"I am large, I contain multitudes" - Walt Whitman
Laura Laforest, age 50, of Falls Church, VA, died on November 9, 2025.
Born on February 20, 1975, she was a native of Yonkers, NY, and a graduate of Columbia University. Having been dealt a losing hand in terms of her biological family, Laura assembled the most incredible chosen family. Laughter was never far away when Laura and her friends got together, whether for baking adventures well beyond available skills, amphibian communication techniques, or (mostly) respectful irreverence.
Laura worked in a variety of occupations, ranging from a licensed massage therapist at a renaissance festival to an executive assistant in a private equity firm. Laura ultimately earned a scholarship to return to Columbia University to pursue a Master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and realized how crucial the correct pronunciation of words like "cement" are.
She went into all her pursuits with a sense of mischief and adventure. When baking, she enjoyed sharing both the good outcomes and the failures, giving them away in beautifully wrapped packages. Not knowing which option was in the package was all part of the fun. Laura's legendary generosity was always thoughtful and often whimsical, from knitting hats for students to buying matching shirts for friends on Temu. Laura always found great joy in shopping for just the right gifts for her friends, from candles to head massagers to cute Band-Aids, always finding the perfect item to show her friends she was thinking of them personally.
Laura loved hiking in the Shenandoah Valley and had a propensity for encountering black bears. Trained as a classical singer, she sang beautifully and performed throughout her life. She also excelled at playing ice hockey, dancing, and bringing people together.
Diagnosed with ALS in January of 2025, Laura continued to live life on her terms despite this devastating diagnosis. Her smile continued to light up every room she entered as she gathered with friends to share meals, good conversation, and movies. Laura's insatiable desire for adventure took her to Greece, Italy, and New Zealand, which she explored while wearing her newfound love, Skechers shoes. Even while living with rapidly progressing ALS, Laura showed phenomenal patience, grace, humor, and generosity.
She is survived by a loving circle of dear friends, as well as her cat, Tama Mamma. Tama shares Laura's friendliness and discernment, greeting everyone when she walks in the room, but ultimately not suffering fools.
Laura found comfort in the poem, Late Fragment by Raymond Carver:
Laura was exemplary in many ways, but most importantly, she was an extraordinary friend. She not only experienced the grace of being loved, but also the grace that comes from feeling herself beloved.
Memorial contributions may be made in Laura's honor and memory to the ALS Association at www.als.org/donate , or to Planned Parenthood at www.plannedparenthood.org/donate
Knight Funeral Home in White River Junction, VT has been entrusted with arrangements. Condolences to Laura's friends and family may be expressed in an online guestbook found at www.knightfuneralhomes.com
Laura Laforest, age 50, of Falls Church, VA, died on November 9, 2025.
Born on February 20, 1975, she was a native of Yonkers, NY, and a graduate of Columbia University. Having been dealt a losing hand in terms of her biological family, Laura assembled the most incredible chosen family. Laughter was never far away when Laura and her friends got together, whether for baking adventures well beyond available skills, amphibian communication techniques, or (mostly) respectful irreverence.
Laura worked in a variety of occupations, ranging from a licensed massage therapist at a renaissance festival to an executive assistant in a private equity firm. Laura ultimately earned a scholarship to return to Columbia University to pursue a Master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and realized how crucial the correct pronunciation of words like "cement" are.
She went into all her pursuits with a sense of mischief and adventure. When baking, she enjoyed sharing both the good outcomes and the failures, giving them away in beautifully wrapped packages. Not knowing which option was in the package was all part of the fun. Laura's legendary generosity was always thoughtful and often whimsical, from knitting hats for students to buying matching shirts for friends on Temu. Laura always found great joy in shopping for just the right gifts for her friends, from candles to head massagers to cute Band-Aids, always finding the perfect item to show her friends she was thinking of them personally.
Laura loved hiking in the Shenandoah Valley and had a propensity for encountering black bears. Trained as a classical singer, she sang beautifully and performed throughout her life. She also excelled at playing ice hockey, dancing, and bringing people together.
Diagnosed with ALS in January of 2025, Laura continued to live life on her terms despite this devastating diagnosis. Her smile continued to light up every room she entered as she gathered with friends to share meals, good conversation, and movies. Laura's insatiable desire for adventure took her to Greece, Italy, and New Zealand, which she explored while wearing her newfound love, Skechers shoes. Even while living with rapidly progressing ALS, Laura showed phenomenal patience, grace, humor, and generosity.
She is survived by a loving circle of dear friends, as well as her cat, Tama Mamma. Tama shares Laura's friendliness and discernment, greeting everyone when she walks in the room, but ultimately not suffering fools.
Laura found comfort in the poem, Late Fragment by Raymond Carver:
Laura was exemplary in many ways, but most importantly, she was an extraordinary friend. She not only experienced the grace of being loved, but also the grace that comes from feeling herself beloved.
Memorial contributions may be made in Laura's honor and memory to the ALS Association at www.als.org/donate , or to Planned Parenthood at www.plannedparenthood.org/donate
Knight Funeral Home in White River Junction, VT has been entrusted with arrangements. Condolences to Laura's friends and family may be expressed in an online guestbook found at www.knightfuneralhomes.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Laura Laforest, please visit our flower store.
Laura Laforest's Guestbook
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