Laura Luke
1966-07-13 2023-08-05
Laura Luke, age 57, of Gilbert, AZ passed away on August 5, 2023. Laura was born in Tulsa Oklahoma on July 13, 1966.
Laura grew up in Tulsa Oklahoma, and attended Edison High School. She earned a scholarship to Trinity University in San Antonio Texas, and her Bachelors of Arts degree in Communications with a minor in Latin. She met her future husband at Trinity University, Joe Luke. They married May 21, 1988 a couple of weeks after her graduation. The couple moved to Tulsa where Laura was employed at a Country Music Radio station doing news and on-air features. Later she moved to a local television station and performed advertising traffic. The couple lived and worked in Tulsa until 1994.
The couple had two children in Tulsa, Benjamin now 33, and Jade now 31. Laura quit working to became a full-time stay at home mother which was always her dream. In 1994, the couple moved to Sandy Utah. They had one daughter there Joy now 27. In 1996, the couple moved to Gilbert Arizona. Laura was always involved with the church and raising her children.
Most of the time the family attended New Hope Community Church. She volunteered in the youth group and was very active in many church activities. She later became a board member of the Friends of Gilbert Libraries serving for 20 years until the time of her death.
She volunteered for reader’s retreats for Suzanne Brockmann NY Times best selling author. Her eldest daughter Jade was a disabled child and a lot of her time was spent with her and the numerous doctors and hospital time she required. Laura enjoyed reading, cooking, baking, movies, and especially travelling. She was an avid hiker and she participated in runs across the country. Due to an ankle injury, she always walked those events, but she was such a fast walker.
Always a pleasure to be around, she developed lifelong friends in all walks of life including famous authors, musicians, chefs, and military veterans. She loved the local music scene. Laura and Joe were season ticket holders at Arizona Opera, went to Diamondbacks games, and were season ticket holders for the Arizona Coyotes. Once her children graduated high school, her husband and her went on many adventures. They were avid Disney fans, but were up for any kind of adventure going to Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Italy, Turkey, and Greece. Laura was always ready for the beach. Their future plans to continue to travel the world and attend festivals was cut short. Joe and Laura were married for 35 years.
Laura is preceded in death by her parents Thomas Eugene Mowry and Nancy Marie Mowry (Reames), and her sister Tira.
Laura is survived by both her brothers David Mowry and Tom Mowry Jr., three children Benjamin Sterling Luke, Jade Angelica Luke, and Joy Gabrielle Foster, her son-in-law Isaiah Foster, her loving husband Joe Luke, mother-in-law Mary Luke, and brother-in-law James Luke, her granddaughters Aurora Evangeline Foster and Emilia Marylynne Foster.
Laura grew up in Tulsa Oklahoma, and attended Edison High School. She earned a scholarship to Trinity University in San Antonio Texas, and her Bachelors of Arts degree in Communications with a minor in Latin. She met her future husband at Trinity University, Joe Luke. They married May 21, 1988 a couple of weeks after her graduation. The couple moved to Tulsa where Laura was employed at a Country Music Radio station doing news and on-air features. Later she moved to a local television station and performed advertising traffic. The couple lived and worked in Tulsa until 1994.
The couple had two children in Tulsa, Benjamin now 33, and Jade now 31. Laura quit working to became a full-time stay at home mother which was always her dream. In 1994, the couple moved to Sandy Utah. They had one daughter there Joy now 27. In 1996, the couple moved to Gilbert Arizona. Laura was always involved with the church and raising her children.
Most of the time the family attended New Hope Community Church. She volunteered in the youth group and was very active in many church activities. She later became a board member of the Friends of Gilbert Libraries serving for 20 years until the time of her death.
She volunteered for reader’s retreats for Suzanne Brockmann NY Times best selling author. Her eldest daughter Jade was a disabled child and a lot of her time was spent with her and the numerous doctors and hospital time she required. Laura enjoyed reading, cooking, baking, movies, and especially travelling. She was an avid hiker and she participated in runs across the country. Due to an ankle injury, she always walked those events, but she was such a fast walker.
Always a pleasure to be around, she developed lifelong friends in all walks of life including famous authors, musicians, chefs, and military veterans. She loved the local music scene. Laura and Joe were season ticket holders at Arizona Opera, went to Diamondbacks games, and were season ticket holders for the Arizona Coyotes. Once her children graduated high school, her husband and her went on many adventures. They were avid Disney fans, but were up for any kind of adventure going to Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Italy, Turkey, and Greece. Laura was always ready for the beach. Their future plans to continue to travel the world and attend festivals was cut short. Joe and Laura were married for 35 years.
Laura is preceded in death by her parents Thomas Eugene Mowry and Nancy Marie Mowry (Reames), and her sister Tira.
Laura is survived by both her brothers David Mowry and Tom Mowry Jr., three children Benjamin Sterling Luke, Jade Angelica Luke, and Joy Gabrielle Foster, her son-in-law Isaiah Foster, her loving husband Joe Luke, mother-in-law Mary Luke, and brother-in-law James Luke, her granddaughters Aurora Evangeline Foster and Emilia Marylynne Foster.