Laurie, Penny, Gail, (nee Johnson)

Nov 3, 1944 – May 2, 2015

~In Loving Memory~

Mom (Penny Gail Laurie (Johnson) peacefully let go of this world in her sleep on Saturday May the second to a place where she no longer is enduring pain & suffering. Darrell, Nicole, Owain, Erica, Fred & I were able to say goodbye to her on Friday night when she was still aware & responding to our voices & presence. A loving nurse encouraged me to stroke & talk with her & I was grateful to be able to do that & serve her until late into the night. Although mom contended with mental illness a lot in the winter years of her life she still found joy, contentment & peace creating mandalas & things in nature with various mediums, sending gifts & cards to loved ones, singing with Elvis, Johnny Cash & many more, dancing to music & sharing her extraordinary theories of life which she deeply believed to be true. She had a beautifully intense mind that brought many lessons to the surface with those who connected with her. In her earlier years some of the highlights included that she was proud to be a teaching assistant & helped children learn to read & write. She loved gardening & life with farm animals while she spent time on the Three Bars Ranch in Wycliffe with Darrell. Her life long interest in learning about & supporting the native culture & their people was infectious. Mom enjoyed many happy years with her dear husband & friend George Laurie. I can remember her telling me many stories of the past about her sisters & brothers, their spouses & dear little nieces & nephews & her own aunts & uncles & cousins. She cherished & savored many of these sweet memories & brought them up when she was able. I tell my children that a part of Grandma Penny is still alive in us & every time we demonstrate independence, openness, passion, creativity, detachment & more & that we are living her legacy to be shared in generations to come. I learned from her to let go of judgement & how I think life should be & accept it as it is & embrace each moment as a gift. It’s painful to let go of a mother, grandmother, friend, sister, auntie & yet it is a part of life that we face. She did the best she could with the life she experienced & created. Let us embrace all of the memories of her & with her as salve to heal our broken hearts. Thank you for choosing to hold mom in love & light as you read her favorite poem Desiderata. A gathering in memory of mom will be held at the farm in Cranbrook the first weekend of June for those who are drawn to join us. https://www.desiderata-superstore.com/…/desmltflrtrimscan.jp…

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Feature photo courtesy of Through My Eyes Photography

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