Surrounded by her family Laurie Beth Lendobeja, 31, passed away on Friday, January 21, 2011, after an incredibly courageous battle with cancer.

A service in celebration of her all-too-brief life will be held on 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 29, 2011 at Bethany Lutheran Church, rural Thief River Falls, MN. She will be interred at Bethany Lutheran Church Cemetery in rural TRF at a later date.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM with a 7:00 PM prayer service on Friday, January 28, 2011 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN. Visitation will also be held from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM on Saturday at the church.

Laurie was born on December 25, 1979, in Thief River Falls. Her proud parents brought her home from the hospital in a Christmas stocking. She was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith. She graduated with the Lincoln High School class of 1998, attended Northland Community and Technical College, and worked at K-Mart in TRF. She later moved to Appleton, WI where she worked at St. Paul Elder Service and attended nursing school at Fox Valley Technical College.

Laurie loved music, friends, her work and studies, but most of all, her two children. Left to mourn her loss are daughter Raianna, 7, son Nehemiah, 3, and their father, Lauries special friend, Marcus Evans. Laurie's favorite activity was spending time together as a family, regardless of the function or destination.

Laurie is also survived by her mother Elaine (Jones) Lendobeja, father and step-mother Loren and Elna Lendobeja all of Thief River Falls; brother Jeff (Chandra) Lendobeja and niece Hailey of Fargo; grandmother Elnora Jones of Bemidji; step-sister Sabrina Thode of Crookston; step-brother Chad Johnson of Grand Forks; uncles and aunts Marty and Julie Lendobeja of Palm Bay Florida, Frank and Julie Kirshbaum and Paula Lendobeja of Eagan, MN. Cousins Katie Martin, Aaron Lendobeja, Lily and Noah Kirshbaum. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Julian and Barbara Lendobeja of Thief River Falls and William Jones of Bemidji.

The Lendobeja family would like to send a special thank you to Lauries chemo buddy Pat Hildebrandt and her daughter Amy; Sister Dorothy and her co-workers at St. Pauls for their love and support during her illness.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred.