Hannelore "Laura" Lederer

She will be deeply missed by her daughter Jeannette and son Bob (Susan); grandchildren Lauren (Tyson) and Steven; great-grandchildren Max and Emma; sister-in-law Honeybee; childhood best friend and soulmate, Hannelore; as well as many other cherished family members and friends. Laura was predeceased by her parents, Karl and Elenore, former spouse Joseph, brother Karl, and beloved son-in-law Kerry.

Laura was born in Berlin, Germany in 1928 to parents who provided her with a “golden childhood”. Known as “Putzi”, she grew up excelling in school and busying herself with many sports and activities.

In the early 1950s, Laura made the bold move to venture to Canada, and would spend the rest of her life in Edmonton. It was there that she met and married Joseph Lederer, and had two children, Jeannette and Bob. Despite becoming a single-parent, she remained a dedicated mother, working tirelessly to provide her children with support and opportunities. Over her life, she held a variety of jobs until she was offered a position being the Administrative Assistant of the German Department at the University of Alberta. This new career opportunity relied heavily on her excellent people skills, provided stability to her life, and allowed her to thrive professionally for nearly 20 years before her retirement in 1992.

Laura cherished time spent with her family. She adored her two grandchildren, and became affectionately known to them and many others as “Omi”. In recent years, she was thrilled to earn the title of great-grandma.

Laura was an active member of her JW church community, and an avid supporter of the Arts in Edmonton. She was a dedicated fan of figure skating and tennis, a talented seamstress and needleworker, and enjoyed doing puzzles (both jigsaw and crossword). Laura had many joys in her life, but her true passion was reading. Her love of literature and dedication to lifelong learning equipped her with an incredibly diverse knowledge, giving her an impressive ability to cite facts and contribute to conversations about almost any topic. Not to be forgotten is her incredible collection of books. She loved to travel and enjoyed many trips to the United States, Europe, and different regions of Canada.

Despite the hardships she faced, Laura lived every day inspiring positivity and optimism, offering a friendly smile and gentle kindness everywhere she went. She truly was a bright light and made everyone feel special. We are fortunate to have had so many wonderful years with this remarkable woman. She will be missed and forever in our hearts.

A heartfelt thank you to the exceptional staff at CapitalCare Grandview LTC for the hours of loving support and care that they provided to Laura over the last years of her life.

A Celebration of Life will be held on June 7, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at Hainstock’s Funeral Home (9810 - 34 Avenue NW, Edmonton). All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Edmonton’s Food Bank.