Laurie Marie Lahr McWilliams 1970 - 2020

LAHR, MCWILLIAMS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/21/2020 at 22:03:18

Sioux City Journal
10 June 2020

Laurie Marie Lahr McWilliams

Omaha, formerly Sioux City

Laurie Marie Lahr McWilliams, 50, of Omaha, formerly of Sioux City, passed away Sunday, June 7, 2020.

A celebration of life event will be Saturday, June 13, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Waterbury Funeral Service in Sioux City, with food provided. Out of respect for the health of family and friends, please bring a facial covering as they are required and only a limited amount will be available at the door.

Laurie Marie Lahr McWilliams entered the world on March 10, 1970, in Miami, Okla. Laurie graduated from Dow City-Arion High School in 1988, where she played volleyball and was a cheerleader.

Her nurturing smile and fun personality attracted many friends. They picked her for the Homecoming Court and Queen of the Senior prom.

Laurie attended ISU and Iowa Western Community College before following an early calling of cosmetology. Laurie possessed a passion for 80's music and her high-hair styles earned a full-ride scholarship to Stewart's in Council Bluffs. She moved to Sioux City for her first job at Prime Design before going out on her own.

Laurie and Mike McWilliams united in marriage for 14 years and had two beautiful sons, Marcus and Christian. Laurie traded cutting shears for motherhood, her greatest career of all. The family lived in Jefferson, S.D., before divorce brought Laurie and the boys back to Sioux City.

Laurie worked hard to nurture and provide for her children. In 2006, she switched from a long-time position at Rick and Company for duties at Dennis Supply Company where she served as Accounts Receivable Manager.

Laurie guided her sons with kindness and strength to grow them into successful men. She took pride in seeing them both graduate from ISU. However, she did worry about the many injuries they sustained on the college quidditch team.

These past 12 months of battling cancer, Laurie still smiled. She spent more time with family and friends. She met Bret Michaels, received well-wishes from Rick Springfield, and visited Paisley Park (the home of her favorite artist, Prince). She took a fulfilling family trip to San Diego.

She smiled more and fought even harder. She retired early. She celebrated her 50th birthday right before the COVID-19 pandemic. This allowed quality quarantine time with her sons and daughter-in-law in Omaha.

Cancer claimed Laurie's life on Prince's birthday, June 7, 2020, at her parents' home in Oklahoma, with those close to her holding her hand until the very end. Her smile remembered forever.

Those remaining to cherish her memory include her sons, Marcus McWilliams and wife, Tess of Omaha, and Christian McWilliams and significant other, Cindy Mejia of Des Moines, Iowa; parents, Butch and Noel Lahr of Grove, Okla.; brother, David Lahr and his wife, Kay and children, Jozie and Jakobe of Cedar Bluff, Iowa; boyfriend, Mick Verzani; and many other relatives and friends.

Laurie was preceded in death by her grandparents, William and Carmel Head of Dow City, Iowa, and Lyle and Vi Lahr of Dunlap, Iowa.