The world has lost a great fixer. Laura Michelle Stauffer-Heeschen passed to her forever home on September 22, 2021.
Born to Bud and Darlene Stauffer on May 16, 1964, in Sacramento, California, Laura grew up the middle child between Deborah, 4 years her senior, and James, 2 years younger.
Laura’s elementary education took place in Christian schools, Victory and Vineyard. She graduated from Del Campo High School. She was not only the smallest in her class (she would have been anyway) but also the youngest, having started kindergarten when she was 4 years old. So she was barely 17 when she graduated high school and got her cosmetology license.
Laura’s father passed away when she was just short of 19. She was already out of the house and employed as a hair dresser. Laura inherited many of her dad’s abilities. She had loved going to work with him and seeing how the lab operated, doing calculations, and observing. She very much followed his creative ideas, especially in making household repairs. She used and expanded those skills throughout her life.
Son Jay came into her life when she was in her 20’s. There were inseparable. Although she did not remain with Jay’s father, she managed to excel at single motherhood.
Daughters Haley and Rachel came 4 and 6 years after jay. While Rachel was still a toddler the family moved to Grass Valley to take care of her grandmother’s home and her failing aunt. Even before the move, Laura’s household had become a haven for hurting, abandoned and homeless people, usually youngsters whose parents prevailed on her to foster them temporarily.
Richard Heeschen entered her life, somewhere along the way, one of those who needed a place to land. He became the love of her life and they married in 2001. Meanwhile, Laura had taken the place of mother for her niece’s child. Camille was 2 days old when Laura brought her home and she and Rich adopted her while she was still a toddler.
In 2022 they were finally able to buy a home of their own. Laura had space to put all her crafting and repairing and sewing and hair dressing stuff – and books. She had a shop built so she could practice her hair dressing at home. She had room for a vegetable garden and spaces for several fairy gardens.
Sadly, one of her dreams will not be fulfilled. Last year she set up a non-profit, Auberge. Her intent was to find property to make low-income housing available for employed homeless people. She had dreamed of doing this , in several versions, for many years.
Laura fiercely loved her kids. Her grandbabies were the center of her life. She included the many youngsters she had fostered as family forever. She insisted that her mother live with her so she could take care of her as the need arose. She bragged about the positive changes made by any who had been in her care. She wasquick to tell them that you couldn’t work your way to heaven. You just had to believe in God.
She leaves behind her mother, Darlene; son, James; daughters Haley, Rachel and Camille; granddaughters Brooklynn, Natalie, and Juliette; sister Deborah; brother-in-law Wally; brother James; sister-in-law Susan; niece Amanda; nephews Will and Andrew; sister-in-law Erika; step-brothers Roger, Paul and Tracy; and numerous foster children, great nieces and nephews, and a wealth of friends.
A celebration of life will be held at Abundant Life Church in Grass Valley at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 30.
Heaven is richer but there are holes in our hearts.
