Kathy from ‘Father Knows Best’ Works in Church after 8 Miscarriages & Marriage at 16 — She’s a Granny & ‘Still Pretty’

• Kathy Anderson from "Father Knows Best" went through hell after the end of the series.
• She survived eight miscarriages, addictions, and a wedding at 16.
• Lauren Chapin chose a life far from television, now works in a church at 78, and is a happy grandmother despite her illness.

Lauren Chapin found immense fame when she was cast to star as the young Kathy "Kitten" Anderson in "Father Knows Best." She was featured in almost every episode of the series, and for her role, she earned five Children's Emmy Awards.

As a young girl, she was the envy of many, with lots of money, fame, and seemingly having all she wished for. However, the truth is, her life wasn't an easy one, and she faced different challenges from a young age.

Marguerite Chapin, Lauren's mother, took her to audition for the role of Kathy while her older brother and eldest sibling, Michael Chapin, pushed to play Bud in the same series. Marguerite recalled how her daughter was incapable of reading, nor did she have acting experience.

Marguerite confessed that if her daughter hadn't gotten the role of Kathy, she would've broken the heart of a "little girl." Years later, at age 66, Lauren fondly recalled her time in "Father Knows Best," saying:

"I grew up in a make-believe fairyland."

The star described her time on the show as "the most wonderful." However, her life after the show wasn't as rosy as she struggled with relationships, illegal substances, and her journey to motherhood.

After "Father Knows Best," Lauren's Life Hit "Bottom": Her Eight Miscarriages, Addictions, and a Wedding at 16

An August 1983 newspaper article noted how people loved Lauren in her role as Kathy because she represented what they lacked. Women saw her as the perfect little sister, while men saw a potential girlfriend.

However, when her fans heard about how a part of her reached the "bottom," it dawned on them that she wasn't her character at all.

Lauren was pressured to live like Kathy in real life, with her mother making her dress like the character too. Marguerite never allowed her daughter to look like herself; she always dressed her in bobby socks and styled her hair into pigtails. The star retaliated by rolling up her jeans, removing her socks, and insisting to her mother that she wished to be herself.

In response, Marguerite would play on her guilt by asking how she could shame her that way. Marguerite insisted that her daughter couldn't be herself because she had to be Kathy, and when the series concluded, the actress's relationship with her parents worsened.

The celebrity admitted that when the show ended, everything ended for her as she couldn't find acting work. She was typecast as Kathy, and the more she was jobless, the more her mother drank and the more Lauren became hostile.

The star ran away from home and was incurable in her behavior. She even quit high school, started using illegal substances—which put her career on hold, dated casually, had eight miscarriages, and at 16, married a former classmate who worked as an auto mechanic.

Lauren also withdrew thousands of dollars from a savings account, and within eight months, it was all gone. The former actress lived on welfare, ended up in mental health institutions and rehabilitation centers, and her substance abuse landed her in and out of prison! Her marriage as a teenager also concluded in divorce after two years.

In 2012, Lauren said her life for the past 25 years had nothing to do with the "wounded and hurt" little girl she once was.

After experiencing a very dark period in her life, Lauren began to live a completely different one that was healthier and more productive. This included a life of faith and doting on her children and grandchild.

Lauren Works in a Church and Raises Her Grandchildren at 78

By 2012, Lauren had spent the last decades working as a motivational speaker at churches nationwide since becoming a born-again Christian. The celebrity even relocated from Texas to Vero Beach three years before so she could work at a local church.

Apart from her job there, she stayed because she became fond of the area. The actress was even keen on having a countrywide performance of "Forever Kitten," her one-woman show based on her childhood character, Kathy.

In April 2012, lucky fans paid $25 in advance or $30 at the door to watch the show at The Emerson Center in Vero Beach, Florida. Those who were keen saw the star at the event in the late afternoon at 5 p.m.

Lauren wished to bring back the perfect family ideal from her series, despite having a different line than the one depicted in "Father Knows Best." She wanted people to return to the times when they could sit at the table and ask their children how their days were, to be a part of a family unit where children are loved.

In 1989, the actress opened up about her life on "Father Knows Best" and the tragedies she experienced after in a book she co-wrote, "Father Does Know Best: The Lauren Chapin Story."

The star also welcomed two children, a daughter, Summer, and a son, Matthew. The mother of two wasn't delusional and knew that her children would hear about the bad things she did from their friends because people could be cruel.

However, she placed her faith and trust in Jesus to remedy the situation. Lauren honestly reflected on her life, saying she couldn't blame anyone but herself for her past but only Jesus deserved gratitude for the present and future, adding:

"My goal now is to spread His word and honor His name."

Despite her rough background, the celebrity has a close bond with her daughter, who shared a throwback Facebook post for her mother for Mother's Day in 2016. In the photo, Summer sat at a table with two other children eating cake as her mother looked over them.

Summer shared how lucky she was to have a beautiful and nurturing soul as a mother. She called Lauren her mentor and best friend before revealing she'd always be the actress's "little girl." She wished her mother a Happy Mother's Day, declared her love, and wished her a blessed and beautiful day.

At the beginning of that year, the celebrity shared a picture of her son and wished him a happy birthday. In the image, Matthew posed with his mother's grandson, Keegan Chapin, whom she adored.

At the age of 78, Lauren is not only a happy mother and grandmother, but she is also struggling with a disease she kept secret for a while.

Lauren Reveals Her Battle with an Illness She Kept Secret and Her Fight with a Thief

On May 24, 2023, Lauren took to her Facebook account to share a picture of herself. The image showed how much the actress had aged, and in the caption, she gave her fans an update on her life and health.

The star revealed that six months earlier, she had gone through radiation and had been fighting radiation Pneumonitis since. She noted how long her battle was and that she probably had to endure six more months of her struggles.

However, she admitted to leaning on her faith, sharing how God reigned and kept his "loving hands" around her. The celebrity said God was still encouraging her every step of the way as she deals with the illness she kept secret and fought alone until then.

Lauren also confessed that she was battling another infection that had her taking many medications to help eliminate it. Despite everything she was going through with her health, the actress said the main point of her post was to encourage people not to give up.

Lauren urged people not to allow what "the enemy" throws one's way to overpower them. She believes trusting in God and Jesus makes one strong and resilient because power comes from those two sources.

Lauren also said her fans should praise God even during tough times because he'd never leave or forsake them. The words of encouragement she shared with her followers were more for herself but also as a ministry to those who believed.

The celebrity concluded her post by revealing to her fans that the image she uploaded was what she looked like after six months of taking Prednisone, and frankly, the star looked good. Someone who replied to the post said these encouraging words to Lauren about her looks and current battle:

"You're still pretty! Wonderful news about your health."

On May 31, 2023, Lauren posted a story of another struggle she faced with photos of her posing with a scammer named Kelli Anne Stang. After reiterating her six-month battle, she revealed that she'd been "quietly" fighting something else that happened in November 2022.

The incident occurred while Lauren was recovering from her lung cancer so Lauren admitted she hadn't found the time to address the issue. Lauren shared that before her arrival home from California, she'd welcomed Stang, whom she'd known for 15 years.

Stang had led a women's bible ministry, lived in Vero Beach, and got a room at the actress's home because she needed a place to stay. While Lauren continued with her cancer treatment in Los Angeles, Stang lived in her house. The woman was sweet until rent was due, but Lauren couldn't do much about the situation because she was focusing on her illness.

Ultimately, Stang left three months later without paying a cent, and when Lauren returned home, she realized the woman was also a thief and had robbed her, taking even the original manuscript of her autobiography and thousands of dollars worth of memorabilia.

Lauren believed Stang thought she would die in Los Angeles and stole items she could sell when she realized the actress was recovering. The heartbroken star hoped to get everything back and worked with the police, whom she had a tight case with because of all the evidence she had.

All [Lauren] wished for was that people would assist her in getting her items back, and she vowed to see the matter through with the support and prayers from those who cared.

Lauren's post was to warn others about Stang, who'd blocked her on social media and by phone. The actress showed her kindness and generosity when she revealed she'd initially helped the woman because her daughter kicked her out, and Stang had nowhere to go.

When the police contacted the alleged criminal, she denied knowing the celebrity, despite Lauren having a photo of her driver's license and personal mail that was sent to her house. An indoor camera also captured Stang in the star's home.

The mother of two said she wasn't looking to get the woman arrested and didn't wish to press charges as long as Stang got help and returned her things. She believed God would punish Stang more than a prison cell could.

She even pleaded with her friends to help pray for her things to be returned to her because some of them were dear to her children. She also asked her followers to immediately alert her if they saw any of her items being sold online.

Lauren had gone as far as tagging Stang's social media friends to make them aware of the situation. The actress felt it was heartbreaking that elderly abuse was something that happened daily to vulnerable and sick people who suffered manipulation and theft, adding:

"What's even more heartbreaking is when it's a 'woman of God and friend' who does this!!!"

All Lauren wished for was that people would assist her in getting her items back, and she vowed to see the matter through with the support and prayers of those who cared. Despite all the heartbreak and drama, fans may see the celebrity's current appearance on June 1, 2023's Facebook image featuring her scammer.

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