Laura Jane Hibbard

On Sunday, July 5, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family, Laura Jane Hibbard peacefully left this world after a courageous six-year journey with severe dementia. She was 77 years old and just weeks away from celebrating her 78th birthday on July 26.

Laura was born on July 26, 1948, in Walnut Creek, California, to Alfred Leon LeRoy and Lois Alexander LeRoy. She spent most of her life in Antioch, where she planted deep roots in her community, before spending her final years in Modesto. Wherever Laura lived, she made it feel like home—not only for her family, but for everyone fortunate enough to know her.

As the oldest of five children, Laura seemed destined to become a teacher. Long before classrooms or careers, she was teaching by example—with patience, encouragement, and an unwavering belief in others. A competitive swimmer in her youth, she began teaching lessons as a teenager at Antioch's C Street Pool before founding Laura's Swim School – Eyes Open Underwater. Over the years, she taught generations of children how to swim, but what she truly taught was confidence. Thousands of children took their first brave strokes because Laura believed they could before they believed it themselves. Many of those children would later return with children of their own, eager for them to experience the same kindness, patience, and encouragement that had become Laura's trademark.

The Sierra Nevada mountains and Lake Tahoe were woven into Laura's soul. Family vacations were spent hiking, fishing, swimming, camping, and skiing, nurturing a lifelong love of the outdoors. That passion eventually led her to become both a ski instructor and ski patroller at Sierra Ski Ranch, where she once again found joy in teaching others and helping them discover confidence in themselves.

Laura had an extraordinary gift for making ordinary moments unforgettable. She was an artist with a calligraphy pen, generously hand-lettering wedding invitations and keepsakes for countless friends and family members. She loved crafting not because she enjoyed creating things, but because she loved creating joy.

Her kitchen was another place where love came to life. Family and friends still smile when they think of her famous cheesecakes topped with raspberry sauce, ramaki, lemon meringue pie, spaghetti nights complete with garlic bread, cupcakes, and the endless stream of delicious meals that somehow always seemed to feed more people than expected. No one ever left Laura's home hungry, and no one ever left without feeling cared for.

Laura was the beloved wife of Mike Hibbard, and together they built a home where everyone felt welcome. She was legendary for hosting elaborate gatherings, especially the treasured Hibbard Christmas celebrations held each year around Mike's birthday. Her home overflowed with decorations, delicious food, music, laughter, and the unmistakable feeling that everyone belonged.

As a mother to Mason Hibbard, Luke Hibbard, and Allison Barnes, Laura's greatest joy was showing up. She rarely missed a game, a school event, or an opportunity to cheer from the sidelines. She wasn't just there for her own children—she was there for everyone. She arrived with cupcakes, cookies, apples, orange slices, or whatever she knew would brighten someone's day. She made blankets, handmade flip-flops, and hair ties for Allison's volleyball teammates because she believed every child deserved to feel seen and celebrated. That was simply who Laura was. She found joy in making others feel special.

If there was one role Laura cherished above all others, it was being "Granna."

Sophia, Cruz, Hazel, Arlo, and Pearl knew a grandmother whose love had no limits. She spoiled them with whipped cream straight from the can, squirt gun battles that turned into unforgettable afternoons, laughter that echoed through the house, and hugs that made everything better. She also passed along one of her greatest gifts, teaching each of them how to swim—continuing a legacy that stretched across generations and will continue for generations to come.

Laura had a way of filling every room with light. She was funny without trying, playful without apology, and always ready with a joke that would leave everyone doubled over with laughter. She loved to dance. She loved to celebrate. She loved getting a reaction from people, especially if it ended with someone smiling so hard they couldn't catch their breath. She was, without question, the life of every party.

During the final years of her life, dementia slowly took pieces of Laura that her family treasured. But it never took away the immeasurable impact she had already made. The love she poured into others, the traditions she created, the confidence she instilled, the laughter she inspired, and the memories she gave so freely remain untouched.

Laura passed peacefully surrounded by her immediate family after a beautiful blessing and ceremony of gratitude led by her sister, Holly Alexander. It was a fitting farewell for a woman who spent her entire life giving so much of herself to others.

Laura is survived by her husband, Mike Hibbard; her children, Mason Hibbard, Luke Hibbard, and Allison Barnes; her son-in-law, Matt Barnes; her beloved grandchildren, Sophia Hibbard, Cruz Hibbard, Hazel Hibbard, Arlo Barnes, and Pearl Barnes; and her siblings, Susan Claytor, Alfred LeRoy, and Holly Alexander.

There are people whose lives are measured by accomplishments, and there are people whose lives are measured by the love they leave behind. Laura's life was unquestionably the latter.

Her legacy lives on in every child who learned to swim without fear, every holiday tradition that will continue around family tables, every recipe lovingly passed down, every handwritten keepsake still tucked safely into drawers, every grandchild who knows what it feels like to be adored, and every person who was lucky enough to be welcomed into her home.

If you knew Laura, chances are she made you laugh, fed you something delicious, encouraged you when you needed it most, or simply made you feel like you mattered.

What a remarkable gift to leave the world.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 8, 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at Skipolini's Pizza, 3070 Main St., Oakley, CA 94561. Family and friends are warmly invited to come as Laura would have wanted—with stories to tell, laughter to share, and hearts full of gratitude for a life so beautifully lived.