Laura-Anne Sammarco, (1959 - 2020) - ForeverMissed.com Online Memorials

All of the animals, excepting man, know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it.

60 years old
Born on September 24, 1959
Passed away on April 17, 2020

Hackensack, NJ – Laura-Anne Sammarco, 60, died peacefully at her sister’s home on Friday, April 17, 2020, while with family.

Laura-Anne grew up in Allenhurst and Interlaken, NJ, but always had the heart of a wanderer. From a very young age, she insisted on living life on her own terms. She studied photography at Antioch College, graduating with a diploma in one hand, and a baby in the other. She then made her way in life as a single mother, building a career that moved her incrementally across the country from Brooklyn, to Texas, and finally the San Francisco Bay area where she lived for over thirty years. Laura-Anne started her career at stock photo houses, and ended up working for various companies in the Silicon Valley as a project manager. She used her artistic skills to develop branding and manage graphic artists, making a stellar reputation for herself.

While she had a very successful career, this was definitely not her passion. It was impossible for Laura-Anne to sit still. She biked and ran, but swimming was her great love. If she was late to arrive somewhere, it was probably because she had to squeeze in a swim. The pool would do, but she got in an ocean any chance she could and entered countless open water swims, triathlons, and even the swim from Alcatraz a handful of times. She loved coming back to New Jersey in the summer to see family and swim in the ocean, getting as much sand on her as possible. She took every opportunity to travel, especially to Hawaii, and anywhere involving water, like a swim tour of Croatia. Her favorite traveling companion was her daughter, Kendra. They went to Hawaii together many times, and had incredible experiences swimming with and appreciating sea life, including dolphins and whales in the wild. Laura-Anne also had a wide network of friends that she made on swim teams, swim expeditions, and travel groups. She made the most out of endless work trips around the world, which was her favorite way to gather interesting gifts for everyone and squirrel them away. She always got excited about gifts, both giving and receiving. Her method was to buy something she truly loved and wanted, then give it away as a gift. Many of her family’s favorite items are the things that she gave them.

Laura-Anne’s free time on dry land was largely consumed by her love of animals. When she wasn’t squeezing them, she was helping them survive. She volunteered at several animal shelters and fostered (and foster failed) dogs and cats. Through her long time job at Cisco Systems, she became a part of an organization that cared for and relocated cats on the Cisco campus and surrounding bay area, Good Home Animal Society. She drafted programs, managed administrative activities, and was an enormous advocate of the organization.

Laura-Anne returned to New Jersey in July to be close to family that could help care for her. However, she left behind in California another family of friends and neighbors who were tremendous support while she battled cancer.

Laura-Anne is predeceased by her mother, Laura, and father, Carl. She is survived by her daughter, Kendra, and her siblings, Maria-Rose, Carl and Michele, Maria-Rose’s husband Ralph, Carl’s wife Jill and her two nieces and a nephew.

Laura-Anne will be interred at Steelmantown Cemetery in Cape May, New Jersey on Thursday, April 23rd during a private ceremony. The family hopes to have a celebration of life when society reopens.

Donations can be made in her name to Good Home Animal Society, 530 Showers Drive, Suite 7191, Mountain View, CA 94040-1457, https://www.goodhomeanimalsociety.org. The donations will be focused on compassionate healthcare and finding compatible forever homes for cats, as Laura-Anne was.

Tributes

Leave a tribute

September 25, 2020

Laura was our neighbor in Burlingame in the mid 80’s. Such a special woman. I remember how she loved her special baby Kendra. Her smile and love for life was amazing! My heart aches for all of her family. Will miss our periodic calls to catch up. Love you Sammarco

September 24, 2020

it's taken me a while to get over the fact that she is no longer with us. I have many things to say but will keep it brief. I loved Laura Anne from the first time I set eyes on her to her last breath. I was with her when her beautiful daughter Kendra was born and if i remember correctly am the sig other on the birth cert. We went our separate ways but always kept in contact , we had a running joke of who would contact the person first on holidays bdays etc. I miss her radiant smile, her adventurous spirit and her beautiful aura.. On this her birthday ...i win :-) happy Birthday in heaven Laura!! Till we meet again.

June 4, 2020

I don't think I've ever known anyone like LA. She was truly always on the go. I used to run with her at lunch when we worked together at Siemens. We also took a weekend girls' trip to Ojai to a spa (Spa Girls Forever, you know who you are!) that specialized in activities, hiking, aerobic classes, yoga AND low-cal eating which I didn't know when I signed up to go. I roomed with LA. Her love of animals and all things living was very apparent when we had a spider in our room. Me, I wanted to squish it --but LA would have none of that. She cornered the thing and scooped it up in a cup and set it free outside our door. I honestly don't know if the large spider web in the tree was spun that night or the next but it was the biggest freaking spider web ever. Maybe it was a spider tribute to LA for saving its life. I can't believe she is gone although not really because of all the people and living creatures she touched. She left her impression on this earth in so many ways.

May 8, 2020

Laura-Anne was a great spirit: kind, loving, adventurous, and with a great sense of humor. I met her on a Swim Trek and never forgot her. There was something about Laura-Anne - a fresh and uncomplicated kindness - one immediately felt she was a person with whom true trust and friendship were possible. I wish I had spent more time with LA. I am so sorry she passed away, and send my strength and love to her family and loved ones.

May 7, 2020

Dear Family.
Thank you for writing such a beautiful tribute to an endlessly loving women.
The world needs more people to live as she lived and loved.

May 2, 2020

I knew Laura-Anne (LA) through Crawford and my own marketing business. My daughter, Karlee, also worked on projects for LA at Crawford. They were an unlikely duo and did a lot of good work together. After Karlee passed away 5 years ago, LA would often reach out to me and we would just chat, mom to mom. I hope they are having a great reunion in heaven.
LA was a wonderful person and I send comforting thoughts and prayers to her family and all who loved her.

April 28, 2020

My heart weeps, too many lovely spirits lost these past two years. Kendra, I'm so sorry LA had to go through what she did and I apologize I wasn't able to be in her life as I had been in the past, I regret that. I have fond memories from many New Years Eves with her, especially the last New Year's dinner we all shared in Newark; cycling with her in Woodside, meeting her at the pool, getting drenched in Half Moon Bay and drying off at the local bar (armed with never-ending Cosmos); swimming in Maui! I think about LA daily as I drink from the Lifefactory water bottle she gave me and I always think of LA and Kendra when I eat ice cream out of The Nightmare Before Christmas cup she gave me when moving Kendra out of her apartment one year. My heart weeps.

April 24, 2020

I met Laura when we were both transfer students to Antioch College, entering as juniors. With our friend Tracey, we became good friends. Kendra was born the following year and Laura became a young mother! After graduation, we spent time together at her family's house at the Jersey shore and when LA and Kendra lived in Brooklyn, and then we stayed in touch all these years. I always admired Laura's athletic abilities, her calm self-possession, and her fun-loving, mischievous but gentle spirit. She was one of the first vegetarians I knew well and I remember her love of all animals. I wish I could have joined her on one of those swims with the dolphins! I will remember her for the generous, loving person she was.

April 23, 2020

I had the pleasure of 1st meeting Laura-Anne years back when we had newborn kittens outside of Cisco bldg. 8. The mom was no where to be found. LA and her team were very instrumental in saving their lives—bottlle feeding them--they had a schedule and would bring them into the bldg. Since then, I had the pleasure to know LA through the Cisco Cat Club and always admired her countless help and compassion for the kitties and all animals. She always had good advice to offer and would step up to help no matter what. Even after she moved to NJ she was still helping solve problems. She had a wonderful, caring spirit and heart. A beautiful person gone too soon………… her legacy will live on! The sky has a new star, heaven has a new angel, and all the dear furry friends who have passed now have someone to comfort them.

RIP Laura-Anne. Your time on Earth was short, but your impact you left is huge!!!

Paula Ross

April 23, 2020

Your friends in Palo Alto miss you. We held a candle lighting ceremony at our last Monday night virtual zoom meeting to remember you by.

One of our members showed photos of us wearing funny glasses with mustaches. You and all of us looked really silly and ridiculous. We had a good laugh though. We asked Bay Area Cancer Connections to start a book to remember our friends who came through the group. You will be in there for all to remember.

Swimming with dolphins is what I will always remember you by.

April 22, 2020

Laura-Anne was a true humanitarian, rescued and fostered both cats and dogs—-who truly loved these innocent creatures. She was a wonderful friend, and I will miss speaking to her about everything—-especially about making life better for all animals.

Rest in peace my friend; you left a big void in my heart and the world. I will miss you forever