Laurie Joann Giles

Laurie was born December 15, 1958 in San Antonio to Ralph and Clara (Elizabeth) Jordan. She graduated from John Jay High School in San Antonio in 1977. Laurie started working at an early age to help support her and her family of four brothers and three sisters.

She met her husband, Andrew Giles, in 1987 at Advanced Micro Devices in San Antonio where they both worked. She was the executive secretary to the site manager and he was the newly-hired site safety manager having just moved to San Antonio from Dallas. They were married a few years later in San Antonio on February 9, 1991. Soon after, Laurie gave birth to Meagan Elizabeth on May 9, 1992 and to Mark Andrew on November 3, 1994. They relocated to Austin in November of 1995 and lived in Steiner Ranch.

Laurie’s life and passion revolved around her family. She wanted to make sure her kids had a better childhood than she did. She had Meagan involved in gymnastics, piano, and dance, and Mark involved in scouts and sports. As the kids grew up Laurie stayed involved by volunteering in their activities. She was Mark’s Den Mother in scouts and worked her way up to a committee position; she worked as a school volunteer at Steiner Ranch Elementary where she helped to organize the Book Fairs and other school events; and she helped organize various events for Meagan’s Celebrities Dance Team at Cedar Park High School.

She and one of her friends put together the elementary school yearbook which started her love of photography and graphic arts. This ultimately led to her most impressive achievement that, other than her kids, was what she was most proud of -- creating the football and basketball programs for Mark’s high school, Vandegrift High School. She loved the action of being on the field or court taking photos, the creative process of preparing the photos for publication, and above all else, sharing her photos.

Throughout Laurie’s life she had an amazing ability to make friends by making each one feel like they were special through her unconditional love for them which resulted in the vast number of people she has touched and claimed her as their friend. But, in her true fashion and humility, she was amazed and touched at the overwhelming outpouring of love and support she and her family received back from her friends throughout her fight with cancer.

Laurie is survived by her mother, Clara Billings; her four brothers, Ralph, Robert, Rodney, and Richard; her three sisters, Marlene, Karen, and April; her husband, Andrew, and two children, Meagan and Mark.

There will be a visitation and reception at the Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home, 9700 Anderson Mill Road, Austin, from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm Thursday, May 19. A memorial celebration of her life will be at Hill Country Bible Church (Northwest), 12124 R.R. 620 North, Austin, TX 78750, on Friday, May 20, 2011 at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers or gifts, a memorial fund will be set up so that all proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Cancer Foundation in Laurie’s name.

To share memories of Laurie with her family, please visit www.cookwaldenchapelofthehills.com

Arrangements by Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home, 9700 Anderson Mill Road, Austin, Texas 78750 (512) 335.1155 phone (512)219-0013 fax