Remembering Laura Deck

Simple words. Powerful words. Words to reflect upon. Words to live by.

 

Laura Deck lived them, she lived them well, and true to her nature, she lived them without fanfare or pretense.

 

Understated kindness, it seemed, was part of Laura’s DNA. She took time for others, she listened intently, she offered counsel when asked, she measured her words, she asked nothing in return, and in so doing, she lightened the burden of those whose paths crossed hers and made their days better.

 

So it was with Laura, who taught Middle School science at Collegiate from 1989 until her retirement filled with inquiry and adventure in 2009.

 

Our friend and colleague passed away May 3, several months after her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Through her many challenges, she remained positive, upbeat, uncomplaining and resolute, even as the disease took its toll. In her toughest times, if you called or stopped by to cheer her up, she cheered you up. She smiled when she could smile, which was often. She cried when she had to cry. She was courageous to the very end.

 

“She was definitely one of a kind,” said her son Andy, a 1999 Collegiate graduate who works as a physical therapist in Virginia Beach and lives in Chesapeake with his wife Michelle and their two-year-old son Axton.

 

“A lot of people near and far will miss her. She had a unique way of being able to interact with a broad spectrum of people. She would always go out of her way to help them, no matter what. It wasn’t like she was keeping score. If somebody needed help, she felt it was her duty to help them.”

 

Laura’s daughter Sarah, Collegiate class of 2000 and senior virtual design and construction manager for a commercial general contractor in Raleigh, was her mother’s primary caregiver.

 

“My Mom was selfless and kind and loving and thoughtful and empathetic,” Sarah said. “Family was her highest priority. She always did what was right. She was an achiever. She was tenacious, responsible, and reliable. She was really smart and practical and organized. She always read the newspaper. She did the crossword puzzle and Sudoku. She loved mystery novels. She was in two book clubs. She loved being out in nature. She was an early adapter of technology. Before there was Google Search, there was my Mom. But what I think about most is that everybody loved her.”

 

What follows are thoughts and reflections of several of Laura’s friends, former colleagues all, who shared the journey with this humble, caring, adventurous lifelong learner and woman for all seasons.

 

Laura was the best partner you could have when it came to designing and implementing our 8th grade science course.  She was a joy to work with. We collaborated on many of the ideas on how to teach the course, and she had great ideas on how it should be done.  She was patient and pleasant and always so helpful with computer issues. She always had such a positive attitude. ~Jim Hickey

 

 

Laura knew a lot about a lot of things. There were several times when we traveled together to conferences. She was one of the easiest people to be with that I’ve ever known. She was a genuinely deep-down, nice human being. She was a rock-solid friend. If there was anything I needed a brain for, it was Laura’s I sought. ~Nancy Reed

 

Laura was one amazing lady. She was a terrific teacher and great role model for the kids and cared about them enormously. She did everything she could to help them succeed. She had a huge heart, and she gave from the heart, and it was all for somebody else. Laura was a very, very strong person. She faced a lot of hardships in her life. The biggest one was the one that took her in the end, but she was brave and always had a smile, even when she was in pain. She didn’t let the tough times get her down. She always tried to make things better for people around her. I just treasure every day that I had with her. She was a dear, dear friend.  ~Kris Koebler

 

Laura was a master of chemistry, biology, and math. She was also an excellent seamstress, knitter, chef, and baker. She could read music. She appreciated the beauty of flowers, birds, the river, and falling snow. She taught herself computer skills so well that Collegiate asked her to return as a consultant and as a computer guru. She knew it all. I quickly learned that she was smart as a whip, but it was her kindness. She was so generous with her time and always willing to change her schedule to fit ours. Laura was as genuine as they come. She was so giving of herself. If you walked into her room and you had a problem – whether it was computer or “I can’t get the printer going” or anything else, she would put down her pencil, get up, and spend as much time as it took. She was just that kind of person. My life was blessed over and over because of my friendship with Laura Deck. ~Sharon Charles

~Weldon Bradshaw