Lavada Pauline Engelhardt, 89, of Hutchinson, child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, died Aug. 31, 2016, at Larksfield Place Healthcare Center, Wichita. She was born Sept. 20, 1926, in Dodge City, the daughter of Henry August and Anna Marie (Hink) Quasebarth.

Lavada lived her childhood years on the homestead in rural Ford County near Offerle. She attended Edwards County schools and graduated from Kinsley High School in 1944. Later she continued her education at St. John's Lutheran College in Winfield and graduated in 1947 with an associate's degree in secretarial training. She then worked in accounting for the Singer Co. in Great Bend.

On Sept. 28, 1952, she married Elmer Edward Engelhardt at Zion Lutheran Church in Bellefont. Together they enjoyed a lifetime of farming in Pratt, Barton, and Rice counties. They raised their three children on a farm in rural Rice County near Chase, where they lived 40 years before retiring to Hutchinson in 1998. Elmer and Lavada enjoyed over 61 years of marriage before his passing on March 26, 2014.

Lavada served as church organist at Grace Lutheran in Lyons and was a farm wife. She enjoyed music, especially playing her accordion in her younger years. She enjoyed drawing and was a "Johnnie" 47 staff artist. Lavada loved to travel and read. She was active in her church organizations, Farm Bureau activities and volunteered as a 4-H leader.

She is survived by: her three children, Cheryl Engelhardt of Hutchinson, Darryl Engelhardt (Janet) of Jefferson City, Mo., Vicki Engelhardt of Wichita; two grandchildren, Stephanie Angerer (Randall) of Jefferson City, Mo., Jennifer Allen (Joe) of Merritt Island, Fla.; a great-grandson, Hampton Angerer and a great-grandchild soon to be born; two sisters-in-law, Mildred Holman and Delores Quasebarth; brother-in-law, Reinhardt Jorns; and numerous nieces and nephews. Lavada was preceded in death by: her parents; siblings, Margaret Quasebarth, Martha Quasebarth, Esther Quasebarth, Ellen Quasebarth, Harold Quasebarth, Henry Quasebarth, George Quasebarth, Marion Quasebarth, Izola Jorns, Raymond Quasebarth; and an infant grandson.

Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 407 E. 12th Ave., Hutchinson, with Reverend Chad Trunkhill officiating. Burial will follow in Fairlawn Burial Park, Hutchinson. Friends may call from 1 to 9 p.m. with family to receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson.

Memorials may be made to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church or Lutheran Hour Ministries, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.