Laurie Spann Obituary

Laurie Marie Spann

Born: January 29, 1960

Died: August 13, 2018

Laurie Marie (Babica) Spann, 58, died Monday, August 13, 2018 in her Carpinteria home alongside her family from a long and courageous battle with ovarian cancer.

She leaves her husband, James; sons, Nicholas Michael, Jeffrey James (Tessie) and Christopher Camron; grandson, Hunter James; mother, Sophie "Sue" Torres Raggio (Larry); brother, Donald Jr. (Marie); close friend, Clarice Rincon; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Donald Sr., in 2003; step father Marine Veteran, Mike Torres, in 1998; grandmother, Harriet Babica, in 2001; grandmother, Eva Arellano, in 2003; and aunt, Mertyl West, in 2017.

Laurie was Born in Berwyn, Illinois on January 29, 1960. In 1971, Laurie's family moved to Riverside, Illinois across the street from her future high school sweetheart and husband.

James and Laurie were married on November 17, 1979 and soon after Nicholas and Jeffrey were born. In 1983, James moved the family to Carpinteria, California where he pursued his general contracting business. It was then that they both took lessons and became certified scuba divers, an experience that affected Laurie for the remainder of her life. The diving took her and the family to places like Tahiti, Hawaii, Cancun, Cozumel and other worldly locations where Laurie also enjoyed deep sea fishing, white water rafting, hiking, camping and other outdoor adventures. Laurie loved to hike and found the ocean and beaches as areas of refuge where she could find peace and calm.

It was also at this time that Laurie became heavily involved in the Carpinteria Community first as a real estate agent and then as a volunteer to local events including the then fledgling and now infamous, Carpinteria Avocado Festival. In the early years, that was Laurie on her skates dressed up as an avocado! Laurie really enjoyed the coastal life in a small community, it certainly was a welcome change of pace from the Chicago Metropolitan Area.

In 1998 Christopher was born creating a second term of motherhood that Laurie thoroughly enjoyed. Being older, wiser and "tanner", she excelled at being a "mature" mom and devoted her life to all three of her boys spending countless hours at their sports venues, on the beach, camping, fishing, diving, hiking and just hanging out. The fact that her older boys mentored her youngest son was, for Laurie, a personal joy that brought her happiness and delight.

In 2015 Laurie became a grandmother to Hunter (Jeffrey and Tessie) who brought so much joy and love into her life.

A memorial service is set for Saturday, September 22, 2018 at 10:00 am at Welch-Ryce-Haider, 15 East Sola St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. From there, there will be a grave site service at the Carpinteria Cemetery, 1501 Cravens Lane, Carpinteria, CA 93013.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Laurie's name to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (www.give.ocrfa.org ).