Laura A. Esparza

On May 25, 2023, Laura Esparza Ovalle, 67, said goodbye after decades of hellos. Laura passed surrounded by her family after a brief but courageous battle with Cholangiocarcinoma. By physical measure Laura was tiny; by any other, she was a giant. Born in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico on August 13, 1955, Laura emigrated with her parents David and Juanita to Texas as an infant, before coming to Wisconsin as a child. Laura grew up straddling two cultures and wore many hats. She was: daughter, big sister, translator, babysitter, leader, caregiver, teacher, friend and was always there when you needed a shoulder to lean on or a good laugh.
Laura dedicated her entire career to the Lutheran Home in Fond du Lac, where she made lifelong friendships and showed everyone her endless compassion. Laura's friendship was a gift and her love for her family and friends was a force to be reckoned with. Laura will be remembered for her strong faith, dedication to family and friends, the color pink, and of course The Golden Girls. She will be remembered as a beloved aunt, friend, sister, and godmother. Those who were honored to know her were her family, and Laura found and made family everywhere she went. The walls of her home were filled with pictures of precious moments, all of pivotal memories and people in her life. Her house was a home where she lovingly brought family together and cared for her siblings, parents, friends, nieces, nephews, and godchildren.
Laura is preceded in death by her parents, David and Juanita Esparza, and her brother, Frank Esparza and niece Hope Dannecker. Her legacy will live on in her sisters: Jane Hall (Matthew), Mary Dannecker (Joseph), Maria Angela Everhart (Donald), sister-in-law, Pam Esparza and their families. She was the beloved "COOL AUNT" to: David, Christopher, Benjamin, Rebecca, Katherine, Traeton, Andrew, Anthony, Caroline, Elle, Spencer, Anna, Nick, Chloe, Lily, Sofia, Lilly, and Sage.
Laura's family will greet relatives and friends for a time of visitation on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Holy Family Catholic Church, 271 Fourth St Way, Fond du Lac. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated the following day Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at Holy Family Catholic Church at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow Mass at Calvary Cemetery.