A Celebration of Life Service for Laura Vanderbeek, age 57, of Atkinson, NE will be at 10:00 am Saturday, June 14, 2025 at the Atkinson Knights of Columbus Hall in Atkinson by Latter Day Saints of O'Neill.  A private burial will be later that day.  Laura passed away on Sunday, August 25, 2024 at Avera St. Anthony's Hospital in O'Neill.  The family requests no cards and please dress casual in Tie Dye, Rock-N-Roll or Religious attire. Please join the family for food and fellowship following the service.  Biglin's Mortuary of O'Neill is in charge of arrangements.

Laura Raquel Harley was born June 1, 1967, in Atkinson to Arthur and Myrlen ("Pat" Beckwith) Harley, the youngest of seven children.  She was very creative and loved playing outside.

She attended rural elementary school at Districts 237 and 35, Atkinson Elementary School, and graduated from West Holt High School in May of 1985.  Laura was drawn to the fine arts, playing the flute in the school band, and finding her talents as a painter and classical artist.

In August of 1986, Laura married Mark Harrison of O'Neill.  They attended college in Kearney where she earned a bachelor's degree in Secondary English Education and graduated with honors.  They were blessed with three children; Regina, Corrine, and Chase.

Laura taught English and Spanish at Beaver Valley in Lebanon, Lexington, and Chambers, Nebraska.  She was the director of the senior center in Cambridge and later the Atkinson Senior Center.  She also taught conflict resolution, worked for the O'Neill food pantry, and most recently served Good Life Counseling and Support in Norfolk as a Family Support Specialist.  She worked with families and individuals to improve their lives.

Before her work as a Support Specialist, Laura reunited with a former high school friend, Mike Vanderbeek, and married him on August 12, 2006.  This added three daughters and a step son to her family: Kendra, Mary, Alyssa, David.

She loved attending the kids' activities, especially sporting events, music programs, and plays.  She enjoyed gardening, crafting, collecting gnomes, miniatures, and antiques, and having many adventures with her husband, Mike.

Laura had a passionate love for Jesus and expressed this in many ways.  Laura loved to help and support people of all ages, especially children.  She served many callings at her branch of The Latter-Day Saints including Relief Society, Young Women's Group, teaching primary class, and serving on the church council.  She loved organizing and hosting birthdays, baby showers, graduation, and craft parties.  She also enjoyed playing games with family and friends and utilized her intelligence to be a fierce opponent in trivia.  Laura cherished time with her grandchildren; these special moments consisted of crafting or going on adventures - often going exploring for arrowheads, geodes, and rocks.

She was an avid fan of rock and roll.  She and her best friend, Sonia, attended numerous concerts.  Her sister, Sheryl, and brother-in-law, Arthur, once drove them to Minneapolis so they could attend a Bon Jovi concert.  One of her favorite memories was when she went to a Dr. Hook concert, and they were able to take pictures with the band members and hang out with one of them after the show.  Laura and her son would often go to concerts in Comstock, Nebraska.  She saw Guns n Roses in Fargo, and other favorites like Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, Def Leppard, the Who, and Jackel.  Laura wanted to make a tee shirt and list all the names of the bands she'd seen from A to Z, but she didn't get to go to a Queen concert, so she didn't have the letter Q.  However, Mike had a "concert blanket" made from all her concert tees and she loved it dearly.

Laura is survived by her husband of 18 years, Mike Vanderbeek of Atkinson; children, Regina and husband, Larry Bourquin, of Pittsburg, PA; Chase Harrison and wife, Bekah of O'Neill; stepdaughters, Kendra and Alyssa Vanderbeek of O'Neill and Mary Vanderbeek of Norfolk; stepson, David Vanderbeek of Colorado and his children, Maebe-Rose, Ripp, Tugg, Aili-Mae, Crosby-Lou, Wilder, Louie-Jean; grandchildren, AshLynn Harrison of Madison, WI; Reina Harrison, Lucas and Anze Bourquin of Pittsburg, PA, and step granddaughter, Penny Gartner of O'Neill; siblings, Sheryl (Arthur) Mehrhoff of Colombia, MO; Steve (Julie) Harley of Winnetoon; Kathy (Terry) Davis of Atkinson, and Karola Wolfe of Spartanburg, SC; brother-in-law, Darryl Schmale of Bellwood, NE; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews. She is also survived by her beloved cats, Maven and Diabla.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Arthur, and Myrlen ("Pat" Harley-Wood) Harley; infant daughter, Corrine; sisters, Brenda (died in infancy) and Lynn (Harley) Schmale; and mother-in- law, Mary Vanderbeek.