Laurel Tully

Laural Tully

Laurel Tully passed away at St. Patrick Hospital, Sunday, August 4, 2024 after a short illness. Laurel was born August 9, 1950 in Fergus Falls, MN to Wayne and Anne Nordby. She was the third of nine children. In 1958, her mother, Anne, died and the children lived with their Aunt Mary and Uncle Chris Drees and their daughter, Gemma in Red Lake Falls, MN. Laurel was described as a precocious, feisty child, with a knack for mischief.

In 1963, Wayne brought Laurel and three of her siblings back to Missoula to join his second wife, Luann, and their two children, Ann and Mark. Laurel attended Hellgate High School graduating in 1968. While working as a waitress at the Stockmans Café she met her first husband, Bill Kayser. Together they had a son, Andrew Kayser. Laurel attended nursing school and worked at St. Patrick Hospital as an LPN. She found the demands of the odd nursing hours and being a wife and mother to a precocious, feisty child, with a knack for mischief wasn't working for her, so she began working as a cashier for Goofy Gary's Gas on Broadway. She worked her way up to store manager, then manager of two locations. She enjoyed sharing a joke from the garbage men at the dinner table every day. She also became the Regional Manager of Ole's Country Stores managing all the Ole's stores in Montana. She and Bill divorced in the early '80's. Laurel began working for Montana Rail Rink in the late 80's where she met Alfred Tully and married him years later. Fred and Laurel experienced Montana together floating the river, fishing, and exploring.

She volunteered working at the shooting events at the Missoula Trap & Skeet Club while Fred would participate in the trap shoots. She enjoyed raising her Golden Retrievers, camping, tending to their garden, just going for rides with no particular place to go. She also enjoyed lunches with friends, penny ante poker with family, and watching football games with family and friends.

Following her retirement from Alpha Graphics, and the premature death of Fred, Laurel became a volunteer for the Missoula Police Department, and an active member of the Missoula Fraternal Eagles volunteering by overseeing and providing baked goods monthly for Missoula Manor residents.

Laurel had a very outgoing personality with an infectious laugh making it easy for her to make friends. She had a curiosity for the world and a love for her fellow man that showed in all her interactions. Laurel was a devoted sister, mother, grandmother and friend.

Laurel is survived by her son, Andrew Kayser (Brandy); three grandchildren: Alexandra, Bryce, and Andrew's son, Logan; siblings: Jennifer Paterson (Frank), Joel Nordby, Dave Nordby (Lori) and Ann Parsons (Wyatt); her stepmother, Luann; and cousin, Gemma Drees (Larry); two stepsons: Paul and Kevin Tully (Kristi) and their son, Drake and many nieces and nephews.

Laurel was preceded in death by her mother, Anne; her father, Wayne; husband, Fred; infant twin sisters: Florence and Eva Nordby; sister, Tiffany Sauer (Terry); brother, Mark Nordby (Jardi); aunt and uncle: Mary and Chris Drees.

There will not be any funeral services, but we are in the process of scheduling a celebration of life.

In lieu of sending flowers please make a donation to your local animal shelter in her name.