Pine Creek. Life on Lone Pine Creek was a dramatic change from the big city of Indianapolis, one that they enjoyed, with the exception of end-of-day dangerous traffic from the HolyWood film crews recklessly racing home from their filming session in the Alabama Hills.
So the Fords moved into down-town Lone Pine where they settled into a pleasant house that was also the site of many photos. The photo shows LouAnn playing on the front gate with Mt. Whitney in the distant background. Photography was Dad’s hobby, and he submitted the photo to the Los Angeles Times photography contest. Dad was both surprised and thrilled when the photo won first prize. Shortly thereafter, the New York Museum of Art asked for a print, and Lou Ann swinging on the gate was on display in New York City.
Another surprise was just around the corner when mom gave birth to me, their “surprise child” in 1944. Then, around this time, Dad got a job as a Chemist for AMPOT in Trona. Dad loved the chemistry challenges of the new job, and I suspect the AMPOT job was more secure and rewarding than working on the Owens Lake evaporation ponds. LouAnn was around 8 years old when we all arrived in Trona. I recall her playing with me as her little brother, then visiting with girl friends after school. The photo photo shows LouAnn with friends at her 15th year birthday. (blue skirt, white blouse). LouAnn and her friends were a cheerful group, especially on band trips.
A few years later, LouAnn met Ron Benson who lived nearby in Ridgecrest. LouAnn and Ron got married shortly after LouAnn graduated from High School. LouAnn Benson then devoted her new life to the love and care for her three children: Rhonda, Russel and Ronnie. The Benson family traveled far and wide as Ron’s job assignments took them to new locations. LouAnn and her children were a strong team to support each other throughout the many travels that evenually landed them in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Lou Ann’s children describe their life in the Seattle Area and pay tribute to their loving mother in the Obituary. Like many of us in our later years, LouAnn had several health problems in her 70s & 80s. Fortnunately, Lou Ann and her children found a safe Assisted Living facility for her. And thank goodness, she was able to avoid the COVID19 virus that was spreading rapidly in long-term care facilities in the Seattle area. LouAnn passed away from heart failure on April 5, 2020. Her 84-year life span seems incredible given that both our parents died in their early 50s. Lou Ann’s children brought her joy in the final decades with visits by children,by grand children, and even by great-grand children.