She is survived by her partner of 20 years, Everette “Pete” Stroud, daughter Sarah Ripplinger Mason (Scott Mason) from Rock Rapids, Iowa, brother Jesse Yates (Stephanie Yates) from Oak Harbor, WA, sister Deborah Hardy Yates from Oak Harbor, WA, 2 granddaughters Emma Mason and Inez Toney, several nieces, nephews, cousins, and many dear friends in ND and NC.
Laura was a light in a dark world and her smile would light up a room. She had a passion for service. Laura’s laugh was contagious, and she made everyone around her laugh. While living in Bismarck, North Dakota she found joy in bowling, ceramics, camping, and crafting. Laura moved to North Carolina in 2002 to start a second chapter with her “honey man”, Pete, and their yorkie, Tater Tot. She worked at UNC Greensboro as the Office Manger in the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services for 18 years where she worked with students with disabilities and gave back to the campus community. During her time in NC and at UNCG she made many lifelong friends, whom she considered family, and spent her time giving love and baking for everyone she knew.
She loved to bake especially for Christmas, and she would make her favorite treats for everyone. Her goodie plates at Christmas weren’t just a plate they were platters! Her act of love was food and if you were blessed to receive something she baked you weren’t just cared for you were family! In addition to baking and Christmas, Laura loved snowmen and kept her house and office decorated with snowmen year-round!
Her collection of snowmen includes a 6 ft snowman that Pete bought her around the time they first met when they went to a craft fair in ND. Pete and Laura have a beautiful love story and they spent their time loving and caring for each other and for other people. Pete’s “sweet pea”, as he would call her, made a positive and loving impact on many people’s lives and will not be forgotten. We’ll think about her when we see a beautiful cardinal swoop to her bird feeder, when the treat we baked turns out just right and we’ll remember her smile, twinkle in her eye, her laugh and her excitement at Christmas, when seeing snow, and how she looked at her honey man and Tater Tot. ❤
A celebration of Laura's life will be at 9 AM, Friday, February 17 at the Elliott University Center, Campus of University of North Carolina Greensboro, 507 Stirling Street, Greensboro, NC 27409 followed by a reception and visitation. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com.
Immortality by Clare Harner
Do not stand
By my grave, and weep.
I am not there,
I do not sleep—
I am the thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints in snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle, autumn rain.
As you awake with morning’s hush,
I am the swift, up-flinging rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight,
I am the day transcending night.
Do not stand
By my grave, and cry—
I am not there,
I did not die.
