Laura Jean Ebert

LAURA JEAN (CANNING) EBERT, 73 was taken by the Lord July 5th, 2021. She suffered from multiple chronic health conditions for many years that weakened her, and lastly kidney failure.

Laura was a strong pro-life servant for the Lord. She helped established crisis pregnancy centers for the protection of unborn babies from the evil of abortion in Canada, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. She was a housemother at a home for unwed pregnant girls for a time in Arkansas. Laura was also a teacher and taught at St. Mary's Catholic School in Lake Forest, Illinois; and a substitute teacher at many schools in Chicago's north shore suburbs.

Laura first met her future husband Urban Michael (Mike) at a Catholic Singles Dance in Chicago, but for whatever reasons they each went their own ways for a long time -- Mike an engineer and Laura off to doing pro-life work. Many years later the Lord's providence brought them together when a job change brought Mike to work near Laura's hometown, and Laura was in town returning from pro-life commitments. They saw and recognized each other when they were attending Mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church at the same time. After inquiring whether each was still single they reconnected. Married late in life they conceived one child sadly miscarried and is known only to the Lord.

They traveled, but Laura's two favorite places were a pilgrimage to Rome in 2000 visiting the Vatican, and catacombs of the early Christians, and later a pilgrimage to Fatima in Portugal. Laura also enjoyed sailing with her husband. She chose the name for their sailboat, Santa Maria (Saint Mary).

A special trip Laura took was to India with her husband. As a young woman Laura had said if she married she wanted to have six boys and for all of them to become priests. As it turned out she with her husband supported two seminarians in India for their final three years in major seminary, and were invited by them to their ordinations to the priesthood in India. They happily traveled to India to be with them. Then helped two more. And after that an additional two. Laura called them her six boys.

Laura was thankful for her Catholic Faith, for her parish Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Menominee, for Pastor Father Abraham, and for all her friends in the parish and community. A special thank you to Father Abraham for his visit who brought her the sacrament of the sick with anointing to her home, and for bringing the comfort of the last rites of the Holy Catholic Church and for bringing Holy Communion to her in the hospital as it came time to pass into a new life to be in the presence of Jesus.

Laura is survived by her loving husband: Urban Michael (Mike); by her sisters: Jeannette Canning Schmidt, Debbie (Greg) Canning Beytien, Marggie (Paul) Canning Camellino, and Kathleen (John) Canning Trkla; by her brothers: Terry (Bett) Canning, Patrick (Lynn) Canning, and Tim (Linda) Canning. She was preceded in death by her parents: Fred F. and Margaret Mary Canning.

Thank you to the wonderful nurses and doctors at Aurora Bay Area Hospital in Marinette who cared for Laura, and also at the Aurora Hospital in Green Bay. Also thank you to the U.P. Health System for providing in-home hospice for Laura.

Visitation will take place at Cadieu Funeral Home, Menominee, MI (906) 863-3227 on Sunday July 11, 2021 after 3:00 pm. The vigil prayer service will begin at 7:00 pm followed by the Rosary with Father Brian Gerber presiding. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for the repose of the soul of Laura Jean Ebert on Monday July 12, 2021 at 11:00 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Menominee, MI with Father Abraham Mupparathara presiding. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Holy Spirit Catholic Church or to John-Paul II Catholic Academy--both in Menominee.