My Friend, Laurie, Gone Too Soon

A beautiful tribute, Kevin. Laurie and I locked horns, but I always respected the fierceness with which she defended her positions--and her generosity in sharing knowledge.  She will be so missed by so many--but was surely met by a laughing Joe.

These are unsettling times.

You show your love Kevin...and she was....a great person. How can we be chatting about our new camera one day....and then she's gone?

Kev,

She knew her shit...worked hard...

One of the last times I was speaking to her on the phone, the neighbors were having a "domestic dispute" and she screamed at them: "HEY! I'M ON THE PHONE OVER HERE! SHUT THE HELL UP!!!"  LOL...She was such a piece of work!

She may have lived and worked in Long Beach...but she was a true New Yorker! :)

What a shock it was to hear this yesterday. Laurie was........well...Laurie!! She will be missed.

so sorry kevin - she WILL be missed

Kevin, what a beautiful tribute and the song says it so well.

I will miss her and your song made me cry this AM.

I feel bad as she had been on my heart since Sunday night and I didn't call. Didn't listen to my inner voice telling me to reach out. I regret that so much.

Kevin, I'm so sorry and so sad. I will miss her very much. She looked California but her personality was New York!

Beautiful Kev.

The night Joe died, Laurie is the one who stayed up with me into the early morning. She helped me grieve. She made me laugh. We reminisced. We talked about what was important. For that, I am eternally grateful to her. She was one heck of a lady. I'm so sorry she had to go this way. Way, way way, too soon.

Stay strong Kev.

Rudy

Thanks Kevin.  I had thought about doing something here for Laurie, but hadn't figured out what that ought to be....
 I like your idea of her SEO post getting special attention.

Mary

Agree Kev!

Thanks for posting this Kevin.  I just found out, and had no idea she was even sick.  She had a strong spirit and has definitely left a mark.  She is missed.

I was privileged to meet and know Laurie. This morning at 6:30 I learned the sad news as I read Ann Cummings' facebook post - and sat there crying. This afternoon at my office, I listened to "Gone to Soon" and tears are streaming down both cheeks.  

If it weren't for Active Rain I never would have known Laurie, or many other friends I've met. These many posts show that AR truly is a community. Back in the early days it was a close family. I hope AR will keep all of Laurie's posts for all the old and new readers, whether on her page or a Hall of Fame page. We still have lots to learn from that.

To the point, though, Kev, it's really about Laurie the person, Laurie the friend. Hugs, and Skoal ! 

Kevin you were her little brother, I was her little sister.    If she was talking with me at 11pm she was talking with you.   What I wouldn't do for "hey hon I am on with Kev, are you going to be up in awhile?"   or "Kevin is calling in, I will call you tomorrow, sweet dreams"

Cannot believe this is happening....

Hi Kevin, I'm so sorry you lost a dear friend. Treasure each moment....

Kevin,

I'll never forget  you telling me at #REBCORL and I thought (ok hoped beyond belief) for a moment it was a bad joke...it's taken a few days to sink in a realize we really did lose our girl. I loved this song and it fits so well. I hope you are doing well. {{{hugs}}} 

Sharon is so right, the friends we've made for are so special. She was even kind enough to call me worried I hadn't heard - I love her for that. That's the caring community we all became in our journey that for me started by meeting so many here on Active Rain.

I finally found some of the words to do a tribute to her today - still hard through the tears. Jack keeps walking in to find me crying as I would think about moments, conversations, etc. we shared.

OMG, I had no idea...I am so sorry... I actually had planned to go see her until I was in a car accident months ago and was unable to blog.  I am sick in my stomach now...She was so wonderful and helpful to me when I started with AR,  before there were even 50,000 members...I'm totally shocked, I had no idea....