Patricia Ann Lauzau, 89 was born in Toledo, Ohio on September 12, 1929 to Charles (Charlie) and Bernadette (Bernie) Karcher. Charlie and Bernie owned and operated a corner grocery store in Fostoria. When WWII broke out, Charlie was called to work in a factory. This left Bernie to manage the store and Pat to assume, from an early age, many of the responsibilities of taking care of the home and her siblings.

As a young woman she studied nursing in Toledo and became a Registered Nurse. She worked as a night supervisor at Fostoria City Hospital. There were no physicians on staff at night in those days, so Pat delivered many babies and is remembered by many in Fostoria for that role. One of the babies was named after her.

Pat married Wilbur (Bill) Lauzau May 1, 1954. Bill was a young chemist from Niagara Falls, New York working at Union Carbide. The couple has three sons, Richard, David, and Paul, and in 1965, Bill was transferred to Cleveland. The couple bought a home in Strongsville, Ohio where they lived for over fifty years. Their home has a beautiful in-ground pool. Pat and Bill hosted many family reunions / pool parties for both the Karcher and the Lauzau families that will be long remembered.

Pat was very involved in the lives of her three boys as they were growing up. She spent a lot of time volunteering at St. Joseph elementary school and Padua High School. She was the founder of the music boosters association at St. Joes and led the music boosters at the high school. In the summer she would host pool parties for those groups. Every kid at St. Joe’s knew and loved “Mrs. Lauzau”. She never missed a sporting event or concert that her boys were in.

Pat loved family, and was always bringing family together with family reunions, regular trips to visit out of state relatives, nieces and nephews visiting for weeks every summer, annual trips to Cedar Point with her grandchildren, boy’s camps and girl’s camps, vacations with her siblings, and even a real estate partnership with her brothers and sisters and their spouses.

As the Karcher and Lauzau nieces and nephews grew older, spread across the country and started their own families, Pat and Bill continued to be involved in their lives. Aunt Pat and Uncle Bill were there, often traveling the country, for many first communions, weddings, Eagle Scout ceremonies, and college graduations.

Pat is preceded in death by her brothers Richard (Dick) Karcher and his wife Garland of Fostoria, her brother William (Bill) of Sandusky, and her brother in-law Jack Kirian. She is survived by her husband Bill and her three sons (spouses) Richard (Dante Parete), David (Kim), Paul (Ann), her grandchildren, Jimmy, Michael, Alyssa, Kevin, Col and Max, her great-grandchildren, Abby, Zachary, Noah and Caleb, her sister Barbara Nye and husband Dallas of Fostoria, her sister Janet Kirian of Fostoria, and her sister in-law Mary Karcher of Sandusky.

Pat’s beautiful big smile will be missed by all.

Visitation is Friday March 15, 2019 from 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm at HOENING & SON FUNERAL HOME 133 W. Tiffin St., Fostoria, OH 44830 where a Christian Wake Service will take place at 7:30 pm.

Mass of Christian Burial is 10:30 am Saturday at St. Wendelin Catholic Church with Rev. Todd Dominique presiding. A Rosary will be prayed at 10 am in church. Burial will follow at St. Wendelin Catholic Cemetery. A lunch and gathering will then take place at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to Maryknoll Fathers or Catholic Charities c/o the funeral home.

To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Patricia Ann (Karcher) Lauzau, please visit our Tribute Store.

Previous Events