Laura Mae Saftich, 84, died August 24, 2023 in Renton, Washington. She was born February 20, 1939 in Deerwood, Minnesota, the 2nd youngest of 15 children, to parents William Peter and Myrtle Mae (Murphy) Booth. Laura was raised on a farm in the small town of Deerwood. In her early years she walked with other family members to a distant county school. In the winter months they were transported home by horse and sleigh, by her dad. Later they progressed to school bus rides. That was a treat! Laura attended Deerwood Grade School, grades 1-6, then Crosby Ironton High School, grades 7-12, graduating in 1959. During her senior year she was employed at the Miners Hospital, in Crosby as a nurse’s aide. In 1960, Laura relocated to Osseo, Minnesota where a brother and his family were living. She was employed as a nurse’s aide at the Osseo Nursing Home. In 1961 Laura took a big adventure to the state of Washington to visit relatives. That is when she met the love of her life, Hans &ld
James D. Henderson is a retired veterinarian, biomedical researcher and contributing author of “Life on the Lakes A History of the Pelican Lakes in Crow Wing County.”