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Laura Lynn (Orten) Cole, 33 of Alfred, Maine, loving wife, mother, daughter and sister, passed away tragically on February 24, 2021 in Dover during a medical procedure.
Born August 4, 1987 in Dover, NH, the daughter of Dodd and Kelley (Dent) Orten and attended Lebanon and Noble schools, graduating in 2005.
Laura was a caring individual who always put others before herself. She volunteered as a certified ambulance driver for Lebanon Rescue, where she also coordinated the Operation Santa program for kids and the Annual Lebanon Community Festival. She won many awards for her work including the 2012 Presidential Volunteer Service Award by Barrack Obama, 2013 Responder of the year and many others. She worked as an Animal Control Officer/Dispatcher for the City of Somersworth Police Department. She grew to love working within companies and helping employees and held various recruiter and human resource positions. She currently served as the People and Culture Advisor for Unispace in Boston, as well as helping with talent acquisition.
Laura pursued and achieved her dream of becoming a small business owner who could help her community. Laura started her own company, Go FOTO Yourself New England in 2018 where her and her husband would travel all over New England taking wedding photos, corporate event photos, senior pictures, family pictures, and had a photo booth. They loved capturing special memories to last a lifetime. She used the money from her business to help community programs like End 68 Hours of Hunger and helping feed first responders and essential workers during the Covid shutdowns. She did free senior photos and weddings for those who couldn’t afford a photographer. Her hard work, professionalism, and philanthropy earned them the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Best of Weddings in the Knot and the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Couples Choice Award by Wedding Wire. She was also honored to receive the 2019 New Business of the Year for York County, which she was so proud of. To continue her legacy, the family has created a Facebook page called "Laura's Legacy of Love" to continue her acts of kindness. You can find it at https://www.facebook.com/LaurasLegacyOfLove/
Laura loved anything outdoors. She loved gardening and sharing her beautiful flowers. She loved kayaking and just relaxing at the beach. She was extremely intelligent and found great pride in learning new things. She had a passion to live every day to its fullest. She didn’t want to sleep, as she felt she could do something to help someone.
What Laura loved most was family. She would be the first up in the morning making lunches and doing school clothes for five kids and her husband. She would be the last to go to bed. She would cook five different menus for special events like the Super Bowl or Valentine’s Day to make sure everyone got what they wanted. She always planned the most extravagant parties to show everyone how special they are. She would cook large meals and bring them to family, like her ninety-one-year-old Nana. She even did this the night before her surgery. She adored her pets, including her baby Daisy.
Laura and family had just found their dream home in Alfred, Maine where Laura made it so special with handmade crafts and love. She was most excited about her new “She Shed” where she made crafts, sold them, and donated the money to help others. She opened up the new Alfred North Pole to share holiday love with everyone. Hundreds of people came and saw the lights and got goodie bags from Santa. She loved to just see the smiles on kids’ faces, without any recognition. Laura and Jason had a love that many dream of, they were best friends, worked together, and enjoyed life to its fullest.
Laura will be sorely missed by her loving husband, Jason Cole, her five children who she adored, Harmonee and Wesley Shaw, step-children Julianne, Hannah and Isaiah Cole; parents Dodd and Kelley Orten; Fathers and Mothers in law Jack and Karen Cole and Diane and Donald VanSinderen, Grandparents Richard and his wife Barbara Bonenfant and Walter and Cindy Dent and Geraldine Cole; Sisters Leah and her husband Johnny Gage and Lisa Orten; brother in laws Jack and his wife LeeAnn Cole,Jamie and his wife Jennifer Cole and Teigan Cole; and nieces Diamond Page and Gianna, Natalie and Kaylee Cole; nephews Caleb and Kaiden Cole; as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
A celebration of life will occur at 1pm on Saturday, March 6th at the Sanford Calvary Baptist Church at 47 High Street in Sanford, Maine. Guests are encouraged to wear something green, in honor of Laura.
Those wishing to make a memorial donation to help with the final expenses, insurance and education funds for her children can donate: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-with-funeral-expenses-for-laura-cole
Fly high our angel, we love you so much!
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