This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Converse, Dickerson, Langshied, Dereere, Perry Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/QFB.2ACE/1550 Message Board Post: Laura Jean Converse, age 23, died in a freak camping accident, early Monday morning, May 12th, while camping near Mr. Hood, Oregon with her fiance, Dan Dickerson. Laura was born in Pigeon, on September 15, 1973. The family moved to Middleville in February 1978. Laura attended the Middleville pre-school and all her school years at Middleville Thornapple-Kellogg, graduating in 1991. She attended Michigan State University for one year before transferring to Lansing Community College to pursue her love of architectural drafting, obtaining an associates degree there in 1995. She was inducted into the Honorary academic fraternity of Phi Theta Kappa during the final term. While living in Lansing, she worked for a time at the Dancing Goat Coffee Shop where she met Dan Dickerson, a student at Cooley Law School. In the summer of 1995 they moved to Portland for three months while Dan took classes at Lewis & Clark Law School. They had just returned to Portland one week ago and w! ere still house hunting. She was preceded in death by her paternal grandfather, John Converse and paternal uncle, Warren Converse. Laura is survived by her parents, Kyle and Sandra Converse and one brother, Steve, all of Middleville and her beloved Dan Dickerson of Orlando, Florida. Grandmother, Jeanne Converse, John and Margie Converse and cousins, Mason, Peter and Catherine, all of Union City. Also, cousins Brent Converse of Leland and Sara (Converse) Langshied of Hastings. Grandparents, George & Dorothy Dereere of Colorado Springs, Colorado and uncles & Cousins in Colorado Springs and Denver. Also, her very special Aunt Caroline Perry of Stratford, Connecticut. The immediate family went to Portland for funeral services there, a place Laura dearly loved. A memorial service will be held in Middleville soon. (The Hastings "Reminder" - Tuesday, May 20, 1997) Transcriber has no family connection.