Laura Lee “Laurie” Storen, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, died peacefully in her sleep on August 27, 2026, in Denver, Colorado at age 76.

Born in Montreal in 1949 to Alexander Storen and Irene (Griffith) Storen, Laurie was the fourth of their children. She became a registered nurse at Royal Victoria Hospital, where she met Dr. Ronald Mark Becker. They married and began their family in 1973 with the birth of their daughter, Heidi Ilse. Their son, Mark Alexander, followed in 1975. The family moved to New York in that year, where Laurie continued her work in cardiac nursing and Ron joined the cardiac surgery team at Montefiore. Their son, Noah Storen, was born in 1978.

The family eventually settled in Chico, California. After her marriage ended, Laurie began a new chapter in her life. While working and raising three children, she earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Chico State. In 1991, she moved to Chicago, where she built a rewarding, second career with several Chicago-based and national nonprofit organizations. As her children went off to college, Laurie embraced the opportunity to build a life that was entirely her own.

Giving to others was at the heart of who Laurie was. She regularly donated her time and resources to local soup kitchens, inspired in part by her modest upbringing and her strong belief that those who had enough should share with those who did not. She loved telling stories about her grandfather, who would sometimes give away meals even when his own family had little to spare—a family tradition of generosity that clearly lived on in Laurie.

Laurie was warm, kind, and genuinely interested in getting to know people. She made friends wherever she went and across every walk of life. She was generous with her time, cooking, laughter, and especially her compliments. She had a unique and special way of making people feel seen and appreciated.

In 2008, Laurie returned to Canada to be closer to her aging parents and her sister Judith (Storen) Kozak. She settled in Belleville, Ontario, and became a beloved member of the Peet’s Point community on the Bay of Quinte. She filled her days with gardening, cooking, enjoying good food and wine, and continuing to find ways to help nourish those in need. Her Canadian friends and neighbors supported her through two rounds of breast cancer treatment and became an important part of her life.

In 2023, as her health challenges increased, Laurie moved to Denver to be closer to her daughter, Heidi, and her family. Even as her cancer progressed, Laurie once again created a warm and vibrant community around herself, first at Vita Littleton and later at MorningStar Observatory Park. She reassured those around her that she was not afraid of her progressing disease and spoke often and with genuine gratitude about what a wonderful life she had built.

That gratitude was perhaps one of Laurie’s greatest gifts. She knew that life was not always easy, but she chose to focus on the people she loved, the meals she could share, the gardens she could tend, the friendships she could nurture, and the good things ahead of her.

Laurie is survived by her sister Carol Storen, brother Peter Storen, daughter Heidi Becker (Aaron Kirkpatrick), sons Mark Becker (Amanda) and Noah Becker (Katherine), and grandchildren Abraham Kirkpatrick, Aliza Kirkpatrick and Mason Becker.

May Laurie rest peacefully with a healthy pour of sauvignon blanc nearby, a tennis match on the television, and a scratch-made meal for anyone who happens to be hungry.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Food Bank of the Rockies, or Humane Colorado. 

We will miss you, Mom!