Laura Elaine Lamond
Lamond, Laura Elaine (March 30, 2025). Beloved wife of the late Elmer K. Loving mother to Louise L. (Richard) Fritz, Elaine (Jim) Schnepp, Steven C. (Linda) Lamond, Laura D. (Howard) Miller, and Barbara L. (Chris) Purdom. She will also be missed by her 19 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Elaine grew up in Philadelphia one of thirteen siblings – nine boys and four girls – children of Charles L and Lillie Stackhouse. Despite facing numerous casual hardships during the Great Depression, both Elaine and an older brother lived to attain the venerated age of 100. Elaine attended Bartram high school in Philadelphia, loved the poetry of Robert Frost, and was a lifelong reader of The Philadelphia Inquirer and crossword-puzzle enthusiast. Near the end of her life, when her vision declined, she switched to merely doing the daily word scramble.
When World War II broke out, Elaine’s father was appointed to the local draft board, and many of Elaine’s brothers served during the war in different theaters. Elaine herself supported the war effort working for Pennsylvania railroad.
Elaine was raised and baptized at Hope Presbyterian church in Philadelphia, and after moving to Roxborough, PA, in 1960, remained a devoted member of the Leverington Presbyterian community for 60-plus years. Leverington gave Elaine great joy, which she repaid over the years enthusiastically by contributing to circle meetings, marching in the annual Independence-Day parade, and raising all five of her children in the church.
Elaine was also extremely fond of the frequent opportunities to travel to family reunions to join her brothers and sisters and their families in Springfield, PA, or to spend time with her brother George in New Bedford NY, with her Reverend brother William and his family in New City, NY, with her sister Esther Rementer and her family in Denton, MD, and particularly for recurring trips to the shore to spend time with her beloved sister Lillian Fitzpatrick and family in Somers Point, NJ.
Elaine is fondly remembered by her immediate family as a huge fan of TastyCake cupcake sandwiches and old-school soda-fountain milkshakes. For many years, Elaine satisfied the cravings of numerous family, friends and neighbors at Christmas by baking and distributing hundreds of Toll House cookies. Recreationally, she enjoyed shooting baskets underhand, Wilt Chamberlain style, and was an avid walker around Roxborough, often covering 10 to 20 miles per day. But Elaine will also be lovingly remembered for her years of service as nanny to parents of many young children both in Roxborough and Erdenheim, PA.
Later in life, after her husband, Elmer, passed in 2001, Elaine formed new friendships among her roommates at the Roxborough Home for Women, where she lived for close to twenty years. Elaine loved having family join her there and filling the dining room to capacity to celebrate her birthday, Easter, Mother’s Day, and other special events. Elaine was an eager and competitive bingo player, and enjoyed the loving attention and support of the home’s staff, directors and board.
Relatives and friends are invited to Elaine’s viewing Thursday 4/10, 9 to 10:30 am at Calvary AG Church, 7910 Washington Ln., Wyncote, PA 19095. Her funeral service will follow at 10:30 am. Interment: Hillside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions in Elaine’s name may be made to Bright Focus, for macular degeneration research: www.brightfocus.org/macular/macular-degeneration-research/ways-to-give.
