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Laurie Shuey Andersen passed away December 2, 2024. Laurie was passionate about her family, her students and our Class of 1966. She was a military spouse and embraced that role. Laurie is the only Gold-Star Widow that we know of in our class, having lost her first husband, Capt. Ed W. Griffith, KIA in VietNam in May 1968. She later married Air Force pilot, R.E. (Andy) Andersen and was married for nearly 50-years before his death. Through all those year, in all those duty stations in many countries, she embraced her roll as a military spouse.
Laurie entered NMSU's Teacher Co-op the day after RHS graduation. She attended the Sorbonne Cours D'ete in Paris, France, and then graduated from NMSU in 1970. Her first year of teaching French and English was in Bossier Parish, LA, the first year after forced integration. Laurie was the English Department Head. She then followed Andy Andersen to Madrid, Spain where she taught English at Torrejon HS; Grand Forks, ND, where Laurie was a Gifted and Talented Coordinator and taught GT grades K-6; Alconbury HS, Cambridge, England, Laurie also taught Spanish and English; and in Ft. Worth, TX where she taught French and Spanish at a magnet school before becoming an Assistant Principal and working in the Central Office.
Laurie was very intelligent and a member of the Mensa Society. She loved her classmates and was generous when money was needed for reunion purposes. She was also very supportive of the Fort Worth Salvation Army and her alma mater, New Mexico State University. Her son, David, wishes to thank you for the impact you had in her life.
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James A "Jim" White
Kathy and I were close to Laurie Shuey Andersen, especially the last decade. We spoke with her by telephone a six days before she passed. We are so sorry her body gave out and she has been paralyzed these last number of years ... but her intelligence was still there. We visited with her in the nursing facility numerous times, even danced with the care center live music, and stayed over night at her home. Laurie will be missed. We are so sorry we were not able to help her with a final bucket list item, a cruise ship trip. Laurie, thanks for your friendship. Rest in Peace, dear one.
Hank Garrett
Laurie had reached out to me a few years ago. We talked on the phone a number of times over the years and kept in touch. Indeed she had even offered her apartment to us this summer for the solar eclipse but my Wife and I stayed with Bill Martin and his family who were also nearby in Dallas/Fort Worth (had a great time and got lots of eclipse pictures by the way). I always enjoyed our phone calls and will miss her dearly. God Bless You Laurie!!!
Terry Michael Boone
I received an email from her son letting me kmow of her passing. When something like this happens, you always look back and wish you had done more with that person and that is certainly true with Laurie. She had me and my wife over to her house a couple of times. the first one was when her husband was still alive. Laurie was so happy everyone was there and was just beaming. and very animated. She gave my wife and I a tour of er entire house and was proud to show off some really neat items they had aquired over the years. Her husband was in a wheel chair and had a paralysis that was gradually spreading over his entire body. When we saw him, about half his body was paralysed. He got this condition from agent orange, but not from Vietnam, rather from ferrying a plane on the east coast that had some agent orange residue. They both knew his time was limited, but both wrere very positive. He was a fun guy to talk to with lots of stories. When she invited us to another party,, her husband had died and it was obvious her conditrion was worsening. However, she was very full of life. Not long after, she had to move to a residence that could give her the care that she needed. She lost a son at a very early age-I think in Vietnam-and then she had to care for her husband for a number of years as his health declined. So she has been through alot-but always with a smile on her face. My prayers are with her. May she rest in peace