Laurie Kearley

Laurie Ann Kearley, 51, of McHenry, passed away July 10, 2014, after a courageous battle with brain cancer. She was born July 30, 1962, in Elgin, to Robert and Marlene (nee Wilke) Swift. Laurie had a strong Christian faith throughout her whole life. That faith was especially comforting these past few months.

Laurie graduated from Crystal Lake Central High School in 1980. She then went on to graduate from Valparaiso University in 1984 with a degree in Medical Technology. For the past five years she was working at Micro Star Lab.

On July 28, 1984, Laurie married James Kearley in Crystal Lake. They lived in several places early in their marriage while Jim served in the US Navy. They later settled in Crystal Lake to raise a family and called McHenry home the past 13 years.

Laurie was a very talented and caring person. She was in several musicals and plays at the Woodstock Opera House. She loved knitting, gardening, and reading. Above all else, she was an amazing mom to her boys and cherished the years she spent homeschooling them.

Laurie is survived by her husband of 29 years, Jim and their children, Matthew and Christopher, of McHenry; her parents, Robert and Marlene Swift of Crystal Lake; sister, Julie (Don)Kearley of Crystal Lake; brother, David (Mari)Swift of Crystal Lake; brother-in-law, Bill Kearley of Woodstock; sisters-in-law, Patti (John)Minardi of Mt. Prospect, and Judy (Chuck)Dodd of Discovery Bay, CA; nieces and nephews, David, Stephanie (Brian), Ben, Evan, Josh, Jeremy, Johnny (Nicole), Joey, Breanna, Kevin, and Christopher.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Chester and Lydia Wilke of Crystal Lake, and Morris and Florence Swift of Saginaw, MI; her father and mother-in-law, Patrick and Susanne Kearley of Mattoon; sister-in-law, Betsy Kearley; and niece, Tricia.

Visitation will be Monday, July 14, 2014 from 3-8pm at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory, 419 E Terra Cotta Ave (Rt. 176), Crystal Lake, IL 60014. Visitation will continue Tuesday morning, July 15th, from 10am until the time of the funeral service at 11am at Immanuel Lutheran Church (historic campus), 178 McHenry Ave, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. Burial will follow at Windridge Memorial Park in Cary.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Laurie’s name can be made to one of the following: JourneyCare Hospice, 405 Lake Zurich Rd., Barrington, IL 60010 or Immanuel Lutheran Church, 300 Pathway Ct, Crystal Lake, IL 60014.

For information call 815-459-3411.

We, Laurie’s family, would like to express our deepest gratitude to the staff of JourneyCare for making Laurie’s stay at hospice as comfortable as possible.

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