Laurel A Sabey-LaBudda

Laurel Sabey-LaBudda was born Jan. 21, 1945 in Evanston, Illinois, to Olga Rosland and Art Rechtermann.

She grew up in the suburbs of Chicago with her father and step-mother Harriet. At a young age her mother blessed her with the nickname Lolly. That way when she was blessed with spending time with her mother and sisters Lee Ann (Dave) and Lynn (Tom), they were known as Lee, Lynn and Lolly growing up.

Laurel loved, adored and respected her grandparents and stepgrandparents. They were there for her and helped her through life at a young age.

Later on she was blessed with a brother Allen (from her father Art and mother Harriet). Her mother Olga and father Chet blessed her with another brother, Micheal.

In her late teens Laurel met and fell in love with the man who would become the father of their three wonderful children and the love of her life.

Laurel and Edward Sabey were joined in marriage on May 9, 1964, and were blessed with two daughters and a son: Karyn, Eddie and Janet Lee. They had a happy, content life in a small rural town where Ed taught high school history and coached many different sports.

Laurel kept herself busy taking care of not only her children, but many others, including two girls, Jessi and Ashley, who would later be her stepdaughters. Laurel loved all children, especially those who needed a little extra attention and a lot more love.

After her three children were in school, she spent years teaching the younger children the things they would need to be happy and succeed in life.

After 42 years of happiness, on Dec. 18, 2006, Laurel suddenly found herself alone with a lot of life to live when her husband Edward passed away. There were places she longed to see, things she had never done, and she decided it was time to do it.

Laurel and I (her new husband Brad LaBudda) found ourselves both looking for the one thing missing in our lives: a good friend.

So about 17 years ago Lolly sold her house and everything in it, and headed West with everything she owned loaded in a camper in the back of a pickup truck. And God made sure she got initiated into the weather of the West. We drove 900 miles in the middle of April through a blizzard. I told her on the way, “You’ll love it, or you’ll hate it, there is no in between.”

We made it here and she never wanted to go back. We lived first in Lovell and then, 10 years ago, found the place we’d always been looking for in Clark.

God blessed Lolly every day that she was here. She leaves behind children, Karyn (Tim) of Camp Douglas, Wisconsin, Eddie (Rena) of Merrill, Wisconsin, and Janet Lee (James) of Laurel, Montana; two stepdaughters, Jessi (Keil) of Laurel, Montana, and Ashley (Ted) of Basin, Wyoming, eight grandkids and two new great-grandsons. She also leaves behind the loving family of all those of Bennett Creek Church and all of the rest of her friends from Clark; her special sisters (you know who you are), and all of her friends and family from the Midwest.