Laura Lou Pendergast passed away on July 2, 2018 in her home town and the city she was born, Phoenix, Arizona.
The family requests that we join with them for a Celebration of Life event for Laura Lou on Thursday, July 12, 2018 at 10:30am at the Arizona Recreation Center for the Handicapped, 1550 W. Colter St, Phoenix, AZ. 85015. Please come and show your love for Laura Lou and her family by wearing shades of pink and purple.
Life Script:
Good Morning Everyone
We are here today to honor the life of Laura Lou Pendergast.
Laura Lou was born into a large family being the 7th of nine children born to
August Jennings Pendergast and Doyle Marie Dixon Pendergast.
She was born on June 25th, 1946 in Phoenix, Arizona at St. Joseph’s Hospital in
Phoenix. Laura Lou was born with birth difficulties and brain insult which
impacted her life greatly. She was not expected to survive the difficulties but
she fooled the doctors, and, although her growth and development was slowed,
she made great progress and did thrive in the big family of ten.
She had four brothers: namely, Augie, Bob, David and Michael and three living
sisters Carole Dean, Kappy, and Marilyn with her 4th baby sister Judith Ann
who died at birth:
When Laura Lou’s youngest sister, Marilyn, entered first grade at Pendergast
School, that left Laura Lou unable to attend the public school even though she
really wanted to go to school. The only educational program that was
suggested was Gompers Clinic which was located in Tempe, Az. Laura’s
parents were rancher/farmers and lived on the far west side of the valley. For
Laura to attend the only program, the parents would have to drive two hours to
Tempe and drop Laura off and drive two hours home and then come back the
return trips and that was impossible to do. Parents could not be on the road 8
hours per day and still take care of their other children plus run the dairy and
farming business.
The only option was for Laura to obtain a court order so she could receive
training at the Arizona Children’s Colony in Randolph, Arizona where she would
room and board and be taught skills. It was a most difficult decision but at age
7 1/2 half years Laura Lou was separated from her family. She would come
home for all the major holidays plus come home during the summer.
Laura lost her father at age 13(1959) and her mother at age 17(1964). In 1964
her sister, Kappy Pendergast became her legal guardian . At some point The
Arizona Children’s Colony was renamed: Arizona Training Center. Laura
continued to be a part of the organization until the fall of 1978.
Laura’s moved to Phoenix to to live full time with sister Kappy, her guardian,
and brother-in-law, Randy Maunder and baby Elana. Two years later nephew
Doyle was born into the Maunder Family.
Laura Lou and her love for nurturing was manifested when she was allowed to
care for and dress the babies. Every time Laura changed Elana, she would put a
new outfit on her. Kappy would go behind her and hang the outfit up so it could
be recycled but Laura Lou was having fun. She did the same with the new
family addition which was Doyle.
Laura Lou lived with Kappy and Randy Maunder for 40 years and had a full and
enriched life and enjoyed new freedoms. In the late 1979 she became a
participant in the ARCH organization which is Arizona Recreation Center for the
Handicapped. The Program was located at 39th Avenue and Grand Avenue.
Then “New ARCH” as Laura Lou called it was built on the location we are here
today.
Among the activities and interests that Laura Lou experienced and enjoyed most
were socializing with family, with friends, “eating out”. cookouts, camping,
singing, dancing, sign language, bowling, and Special Olympics and going to
church and Vacation Bible School. She loved to sing the old favorite hymns, all
the choruses such as Jesus Loves Me and Deep and Wide, and loved to carry
her Bible to church and was eager to tell others that “Jesus Loves You” , she
prayed. And if you really knew Laura Lou, you would know she was a winner
and losing was not an option which was not accepted very well. We always
prayer that Laura Lou would “WIN” ” and get her medals in Special Olympics as
defeat was not very well received by Laura Lou at all. She won many medals
and some trophies in Special Olympics. She easily befriended all who would
accept her and she didn’t forget you. Most likely Laura Lou’s greatest
heartbreak was losing her mother to cancer at a young age. That was a very
tough time for her to overcome the loss and then find that God had a purpose
for her life and that her mother wanted her to be “Happy”, to take care of and
love her nieces and nephews and that gave her renewed purpose. That she
did so well.
Laura Lou was unforgettable once you met her. She really loved to “eat out”
and go to Church and she loved Jesus and she knew she was loved. Laura Lou
loved vacations with the Maunders and going to Disneyland, Yuma, Houston,
Texas, Washington State to visit relatives: and Birthdays! WOW! Laura
believed in birthdays and cake and ice cream and presents too. She would start
reminding everyone that her birthday was coming a month before June 25th.
Really! It was touching that her great niece Ryanne and sister Kappy visited her
at the Care home on June 25th with cake and ice cream. Today, we will be
singing Happy Birthday to “Everyone” all who have a birthday in 2018 in honor
of Laura Lou. She celebrated many birthdays with her friends at ARCH. WE
know that birthdays are a gift from God because HE gives us life and the
blessing of enjoying special days .
Also, Christmas was big for Laura Lou Ryanne Wight will be singing “Silent
Night” to honor Jesus, the Savior has indeed come.
God gave Laura Lou a child-like faith and He requires all of us to come to Him
as a little child would and trusting. Laura Lou was born into a big family and we
can most assuredly say “that Laura Lou made our family a whole lot better.
God bless everyone.
Ruth, you can add or change wording some was God would lead you but this is
shared on the level of the 50 plus handicapped friends at ARCH who will be
blessed and understand. OKAY. I feel better now. God will bless you and keep
you strong as you speak today and be honoring your Savior the Lord Jesus
Christ. Love, Aunt Kappy
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