Mary Louise Harden

Mary Louise Harden — a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother — died peacefully on Sept. 18, 2024, in the presence of family at Villa St. Francis nursing home in Olathe, Kansas. She was 85.

Mrs. Harden devoted her life to helping children understand their value to God and humanity. A former elementary school teacher and later an administrator in the Topeka Public School District 501’s special education system, Harden is remembered by former students throughout the Midwest for showing them the care, kindness and positivity they needed in childhood to overcome adversity.

Though she always celebrated life, her journey was seldom easy. She was a young stay-at-home mother when her beloved first husband, Lawrence Charles Laugesen, died unexpectedly at age 33 of natural causes shortly after earning his Ph.D. at the University of Denver.

Widowed with little formal education, Mrs. Harden worked multiple jobs while bringing up three young children and attending college. Through love, will, devotion to her family, intelligence, and determination, Mrs. Harden graduated magna cum laude in three years from Mankato State University (today Minnesota State University-Mankato). She later earned a master’s degree in special education from Kansas State University.

Mrs. Harden was always there for anyone in need. When she encountered another person’s despair, or inability to cope, she kindly reminded them, “life is hard, but well worth living.”

Shortly after Mrs. Harden began teaching, she met fellow educator George Daniel Harden. They fell in love and embarked upon a 46-year marriage. Together, they furthered their education, ran small businesses, taught, produced two additional children, and devoted themselves to family, God and the Catholic faith while taking on the world.

The couple enjoyed traveling the globe, camping at folk music festivals throughout the United States, and supporting the Kansas State and Kansas City Chiefs football teams. Mrs. Harden was a voracious reader of non-fiction books. She adored music by Donna Fargo, Helen Reddy, Loretta Lynn and others who sang about living, loving and conquering the perils of life.

Despite academic and career success, Mrs. Harden always emphasized motherhood as her highest and most treasured accomplishment. She taught her students and children that love was the only true and lasting asset in a life well lived. She often expressed her love with gifts of hand-made crocheted afghans, which she could produce with the alacrity of a machine.

Mrs. Harden is survived by her five children: Kelly Briggs and her husband Michael; Paul Laugesen and his wife Cathy; Wayne Laugesen and his wife Dede; Joshua Harden and his wife Martha; and Rebecca Waugh.

Grandchildren include Sarah and Jason Meyer; Katie and Daniel Griffin; Daniel and Felicia Laugesen; Larry and Dany Laugesen; Julia and Valarie Robertson; Mary and Spencer Kuttler; George Laugesen; Oscar and Morgan Laugesen; Huey and Vivian Laugesen; Walter and Sasha Laugesen; Fred Laugesen; G Roy Laugesen; Hattie Harden; Rose Harden; Hannah Waugh; Joseph Waugh; Jacob Waugh; Quinn Waugh; Luke Waugh; Victor Daniel Harden; and great grandchildren Bennett Meyer; Adelyn Meyer; Joseph Laugesen; Catherine Laugesen; Paul Laugesen; Nicholus Laugesen; Eli Laugesen; Ezekiel Kuttler and Camila Laugesen.

Rosary and visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, at Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home in Topeka. A funeral Mass will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Most Pure Heart Catholic Church.

Memorial contributions can be made to Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Topeka or Catholic Charities of Topeka, 234 South Kansas Ave., Topeka, KS 66603 (include "for Topeka" on the memo line).