Lauretta Elise Emerson, 97, of Sedalia, passed away on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.
Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, November 26, 2025 at 11:00 A.M. at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Sacred Heart Chapel, with Fr. Mark Miller officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 until 11:00 A.M. Wednesday at the church. Memorials are suggested to Sacred Heart School in care of McLaughlin Funeral Chapel in Sedalia.
She was born on July 16, 1928, in New Willard, Texas, the daughter of John Henry and Ardie Mae McDonald. Lauretta was united in marriage to Melvin L. Emerson, who preceded her in death in 1996.
Lauretta was a devoted member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. She completed her elementary and high school education in Texas before attending Mary Allen Junior College. She earned her Nursing degree from Mississippi Baptist Hospital and University in Jackson, Mississippi. She later continued her studies in psychiatric nursing in Tuskegee, Alabama, and also completed coursework at State Fair Community College, where she began an aviation career.
In the 1950s, Lauretta served as Supervisor of Hospital No. 2. She later returned to civil service at Whiteman Air Force Base, where she faithfully served and retired after 31 years. She earned her Funeral Director’s license in 1991 and worked for Alexander-May Funeral Home. She also spent several years employed at Bothwell Regional Health Center.
Retirement never slowed Lauretta down. She dedicated countless hours to charitable and community service work, including the Free Clinic and elderly care, often making personal house calls. She taught AIDS Awareness and Prevention for the Red Cross and served on numerous boards and organizations, including United Way, Pettis County Health, Minneola Day Nursery, the State Office of Minority Health Advisory Committee, Missouri Association for the Elimination of Tuberculosis, Missouri Rural Opportunity Council, Police Personnel Board, Base Community Council, FEMA, Care Connection, RSVP, NBA Board, Boys and Girls Club and Each Day for Life. She was a member of the NAACP and the Missouri Nurses Association. Lauretta was elected to the Sedalia City Council in April 1998, serving with distinction until 2011.
Lauretta believed in making a meaningful contribution wherever she lived. She is honored in the “Hall of Honor” at her Texas high school and the “Hall of Fame” at her alma mater in Jackson, Mississippi. A monument in Hubbard Park recognizes her efforts to improve health care for the Black community. Among her many accolades, she received the Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award in 1996, the Human Rights Award in 2006, and the NAACP Community Service Award in 2008. She is also recognized as a pioneer in Life in Pettis County 1815–1973 by Hazel Lang. In 2024, the Pettis County NAACP, Sedalia Business Women, and Bothwell Regional Health Center honored her legacy with a portrait displayed in the Bothwell Memorial Hospital lobby, celebrating her impact on health care in Sedalia.
Survivors include her three children: John Emerson (Vanessa) of Florissant, Missouri; Valencia Harris of St. Louis, Missouri; and Kay Palmer (Steve) of Sedalia, Missouri; as well as many beloved grandchildren, relatives, and friends. She is also survived by a special friend, Robert L. Perryman of Lake Charles, Louisiana.