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Philanthropist Lauritzen, 97, leaves lofty legacy

By Sue Story Truax, World Herald Staff Writer

Elizabeth “Libby” Davis Lauritzen’s family roots reach to Omaha’s beginnings.

The volunteer and philanthropist died Wednesday at her Omaha home of complications of pneumonia, said her son, Bruce R. Lauritzen of Omaha.

She was 97.

“I remember countless hours of her being gone doing work for various organizations,” he said.

Among those activities, Libby Lauritzen had been chairwoman of the Ak-Sar-Ben Ball Committee and was active in Junior League of Omaha, Clarkson Hospital Service League, Joslyn Art Museum and at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

“Outside of Omaha and Nebraska, which she loved, her favorite place in the world was Lake Miltona outside of Alexandria, Minnesota,” her son said. She spent most of her summers there, including last summer.

Lake Miltona was where siblings introduced Elizabeth Davis to the man she would marry, John R. Lauritzen. “The lunch lasted through dinner and into the night. It was love at first sight,” Bruce Lauritzen said.

Libby Lauritzen came from a long line of notable Omahans. Great-grandfather Thomas Davis helped to found the City of Omaha in 1854. Great-grandfather Robert Harper Clarkson became the first Episcopal bishop of the State of Nebraska. He founded an Omaha hospital and nursing school that later were named in his honor.

Clarkson was the first bishop at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Omaha, where Libby Davis wed John R. Lauritzen and where her funeral will be Monday at 10:30 a.m.

Her family has long been associated with First National Bank. Great-grandfather Davis was a stockholder. Her grandfather, father, brother, husband and son were all presidents of the bank. Bruce Lauritzen now is chairman of First National Bank of Omaha, and a grandson is an executive vice president.

Libby Lauritzen’s family history also is part of the Ak-Sar-Ben legacy. She was queen in 1937, her mother was queen in 1903, a grandfather was king in 1929 and her son was king in 2001. In all, 11 members of the family have been Ak-Sar-Ben kings or queens, said Bruce Lauritzen.

The Lauritzen family – Libby Lauritzen and her late husband, their children and the children’s spouses – gave a sizable gift to the Omaha Botanical Gardens, which were renamed Lauritzen Gardens in 2001.

She regularly volunteered at the gardens. Bruce Lauritzen recalled that his mother was in her 70s when she chased deer out of a bed at the gardens so that workers could put up a fence to keep out the animals.

“She loved nature,” he said. “She loved wildlife and especially aquatic wildlife.”

His mother enjoyed sailing, snorkeling and diving in the Caribbean. She also liked golf, water skiing, Alpine skiing, walking in the woods, fishing for bass and hunting pheasants and ducks, he said.

“She was one of those people who was an active person who liked to get out and do things,” he said.

The Omaha-born Davis attended Brownell Hall (now Brownell-Talbot School) and Duchesne Academy. She graduated from the now closed Bennett College in Millbrook, N. Y.

Libby Lauritzen was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years. Besides her son, other survivors include daughter Ann Pape of Omaha, five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

World Herald 3 Feb 2013

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Lauritzen, Elizabeth Ann, “Libby”

Jul 23, 1915 – Jan 30, 2013

Mrs. John Lauritzen died peacefully at home on Wednesday evening, January 30, 2013. She was preceded in death by her husband John. She was 97 years old. Born Elizabeth Ann Davis on July 23, 1915 in Omaha, she was known to her family and friends as “Libby”. She is survived by her son, Bruce and his wife Gerry; daughter, Ann and husband Ray Pape, Jr.; 5 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren. Services Monday, 10:30 am, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Interment, Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Memorials to Lauritzen Gardens, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, or Brownell Talbot.

Heafey-Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler, West Center Chapel, 78th & West Center 402-391-3900 www.heafeyheafey.com