Elgin woman remembered for volunteerism, many contributions
Laurel Bault is being remembered for her kindness, prolific volunteerism and commitment to political and social causes.
Bault, 62, of Elgin, had suffered from respiratory issues and died suddenly at home Sunday, said her husband of 39 years, Kyle Bault. The cause of death is undetermined pending an autopsy, he said.
"She was very open to any person, from any walk of life. She had no preconceived notions about anybody," Kyle Bault said.
Remembrances quickly poured in on Facebook.
"Laurel fought for those in need with a blazing love and ferocity; she championed the underserved and downtrodden," said Tish Calhamer, community engagement manager at Gail Borden Public Library.
"Laurel was kind, inquisitive, caring and passionate about doing the right things," said Danise Habun, a former member of the Elgin human rights commission.
"She was a force for good in our community," said state Rep. Anna Moeller of Elgin.
Among her many endeavors, Laurel Bault organized the annual Elgin CROP Hunger Walk, served on the citizens' advisory council for Elgin Area School District U-46 and was education chairman for the League of Women Voters of the Elgin Area.
She was a recipient of a volunteer/community service award from YWCA of Elgin in 2004 and was a regular at city council and school board meetings. She served as a Girl Scouts leader and volunteer for the Elgin American Little League. At various times, she volunteered for soup kitchens and organizations, such as Ecker Center for Mental Health, PADS of Elgin and the Salvation Army, her husband said.
She was most recently involved with the Fox Valley River Initiative and DuPage United. She was an active member of Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Elgin, where she helped raise money for "Into Kenya," a ministry to build a well, an orphanage, and school in Kenya.
She was originally from Champaign and spent most of her life in Ottawa before moving to Elgin in 1984. She and her husband have two children, Jason, 33, and Erin, 31.
She had worked as parent coordinator at Garfield Elementary School and recently with the AVID program at Tefft Middle School, Kyle Bault said.
Laurel Bault had a deep passion for politics and social justice, said Elgin Councilwoman Carol Rauschenberger. "Every waking moment was to support a cause for people with less than she had."
Bault worked on several election campaigns, including for Rauschenberger and Martin McManamon, Wayne Township highway commissioner, and ran as a Democrat for the 43rd House seat in 2006. She supported progressive causes but never failed to reach out to people on the other side of the political spectrum, Rauschenberger said.
Laurel Bault told the Daily Herald in 2012 that her father, a naturalized Canadian immigrant, instilled in her a fascination with civic engagement. At the time, Bault worked on an initiative to re-engage young women in the electoral process.
"I've just been frustrated by low voter turnout," she said in the interview. "We're giving our power away and we need to take responsibility for that."
The Bault family will plan a funeral and community remembrance at a later date, pending COVID-19 pandemic guidance, Kyle Bault said.