The State of Idaho lost one of its brightest gems as Laura Elizabeth Dilley of Boise, ID, passed away on Thursday, May 2nd, 2019. In her short 36 years with us, Laura accomplished so much to be proud of and the success in her life was earned through a commitment to education, work ethic, and resilience.
The aforementioned qualities Laura portrayed is the result of strong, loving and joyful upbringing spent alongside her younger sister and brother and provided by her loving parents, married 39 years. Laura was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana on October 11, 1982, where her Mama was raised. Her father was a successful collegiate coach and career advancements brought the family to the beautiful Northwest, spending the late 80’s and early 90’s in Bend, Oregon and settling in Boise thereafter. Graduating from Timberline High School in the class of 2001, Laura was dedicated to her academic achievements as well as being active in sports, choir and debate where she excelled at podium domination.
After high school, Laura was accepted and offered academic scholarships to many colleges and universities and selected to enroll at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon in the fall of 2001. Laura spent her first two years on campus prioritizing studies and making lifelong friendships. The following year she was awarded a study abroad opportunity, exploring and learning a second language in Chengdu, China. By her senior year of college, Laura was already looking toward the next phase of her studies and transferred to the College of Idaho to complete her undergraduate degree and look ahead to graduate school.
Laura graduated from the College of Idaho with a degree in Politics and Economics in the spring of 2005 and moved to Los Angeles, California where she was accepted into Graduate School at the University of Southern California (USC). Upon receiving her Master’s degree in International Public Policy and Management at USC in 2008, Laura was offered a positon at Kaiser Permanente hospital in Los Angeles due to her passion for management and quality improvement in healthcare. As a Performance Improvement Advisor with Kaiser, Laura managed the performance of personnel, information systems and telecommunications for the emergency response teams. She took pride in her work and was dedicated to the highest level of responsibility for the community.
As Laura advanced in her career she unfortunately began to develop health related illnesses which progressed into sources of chronic pain that she had to adjust to managing in her daily life. Laura had to prioritize focusing on her personal well-being over her career as managing both was no longer an option. At that time she decided to return home to Idaho where she could focus on her individual health with the help and support of family.
Laura loved American history and celebrated patriotism alongside equality and inclusion for all. She loved nostalgic pop culture from her childhood and could quote Brat Pack movies and Saved by the Bell episodes like she wrote the scripts. Laura loved classic and punk rock of all decades and was an avid concert goer. She was one of those people you see at a show and you’re jealous of how free and unconcerned they are about their surroundings; she loved, danced and lived for connection with the music.
Laura was a devoted daughter and sister and is survived by her brother, Patrick; sister, Melissa and her parents Michael and Elizabeth. No words can express how much she will be missed. A part of all of us has gone on with her and she can now hold us close in a better place.
Memorial Services are being arranged privately by the family and gathering information will be updated when we are able. While we take the time to be with each other, we ask you to use this tribute page as a source of support and community to celebrate Laura’s life, share memories and any photos you may have with the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to assist with end of life expenses at the link on this site.
Laura was a truly genuine soul and amazing light in our lives. When we find ourselves feeling like she left us too soon; we often receive a gift in the form of a reminder of what Laura would say if we could talk to her one more time. Today that gift came in the form of wisdom from a childhood friend:
“If ever there is a tomorrow when we’re not together…there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart…I’ll always be with you”
-Winnie the Pooh-
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