Damn… damn… damn…

One of my very dear and precious college, and beyond, friends, Laura Coy Spaulding, passed away Wednesday, 16 February 2022.

I first met Laura at Ball State University’s summer orientation program in July 1983, thirty-nine years ago this approaching summer. It was there that I also met her parents, Vernon and Peggy Croy, two of the kindest souls, who shared their adoption story of Laura. One year later, I would be sharing my own adoption story with them when I was adopted by my step-father. Laura sang with me at Mother and Dad’s wedding in December of our freshman year.

Laura, along with another dear friend, Janelle Mowrer Bracken, was an accompanist for my voice and saxophone lessons. She also lived in Botsford Hall, a sister dorm to my Swinford Hall in the honors college. We saw each other daily in classes and in our living spaces.

Together, with our other Chamber Choir colleagues, we enjoyed our stateside tours from Chicago down to Florida, and pretty much everywhere in between. The ultimate tour, however, was the BSU Chamber Choir tour of Austria and Switzerland which included northern Italy and a few minutes pass through Luxembourg.

In November 2007, we reconnected via Facebook, resuming our once common ritual of connectedness. Now, dear Laura has joined her parents and I have no doubts it has been a beautiful reunion.

Our plans to reunite in this life have now been placed on permanent hold and shall await until the next world permits.

Never dreaming I should ever write this to your memory… May many, many choirs of angels sing three to your rest, dear friend.

Know you are loved, Laura, and now, bitterly missed…