Laurel Parks Pfaffinger Jones was born January 28, 1984.

 

She attended school at Mounds Park Academy K-12, graduating in 2002.

Laurel’s love of learning and sense of adventure started very young, and was accelerated her junior year when she spent a semester at an Environmental Learning Center in Chewonki, Maine. Here Laurel got to immerse in herself in her love of nature, and also figured out that in communal living and learning situations, she was a very good leader.

 

In 2006 she graduated from Bowdoin College, with a degree in psychology 2006 Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude.

 

Laurel moved to New Zealand in 2007 with her partner Kurt, following a quest for adventure and to attend Nursing School there. In her first year in the nursing program, she was nominated as class president and class spokesperson, and whenever something needed to be taken to the administration, Laurel was the go-to person.

 

After one year, feeling under-challenged, she left nursing and entered Medical School at the University of Auckland. She was in her fifth year of medical school, and had recently received an award for the BestFourth Year Student in General Practice, as well as being med student with highest patient satisfaction, another testament to her kindness and compassion.

 

Laurel will always be remembered for her passion for social justice. In high school, she and her friend Madeline raised over a thousand of dollars for 9/11 survivors by selling for $1.00 each links to a paper chain that was strung throughout the MPA hallways. In high school she also joined the Gay Straight Alliance and became a lifelong member of Amnesty International. While in medical school she participated in and led an effort to for medical students to shave their heads to raise money for Children’s Cancer Research. She was a vegetarian for what she felt were principled reasons, such as saving the environment and not killing animals for food.

 

Laurel loved her adopted country, New Zealand, and its native Maori and Kiwi culture, but also said that you have to leave the USA to really appreciate it, and she especially appreciated America’s diversity.

 

Laurel will also be remembered for her tradition of hosting dinner parties.

She loved to cook for and with her friends. She would throw a large dinner party as a Christmas gift to “20 of her closest high school friends.” This tradition continued throughout college, medical school and wherever Laurel called home.

 

Laurel’s friends and family also enjoyed her sharp wit and classic one-liners.

 

They enjoyed her love for learning and her willingness to dive into things head-on and ask the tough questions. 

 

Laurel died on April 9th, after a 10 year struggle with depression. Her inner pain was a bigger part of her than many knew, as she was very good at carrying it quietly. She did not want to burden anyone. Instead she dealt with her pain by helping others she sensed were disenfranchised, in pain, or in need. Laurel had such powerful gifts of observing and perception and of empathy. The yin of her pain became the yang of her compassion.