Laurie Beth Way

Laurie Way was born as Laurie Beth Porter on April 25, 1962 in Beaumont, Texas to Davy and Joyce Porter. A few months later the family moved to Dallas, where Laurie spent her early childhood years while attending Mark Twain Elementary School. Following a move to Duncanville, Laurie attended Byrd Junior High School and then Duncanville High School, where she graduated in 1980.

Laurie began her collegiate experience at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches in the fall of 1980 and was a student there for two years before transferring to the University of North Texas, at the time known as North Texas State University. Laurie graduated in December of 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. It was during the spring of 1984 that Laurie met Craig Way. The two began dating that year, became engaged in the spring of 1985, and married on April 12, 1986 in Dallas, and settled in Irving, where they resided for the next 12 years.

Laurie entered the world of newspaper feature advertising as her profession, first working at Selective Media Services, then at the Dallas Times Herald and finally the Dallas Morning News. During this time, Laurie and Craig celebrated the birth of their first two children--their oldest son, Andy was born in November of 1989, and their oldest daughter, Haley was born in March of 1991. It was after the birth of Haley that Laurie decided to devote her attention to becoming a full-time homemaker. A third child and second daughter, Julianne, was born in March of 1995.

In August of 1998, Laurie, Craig, and their three children moved to Cedar Park, Texas. Their fourth child and second son, Jason, was born in June of 1999. From the time the Way family settled into the Greater Austin Area, Laurie was very active in the community and in the lives of her family, be it in volunteer and parental roles at Faubion Elementary School, Henry Middle School, and Vista Ridge High School, or at Good News United Methodist Church. Laurie eagerly accepted and encouraged her family to become charter members at Good News UMC, and she continued her extensive volunteer efforts. She added volunteer and booster club duties for her sons in their athletic endeavors at Vista Ridge High School, as well as her daughters' experiences as members of the Star Steppers Dance team at Vista Ridge.

In February of 2011, Laurie was diagnosed with cancer. For nearly the next six years, she bravely fought her battle against the disease, enduring several extensive treatments while continuing to maintain her busy schedule up until the final few months of her life. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 8, 2016.

Laurie is survived by Craig, her husband of 30 years, their four children--Andy, Haley, Julianne, and Jason, and their first grandchild--Theodore James Carroll, born to Haley and her husband, Tyler Carroll in December, 2015. She will be missed by all of her family, extended family, her church family at Good News UMC, and the countless numbers of friends she made through the years. Her sparkling smile, sharp wit, and infectious laugh complimented a gentle, loving nature and a playful curiosity. She enjoyed good books, good movies, cooking, and time spent with lifelong friends made growing up in the Dallas area and during her 18 years in Cedar Park.

A memorial service for Laurie will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, October 12th at First United Methodist Church in Georgetown, 410 East University Avenue, Georgetown, Texas 78626. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Laurie Way Memorial Fund, which can be found at www.goodnewsumc.org to support programs with which Laurie was so enthusiastically involved.