Louis Lee Straney

The Sweet Sound of Velcro at Sunrise

Louis Lee Straney, known affectionately as "Lou" to many and as "Poppie" to his four beloved grandchildren, had an enduring fondness for Velcro.

Early morning hours of family vacations were often pierced with the sound of Lou unfastening the Velcro of the many pockets adorning his travel bags and most any article of clothing he wore. Half-awake, his children would wonder what he was searching for and how long it would take before the mystery item was found. It could take a while.

Lou was often searching. His pockets were a place to hold dear all the bits and pieces of the world imbued with unique meaning. Since his birth in Anniston, Alabama on April 22, 1946, there was little in life that did not hold meaning for Lou Straney. His marriage was among the most sacred of all.

Lou's search for his wife was a brief one. In his surviving spouse, Mary Alma Straney, he found his soulmate. Her hand would hold his in times of triumph and trial. It was with the highest reverence and a youthful blush that Lou would recount the moment he saw her at a dance in the Buell Armory on his first day at the University of Kentucky. The moon itself paled in comparison to the beauty of his Mary. Since that fateful day in 1964, it was only with the greatest reluctance that Lou ever left her side.

Vows were exchanged in 1970 and three children followed thereafter. Lou is survived by his daughter Hillary Fogelson and husband Adam Fogelson of Los Angeles, California, his daughter Lee Straney of Denver, Colorado and his son Noel Straney and wife Megan Straney of Fort Collins, Colorado as well as grandchildren Willa & Harper Fogelson and Greta and Calvin Straney, sister Debbie Leonard of Georgetown, Kentucky, four dogs and countless friends.

The wanderlust that remained with Lou throughout his life had taken him far from the Kentucky farmlands of his youth to the coast of California - a place to raise both his family and his blood pressure. The role of provider was one Lou took seriously. No sacrifice was too great to ensure his children were afforded every opportunity they wished to pursue.

Following his military service as an officer in the reserves, Lou established a long-term career in the financial services industry. His tireless work ethic allowed him to advance quickly to various managerial positions in which he served until his semi-retirement in 2004. Lou and Mary enjoyed much of the following year abroad.

Travel to Africa, Cuba and Skibo Castle in Scotland were treasured memories though no place on Earth was closer to Lou's heart than his beloved Ireland. As the family historian, Lou was both an avid researcher and documentarian of the Straney family ancestry in Downpatrick- a place of magic to which he longed to one day return.

True to form, Lou chose the Land of Enchantment as the home of his twilight years. It was in Santa Fe that he founded Arbitration Insight, LLC., a practice where he served as a consultant and expert witness in cases within the securities industry. Lou was proud to offer his expertise in the pursuit of justice for his clients. To further share the value of his experience, Lou later published two books: "Securities Fraud: Detection, Prevention, and Control" followed by "Investor's Guide to Loss Recovery: Rights, Mediation, Arbitration, and other Strategies."

In moments of respite, Lou would lounge in his favorite leather chair in his living room where books and music were constant companions. Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys and Neil Young songs filled his sanctuary. Young's "Harvest Moon," remained unmatched. In the evenings, to watch a Santa Fe sunset with Mary was a spiritual experience, heightened only by toasting with a gin and tonic.

Lest anyone think that an elder Lou was a duller Lou, they needed only to engage him for a few moments. The very embodiment of Dorothy Parker's adage, "The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity," Lou rarely found a subject too obscure for further investigation. He also never missed an opportunity to be thoughtful and to inspire curiosity in others. For friends and family, to mention an interest in the weather patterns on Neptune, was to soon find an e-mail from Lou Straney with a link to an article about supersonic winds. If you were family, handwritten notes and Amazon packages were regular reminders that the pursuit of knowledge was as worthy as you were.

A man of endless pastimes and passions, Lou devoted countless hours to the restoration and decoration of his cherished, British Racing Green, 1965 Series II Land Rover, "Rhino." A regular fixture at the Santa Fe Plaza's Fourth of July vintage car show, Rhino was Lou's work of art - a conversation piece that brought him closer to the Santa Fe community he so valued. Lou managed the car club newsletter for many years, forming bonds of friendship he enjoyed for the remainder of his life.

For all of his many accomplishments, Lou's greatest pride was, undoubtedly, his grandchildren. They, in turn, adored their "Poppie." No matter was too small for which Poppie was not available to offer a listening ear, an encouraging word and an assurance of support. He delighted in the family news of the latest musical performance, sporting event or high school crush. Graduations were milestones of near biblical proportion that were not to be missed - and they weren't. Mostly, Lou loved watching the next generation of the Straney and Fogelson clan run towards life with the same passion and conviction that had sustained his own. He wanted to be present for it all. We wish he could have been.

As is the way of every life, there comes a day when the body returns from whence it came. Lou's day came on Thursday, March 20th where, in the loving arms of his wife, Mary, he made it home.

Lou was a man we could not keep. Nor is his a spirit we will ever lose. Those who love him will still search for him everywhere. We will find him in our favorite song, a good book, a family dinner, a fading sunset, a classic car and, of course, in the sweet sound of Velcro at sunrise.