Laurie Lee Woodley

life story

It is with great sadness we share the news of Laurie Woodley’s passing January 13, 2023. Laurie was born November 16, 1953 as third child of Gertrude and Charles Woodley of West St. Paul. Preceding her in death were her parents and brother Tom.

She leaves behind sister Pamela Thorsen (Richard) and nieces ( Tiffany and Brittany ) and Tom’s family, Jeanette and son Charlie. She had many lifelong friends who she cherished and a divinely discovered cousin Colleen Woodley. We know all share in our sadness for her loss. She is also survived by her precious dog Winnie who is part of the Thorsen family now.

Following her brother to Plymouth, Wisconsin at young age of 17, Laurie invested her creativity and time in a tailoring degree and worked at Kohler for several years as well as at Tom’s hotel.

Her love of textiles and especially quilts and fabric creatures and dolls sent her on adventures around the country attending workshops and expanding sewing skills and making friendships with other creators. She was part of a knitting group in Prescott for the sharing of friendship, food and fun.

Traveling was a love of hers— often to California to niece Tiffany’s home and to Plymouth Wisconsin for gatherings with old friends and frequently to Durham, North Carolina to visit cousin Karen Baumer. Many trips were made with Karen and Pam throughout the country. One of her most adventurous recent trips with niece Tiffany was to Vienna Austria. And though she loved travel, she also loved her historic home in Prescott, Wi.

Laurie worked at 3m after moving closer to family in the 1980s and studied engineering and got her boiler operators license. She was at the Cottage Grove plant for more than 30 years.

Laurie was famous for her easily recognizable laugh! “Best medicine” she often said, ”was three laughs a day and if didn’t have three don’t worry -they are recyclable.” And she could always pull up the best stories remembering good times.

We imagine dozens of dogs greeting her at heavens gate barking, squealing and jumping! She typically had two or three at a time. And not just dogs, included in her family were bunnies, a crazy talking parrot and a cat named Woody who the family shared. She also had a love of horses and often went riding with friends.

Many dog rescues counted on her for help with fundraising and many fosters became a permanent part of her family as she failed at fostering and could not give them up. Memorials to Laurie would be to support animal rescues In any way you can.

memorial service

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services