Laurie Calderhead was born on November 22, 1953 in Seattle, the elder child of James (Jim) and Jeanne Calderhead. Her brother, Brent, was born in 1958. She passed away in Port Townsend on March 28, 2024.
Laurie graduated from Bellevue High School in 1971 at age 17 and attended Stanford University for a year. Not yet sure what she wanted to do with her life, she quit college and worked for several years.
In 1975, drawn by the prospect of adventure in Alaska, she moved to Anchorage. There she met Art Fournier, the love of her life. They were married in Homer, AK in 1978, and she subsequently helped raise his two children, Michelle and Doug. Art and Laurie shared a love of camping and exploring the North country. Over the years, they made their home in Homer, Anchorage, Kodiak, Bethel, and Fairbanks.
Laurie earned a degree in Public Resource Management from Alaska Pacific University and later completed her nursing degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She then worked as a public health nurse, serving remote Native villages out of both Bethel and Fairbanks. In this work, she provided basic health care – well-baby checks, inoculations, educational clinics, etc. She was often the first responder to local crises, such as epidemics and spring floods.
After retiring in 2012, she and Art moved to Port Townsend, where they could be seen walking the beaches with one of their Golden Retrievers. She volunteered at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival and was active in the Unity Church. Laurie is remembered for her generous spirit and hearty laugh. Her family was the center of her life; she was very proud of Art’s three grandchildren and Brent’s three daughters. The family would like to thank the staff at Victoria Place for making Laurie’s last months so comfortable.
Laurie is survived by her husband of 46 years, Art Fournier; brother, Brent Calderhead; stepchildren, Michelle and Doug Fournier; grandchildren, Sierra, Dawson and Cole Roberts; and nieces, Breanna Bragg, Faith Calderhead, and Evangeline Calderhead.
