Laura Joyce Kunkee

Laura Joyce Kunkee   December 7, 1951     May 13, 2021

Laura Joyce Barker was born to Kenneth and Ida Anderson Barker on December 7, 1951 in Wheatland, WY. She grew up on a Cattle ranch near Chugwater, WY. When she was 3 years old, she contracted an illness and, from then on, had a problem with her coordination which would gradually worsen over the course of her life. In high school, Laura was invited to a local church by a friend where she decided to follow Jesus. She graduated from Chugwater School in 1970.
After high school, Laura attended Casper College, where she met Duane in a Spanish class. Laura transferred to the University of Wyoming and a year later, she and Duane were engaged. They were married on December 30, 1972 and moved to Lander, WY where they had their first child, Angela, on November 18, 1975. After Duane finished graduate school, they moved to Seattle. It was important to Laura to stay home and raise her children and therefore, chose to not
work outside of the home.
In 1981, because of work, they moved to St Louis. Their second child, Mark, was born on May 2, 1982. They attended Chatham Bible Church in Hazelwood Missouri, and Laura was involved in various Women’s and small group Bible studies; she also helped organize and facilitate a mother’s prayer group for many years. She went back to school and
completed her degree in Christian Counseling at Lael University. Her condition continued to slowly deteriorate; she needed to use a walker, then a wheelchair, and was mostly wheelchair bound by 1998.  She loved to travel and especially enjoyed visiting the mountains in and around Wyoming. She loved to read, grow flowers, attend musicals, listen to music, and be outside. She was a very devoted wife and mother. Her condition began to noticeably worsen in the beginning of 2020. She entered into the presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 13, 2021. Laura is preceded in death by her father and mother and survived by her husband, two children, four grandchildren, two sisters, and two brothers.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through
Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 1 Thess 4:13–14. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Rev 21:4