The Life of LAURA BEVERLY THOREN
Laura Beverly Thoren, 89, of Des Moines, Iowa, died on Friday, August 16, 2013 at Wesley Acres Retirement Home in Des Moines, IA. (Her parents, Fred and Signa Nelson, her three sisters, Francis, Mae and Laurine, her twin, and her late husband of 52 years, Jack Thoren of Des Moines, Iowa predecease her.)
She was born on September 2, 1923 in Madrid, Iowa, to Fred and Signa Nelson. She married Jack Thoren from Des Moines on June 29, 1945 and they remained lifelong residents of Des Moines, Iowa. Laura and Jack raised three sons; Charles, Tom and Kevin. Jack was a Des Moines firefighter and Laura frequently worked to provide additional income for the family both as a home typist and later for the State of Iowa and for the Library at Drake University.
Her three sons; Charles and Kevin of Des Moines and Tom and wife Susan of Philadelphia, PA; five grandchildren, Kevin, Sarah, Richard, Charles and Kinsey and six great grandchildren survive her.
Her family remembers her love, devotion to family and that she was always there for them. (She honestly didn’t always like cooking but she always baked cookies, blondies, kringla, and her famous peanut butter balls that she so lovingly made for kids and grandkids.)
Laura always loved chocolate, whether it was fudge, peanut butter cups or back in the day Dairy Maids. She finally realized that she was a true chocoholic and decided to just give in to it rather than fight it.
Memorial service will be a simple graveside ceremony held at 11:00 am, Friday September 13, 2013 at Highland Memorial Gardens in Des Moines, IA.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to: Animal Rescue League of Iowa (Laura Thoren Memorial Fund), Attn: Candy Bell, 5452 N.E. 22nd Street, Des Moines, IA 50313 or go to their website: www.arl-iowa.org. Laura always loved animals and in later years she adopted two wonderful pets and donated to the Rescue League.