Laurel Ann Elderkin-Graham died peacefully at home on Aug. 8, 2016, the same day her dad George “Pat” Elderkin passed 25 years earlier. She was constantly surrounded by her family and friends.

She was born Oct. 18, 1955 in Boothbay Harbor, Maine and attended Southport Central School before going to and graduating from Boothbay Region High School in 1974. She attended and graduated Stevens School of the Bible in Lenox, Massachusetts in 1978.

Laurel served and loved God all her adult life and we know that when she passed she went straight into the arms of Jesus.

Laurel was an awesome singer/songwriter, guitar player, church song leader and entertainer. Her songs and singing touched and blessed all that heard her play and sing.

She had a great talent as an artist, illustrator, and worked many years as a graphic artist. She got her start at ABC Copy Print in Haverhill, Massachusetts, she worked at Sir Speedy in Towson, Maryland and then settled in with the great folks at Minute Man Press in Glen Burnie, Maryland until she was unable to continue working.

Thank you to the doctors, nurses and staff at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore Maryland and the folks at the NIH in Bethesda who never gave up on her especially once they got to know her. They worked so hard to extend her life an additional eight plus years that we were all able to enjoy.

Hers was a difficult illness but she never complained. She put the word “can” in cancer and lived every bit of life until it was time to go.

Thanks to friends and family that helped so much when Laurel’s care became more involved so she could stay in her home and work in her art room.

Those of feeling the loss of Laurel are her husband, Bruce Graham; children, Bruce Jr., Kevin and Maritta, in Maryland, her mother on Southport Island, Maine, June Elderkin, in New Zealand, her sister Jennifer Elderkin Wickline, her husband Jimmie Jack and their two girls Kate and Sage who Laurel adored; brothers, Patrick Elderkin and Tim Conner from Southeast Florida and Josh Elderkin in Northwest Florida. Along with scores and scores of friends who are lucky enough to have known her.

A memorial service will be held for Laurel on Aug. 28 at 1 p.m. at: Greater Grace World Outreach, 6025 Moravia Park Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21206

For those unable to attend there will be a live podcast at www.ggwo.org along with an archive.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please hug someone you love.