Fred Lauper is the father of American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist Cyndi Lauper. Fred’s daughter Cyndi is known for hits including “Time After Time”, “She Bop”, “All Through the Night”, “True Colors”, and “Change of Heart”. She is one of the few singers to win three of the four major American entertainment awards (EGOT).
Fred Lauper: Bio Summary
Name | Fred Lauper |
Famous as | father of Cyndi Lauper |
Date of birth | January 19, 1920 |
Place of birth | New York, United States |
Died | October 10, 2004 (aged 84) |
Parents | Alfred Lauper and Anna Maria Katharina (Graf) Lauper |
Siblings | Johann Alfred Lauper, Otto Lauper, and Rose Lauper |
Spouse | Catrine Lauper |
Children | Cyndi Lauper, Ellen Lauper, and Fred Lauper |
Who Was Cyndi Lauper’s Father, Fred Lauper?
Frederick “Fred” Arthur Lauper was born on January 19, 1920, in the Bronx, New York City, New York, United States. Alfred Lauper was his father and Anna Marie Katharina Graf was his mother. According to sources, Fred was Caucasian of German heritage on both his mother’s and father’s side. He isn’t the only child of his parents. He was the brother of Johann Alfred Lauper, Otto Lauper, and Rose C (Lauper) Lange.
Fred also has another sibling whose name is unknown but died when he was about 1 year old. In the 1930 federal census, Fred then a 10-year-old was living in Oyster Bay NY with his parents, Alfred and Anna Marie, and attending school. Fred was of Swiss-German descent, and a direct descendant of Christen Lauper, a leader of the Swiss peasant war of 1653.
Fred Lauper was a runner for Scientific Engraving Co., Clerk at Bulova Watch Company. Per Fred Lauper’s World War II (WWII/WW2) draft card dated July 1, 1941, he was “white, 21, living in Malverne, Nassau, New York, working as a runner at Scientific Engraving Co., 406 W. 31 St, St., New York City, N. Y., ” according to Ancientfaces.
At the time, he was 5′ 11″, weighed 121 lbs, and had brown eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion. Fred Lauper met and married Catrine Domenica (née Gallo) (September 17, 1930–June 1, 2022). He and Catrine became husband and wife on April 11, 1951, in Queens Co., NY. They had three children, two girls and one boy.
Their children are Ellen Lauper, Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper also known as Cyndi Lauper, and Fred Lauper Jr who goes by the nicknamed Butch. Fred and Catrine did their best to raise their children. Cyndi told Vanity Fair: “My father was a curious fellow, and he took me to museums, Shakespeare [plays]. He liked literature, architecture, language—all kinds of things.”
ALSO, READ: Catrine Lauper: What Happened To Cyndi Lauper’s Mother?
Fred Lauper and his then-wife Catrine Lauper decided to get divorced. They got divorced around 1958. Fred allegedly left the family and he had an estranged relationship with his children. After the divorce, both Fred and Catrine moved on. His ex-wife remarried a man who has been described as “a violent bully” by the Mirror.
Fred’s daughter Cyndi Lauper was forced to leave home at age 17 after her stepfather threatened to rape her and her sister. Today, Cyndi is a renowned singer, songwriter, actress, and activist who has a career that has spanned over 40 years. Fred is said to have married Oranea Renee Stathis in the year 1971 in Queens’ New York City.
Fred Lauper is the grandfather of Cyndi Lauper’s son Declyn Wallace Thornton Lauper. Declyn is the son of Cyndi and her husband actor David Thornton. Declyn who was born on November 19, 1997, is into music. He is a hip-hop artist. He has released songs under the name Dex Lauper. He is known for his collaboration with G-Eazy.
Cyndi was 23 years old when she became pregnant with her boyfriend who is identified as musician Richie. At the time, she is said to have been suffering from chronic stomach pain. She was reportedly informed that she might harm her baby if she took the unknown prescribed medicine. She said:
“When I told Richie that I was pregnant, I didn’t tell him about the medicine, just to see his reaction. He said, ‘You know, we can get an abortion’. It just broke my heart that there wasn’t even a thought to keep the baby.” Cyndi also told Vanity Fair that “the guy I got pregnant with didn’t even want the kid. You think I wanted to bring somebody into the world feeling they’re not wanted? I never felt I was wanted.”
ALSO, READ: Declyn Wallace Thornton Lauper: Who Is Cyndi Lauper’s Son?
“I was 23 and I got so sick…and the doctor was such a dick, so awful, telling me, “You should have kept your legs crossed.” I said, “Well, are you teaching young men that they should be wearing some sort of contraception?”
Where Is Cyndi Lauper’s Father Now?
Cyndi Lauper’s father, Fred Lauper who was a retired Bulova Watch Company clerk is no longer alive. He passed away on October 10, 2004, in Queens Co., NY. He was at the age of 84 years at the time he passed away. There isn’t much information regarding his death. The cause of his death is unknown. His ex-wife Catrine Lauper died on June 1, 2022, at the age of 91 years.
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