Laura June Zoerner

Laura June Clark Zoerner was born on May 22, 1934 in the once-and-still tiny town of Wapella, Illinois. She was the youngest of the three children of Helen and Lewis Clark, and with them she grew up in a house in the country without running water or electricity and attended a one-room schoolhouse, living what for then must have been a typical farm girl experience.

A determined scholar, Laura excelled at Clinton (Illinois) high school and earned a scholarship to start attending Illinois State Normal University when she was only 17. She majored in education, graduated in three and a half years at the age of 20, and immediately got a job teaching junior high school English in Delevan, Illinois. She also taught high school English in Granite City, Illinois, and she always looked back upon this time as a teacher with great fondness.

While at Illinois State, she met Cyril Edward Zoerner, Jr. (Cy). They married on June 10, 1961 and immediately set about starting a family with four wonderful children: Ed, Jeff, Mary, and Tom. She proved masterful at raising a loving family with very little money while Cy attended graduate school at the University of Illinois.

In 1968, the family moved to Manhattan Beach, California, and in 1969 it moved into the familiar homestead on 201 John Street. It did not take Laura long to become an integral member of the Lower John Street society and of the community in general, which endured over the years. She was a familiar sight at Robinson Elementary PTA meetings and Little League games. She was an active member of American Martyrs parish and involved in theatrical productions there. Laura, with dear friends, regularly cooked for the Downtown Women’s Center for many years. She also volunteered for many years at the Manhattan Beach Friends of the Library. She was generous with her time and money alike, supporting many charities throughout the years.

Laura made 201 John Street a special place. She was a tremendous cook and baker, famous especially for her cinnamon rolls from scratch, and wonderful smells regularly wafted through the house. She warmly and lovingly welcomed people into the home—friends, family, and ragamuffins alike. And while the Zoerner “invite everyone” Thanksgiving dinners and joyous Wassail parties that she hosted were always triumphs, her hospitality ran year-round.

Over the years, she and Cy had many great times together. Their travels included Hawaii and Great Britain, and several road trips across the entire United States. They even saw Dennis Martinez’s perfect game at Dodger Stadium. Cy died in 2004, but Laura always kept him in her heart.

When the Zoerner clan expanded, Laura showed herself every bit as much a loving grandmother (and great-grandmother) as mother. She took pride in all her grandchildren: Mason, Grace, Ted, Hayley, Emma, and William.

Laura was a lifelong inveterate reader, and could quote Shakespeare or Edna St. Vincent Millay at the drop of a hat. Perhaps unsurprisingly, even the Saturday and Sunday New York Times crossword puzzles were not too much for her. She enjoyed classical music and jigsaw puzzles. Her favorite outdoor activity was tending to her garden with great skill, particularly her roses.

Everyone who knew Laura remembers her as warm, witty, and funny.

Laura’s mental and physical health declined seriously her final three years, and she died peacefully at Beach Cities Silverado on January 29, 2026. We will remember her always as the matriarch who made it wonderful to be a part of her family.