Laurie Ann Bloomquist

Laurie Ann Bloomquist was anything but typical. In fact, she would have hated the thought of me (her sister) sitting here today writing about the facts of her life and listing all of her accomplishments. As impressive as she was, I feel compelled to share some of those things, but I also want to share who I knew her to be on a deeper level.

In only 38 years of life, Laurie managed to single-handedly earn her PhD in counseling, open and run her own counseling practice, provide countless students with instruction as a professor at Western Seminary and George Fox University, and build a business from the ground up. We often joked that Laurie had three full-time jobs. Counseling was a passion of Laurie’s and she truly changed, and saved, many lives through her diligent and relentless work in the field. Her expertise and service will be deeply missed in the greater Portland community.

In addition to being one of the smartest people I knew, she was also incredibly genuine and fun. I can’t tell you how many times I would share an idea or adventure with her only to hear her respond with “okay, let’s do it!” The same was true for her friends. Whether it be kayaking, backpacking, road tripping, traveling, or even just something simple like going to the dog park, Laurie had this ability to make everything she did meaningful and filled with joy. She was up for anything and would give of herself to make those she was with feel cared for and seen.

I would be remiss if I did not mention Laurie’s love for animals. In particular, Laurie loved her horse, Gabe, dogs, Gus and Ruthie, and cats, Nadia and Damien. In fact, to honor this, Laurie’s memorial service will be on the lawn at Castle Hills Church of the Nazarene in Boise, Idaho on May 15, 2021 at 10:00am, and dogs are invited and encouraged!

More than anything, Laurie lived a life that extended the love of Christ to every single person she met. He radiated through her. It was clear that God had a very intentional purpose for Laurie and that He was using her in some incredibly big ways.

While those of us who remain on earth will miss Laurie something terrible, we know that she is in heaven reuniting with her dad, Darrel Bloomquist, spending time with her sister and nephew, Lisa and Milo Holland, and enjoying time with grandparents. While we wait to join them, her mother, Judy Bloomquist, her sister and husband, Amy and Robert Kennedy, her brother, Jeff Bloomquist, brother-in-law, Dan Holland, and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, and incredible friends will remember, with fondness, the bold and beautiful life of Dr. Laurie Ann Bloomquist. You will be missed, Laurie! Thank you for making the world a more beautiful place these past 38 years!

There is a GoFundMe account set up in Laurie’s name to help the family during this time. Any gifts that exceed immediate expenses will be set aside to put towards making Lauries counseling center dream a reality. You can find the link here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/laurie-bloomquist-memorial

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