Remembering Laura
I met Laura about four years ago when I was just starting out in the apartment industry. She immediately made me feel welcome and that was just who she was. Every interaction I had with her was genuine, full of warmth, humor, and that unspoken understanding you only have with certain people. We shared inside jokes, and talked a little crap.
Not long ago, it was my birthday. Laura and Mike surprised me with a thoughtful gift. Laura handed it to me and said, “This is to tell you we care about you. Happy Birthday.” The gift was a small wooden memo board that read “Always stay humble and kind.” It meant so much more than just a present, it was a reflection of how she saw me, and how she lived her life.
If you don’t know me, I’m from the Midwest lol something Laura and I joked about often. We both loved Colorado and bonded over its beauty. I’d play country music in the office (my roots), and she once jokingly called me a “pretty ho”… we laughed so hard. She’d tell me I was humble and kind, not “extra” like she said some women can be and that stuck with me.
That memo board: “Always stay humble and kind” wasn’t just a sweet gesture, it became something more. The Tim McGraw song with that title already held meaning for me, but after Laura gave me that gift, I decided it would be the song I walk down the aisle to at my wedding (TBD 2026). It felt perfect like a perfect fit.
I wish I’d had the chance to tell her that.
Laura was hilarious, and full of life. She made everyone around her feel seen and loved.
Rest in peace, Laura.