Happy 61st Birthday Laurie. Miss you terribly. Just want to tell you that you will be a Grandma with a grandson on Oct 8, 2021, and a Step-Grandma of 2 boys and a girl when Jason and Ashleigh-Jo get married soon after.

It has been 2 years since Laurie’s passing and I am writing this from the heart. Laurie has been my rock thru thick and thin for 37 years. We met thru friends from Beacon Falls while she was away at college in Newport, RI at Salve Regina. Our first “date” was at Clark Cooke House, which she always wanted to go to. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the ambiance.
I spent many a weekend in Newport afterwards and have many good memories. Going to some of the mansions, eating at Nicholas Pizza, Clark Cooke House, and many other great Newport restaurants and hotels over the two years while she was at college and beyond. I met a lot of her classmates and had some great times with them.
We were married for 35 years before her passing and traveled to many places together. Some work related while I worked at Sikorsky and others on vacations together. One of the many trips we went on was a 12-day cruise from Hawaii to Papeete, Tahiti for our 20th anniversary. We travelled to five of the Hawaiian Islands then to Christmas Island on Easter Sunday then Bora Bora, Morea and on to Papeete. It was an amazing anniversary present that Laurie did not know about until Christmas 2002.
One of our goals was to travel the US in a Class C camper, when I retired, to see the US as our final journey together. Sadly, Laurie will miss this trip together in person, but she will be with me in spirit when I embark on our final journey in 2022. I have seen many parts of the US when my family went on trips to Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Mt Rushmore, and the St Louis Arch when I was a teenager. But there are many parts of the US that we wanted to see together.
Laurie is missed by both Jason and myself. We talk of her often when he comes to visit every couple of months. Jason and his girlfriend Holly have visited a couple of times in the last eight months. We all went to Disney at Christmas last year and to Hollywood Studios this last week to ride the Rise of the Resistance. We ate at the Brown Derby Restaurant for the first time and had a great time and the food was delicious.
This is getting long and all I wanted to do is say hello to my wife of 35 years and hope she is with all of her friends and relatives, including her mom and dad, brother Jerry, and Archer, who sadly left us at Christmas last year, which was Laurie’s favorite holiday.
Have a wonderful time Laurie and keep a light on for me when it is my turn to join you in the afterlife.
ILY with all my heart.

To the sweetest most loving person if have known. I’m sorry I can’t be there, but you know how much your loved. How much your missed, how you made a difference in the years I have had the pleasure of knowing you. I pray you are finally at peace. I will never forget you darling friend... Fly, Sore, Rest Easy.

Laurie, you were an important part of our family. Loved sitting around the table with you and all the rest of the crew....it's been a long time since those crazy family gatherings and the Clemons clan just isn't the same without you. Miss you very much...
Hugs Jay,
Eileen <3

In 1994, I finally had some time to explore my family genealogy. I called my aunt Ella to start with her branch of the family. She quickly told me to contact my cousin Laurie. She stated that Laurie had done extensive work on the family tree previously. She gave me Laurie's phone number and I made the call. Although we only lived two towns apart growing up, we never really connected. Laurie was 3 years younger than me. Well, connect we did. Laurie told me that just the day before she had been cleaning out a closet and picked up the family genealogy to throw it away. For whatever reason, she didn't. We soon met in person at the Waterbury city hall to start digging up the family skeletons. And boy did we did and we even found skeletons. We often excitedly rushed home to tell our families what we uncovered in the archives only to be told " we already knew that!" But we continued digging and met so many new cousins, in state and out of state. We spent hours at the LDS libraries reading through old microfiche until we couldn't focus our eyes anymore and we both ended up with headaches. LAurie was instrumental in organizing the Cooper family reunion and putting together the Cooper family cookbook! I finally had met someone who was as passionate about my new hobby as I was! Laurie was talented in so many other ways that I had never even dreamt of. She showed me a table runner that she had sewn and described how she did it. She had a true creative eye and talent for crafting. With her guidance, I made my first quilted table runner and then began quilting in earnest, all with her guidance. Then came scrapbooks and so many other crafty projects. There was no end to her talent. She was always eager to teach me and share her knowledge. Laurie truly had a heart of gold. At the darkest moments of my life, she was there for me. She always listened and offfered advice, prefacing it with "Can I just tell you something?" She told me I was "her person". She was my Meredith and I was her Cristina (Grey's anatomy). The last three years have been difficult for Laurie and Jay. Her health declined and she was bedridden. I hope that I offered her as much support that she needed. I hope she has reunited with her beloved parents and brother, Gerry, whom she loved dearly. I know she is no longer in pain, but I will miss her terribly.

I first met Laurie & Jay whilst living in Australia through Marv & Louise Farrell whom Frankie & I adored. When we returned to the United States living at the Farrell home on Burton Rd until we purchased our home on Laurie Lane. 12 yrs later moving to Quail Hollow Ct just past the Clemmons. The Farrell’s the the Coopers were best friends, adding a younger generation to the Clemmons, The Gmitter’s and so on.... The years of scrapbooking & other fun times... I stopped in to visit with Laurie & The Jay’s in Port St Lucie a few times. On Thursday I sat holding Laurie’s hand talking about Stuff. It was a beautiful late afternoon evening. I asked the nurse if we can move her bed closer to the pocket doors overlooking the beautiful palm trees, listen to the birds & squirrels scurrying about. Laurie smiled and said yes pls... the warmth of the breeze made her smile her beautiful smile. I played Mediation music for us to enjoy & relax, she napped a bit, when she awoke Laurie lifted her head and said to me “What are you Eating?” I smiled and said “Sweetish Fish want some? She smiled & said Yes! So we ate Sweetish Fish together. She smiled & said you are beautiful Daisy, I'm so happy you came to see me. I Combed her hair, she asked, are they here yet, I said they’ll be here soon, she smiled napped, woke, asked again. I knew she was waiting for the most important man in her life to return, the man that selflessly took care of her for all their years together, most especially the last 3 yrs, I know because she told me all of that & more. For her best friend Pricilla to walk through the door, Sue & Ed f Archer, the huge smile & love she had for them. She talked about her handsome son how proud she was of him. We sat together knowing. I will forever keep this Beautiful Loving Caring Womem in my Heart. I’m grateful to have had her in my life. When my time comes, I hope, I’m as brave as she was. Rest In Peace Beautiful Lady!

I got to know Laurie when she began subbing at LRMS and I was the assistant principal. Laurie was a friendly person with a contagious laugh. We would spend time joking around and talking. Later she taught quilting classes for me in the adult ed program. I always enjoyed seeing Laurie in the morning and we would always tease each other! I am so sorry to hear of her passing so young. Though I never met her husband she always spoke of him with the highest regards. Her son Jason who went through LRMS when I was there was her joy! To both of you, please know I share your grief. Laurie was a special person who will not be forgotten by those who got to know her.

THE DAY GOD CALLED YOU HOME
God looked around his garden
And found an empty place,
He then looked down upon the earth
And saw your tired face.
He put his arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful
He always takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering
He knew you were in pain.
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb.
So he closed your weary eyelids
And whispered, ‘Peace be Thine’.
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn’t go alone,
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.

Laurie you will surely be missed. I know this is a recent memory but one that will stay with me. On Thursday Ed and I came to visit with Jay, Archer, Priscilla and Daisy. Archer was so excited to see you and love on you but a little upset that he could not kiss your face. You said "Archer now you had better just calm down" he didn't really listen much but he heard you. When I leaned over to give you a kiss for the night some of my hair fell on your face and you giggled as it tickled you. I apologized for tickling you and you giggled again. That same giggle I have heard several times before. I love you Laurie.

I’ve very sorry to hear of Laurie’s passing. She used to come to my mom’s ceramic classes in the 1990s and in the recent years we’ve kept in touch on Facebook, sharing a love of Disney and reading. I had a lot of fun sharing books with her and chatting about what we liked and didn’t like about them. As a kid, I wasn’t allowed downstairs during ceramic classes, but like lots of kids I remember always trying to find a reason to go downstairs, or try to listen to the ladies talking. I would always know Laurie was there because I could hear her fun laugh. I’m truly sorry for your loss. Rest In Peace Laurie!