Laura Soderberg

She was born on June 9 1922, in Kenville Manitoba, the youngest of six children born to Annie May (Woolford) and James Best Gawley. As a child she moved with her family to Fort Frances, then to Roddick and finally to Devlin where she grew up. As a young girl she played baseball on a girls team in Devlin, developing a love for the game, especially the Blue Jays, that lasted throughout her life.

Early in the war she moved to Kenora with her sister to look for work. Ultimately she found not only work but also a husband. Laura was united in marriage to Sten Soderberg in 1944 and they made their home and raised a family in Kenora. She worked at various jobs until Sten died, when she went back to school to become an RNA. Laura finished her working life in the physiotherapy department of the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

After retirement Laura developed a travel bug, going to China, Israel, Spain, and Morocco with groups of people from her church; she was an longtime active member of the Lakeside Baptist Church. She also loved having each grandchild visit for a week in the summer, but only one at a time. In the fall of 2019 she moved to Fort Frances to be closer to her family.

Laura was predeceased by her parents Annie May and James, siblings Mabel (Ray) Donnelly, Herb (Doris) Gawley, Art (Sveina) Gawley, Hazel (Cliff) Rorick, and Verna (Hilding) Lundin, her husband Sten, and her daughter Kola. She is survived by her son Murray(Susan), her grandson Eric (Kara) and their children Jace, Luca and Madi; granddaughter Sarah (Nathan) and their children Keifer and Daisy, step greatgrandson Nick; and grandson Mark. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

As per her wishes, cremation has taken place. Inurnment will take place in Kenora at a later date.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Trillium Gift of Life Network in support of organ donation.