Laura S. Thompson

The force of life that was Laura Susan Thompson, 65, passed away on May 12, 2024, after a brief battle with cancer. She passed in very much the same way that she lived her life, on her own terms and with her only daughter.

Laura was born on October 12, 1958, in Keene, NH, the middle daughter of John Alexander Thompson and Janice Fosdick Thompson. She spent her childhood between Wentworth, NH and Winchester, NH, the hometown of both of her parents and her beloved maternal grandmother, Marjorie Manning Fosdick.

She attended Wentworth schools, graduating valedictorian of her eighth-grade class before briefly attending Woodsville High School. She went on to graduate from the Woodstock Country School in 1977.

Professionally, Laura tried on many careers over the years, spanning roles in hospitality, manufacturing, financial services, politics, journalism and even a stint on the comedy club circuit. The majority of her professional life anchored her in sales roles that combined her business acumen and creativity with her love of meeting people. Of all her different sales roles, she would highlight her roles as a Princess House Crystal representative in the nineties as one of the most enjoyable of her career because of her love for the products and the people she got to befriend throughout those years. Her success in that role is evidenced by the vast Princess House collection that she was awarded for her performance over the years; her family can hear her cackling that characteristic laugh of hers as she watches over them sorting and struggling through what may be the single largest personal collection of Princess House crystal in the world.   

In recent years, Laura had turned her love for writing into a profession, writing for several different publications, often on topics that intersected with her own personal passions and experiences.  She became a regular and spirited guest contributor to her hometown newspaper, the Keene Sentinel, responding to current affairs that were personal to her and her community.  

In addition to being a talented writer, she was also a gifted ballet dancer in her youth, and a skilled seamstress throughout her life.  She was a lover of holidays and a magic maker when it came to bringing Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, July 4th, and every birthday to life for her family through costumes, decorations, parties, food, music, beautifully wrapped presents, and memorable traditions.   

In life, Laura carried strong beliefs and tried to be a force for good, especially in helping those too vulnerable to help themselves. She was an intentional feminist, an enthusiastic and resolute Democrat, and a fervent Bernie Sanders supporter for his focus on helping the poor and working class. Yes, she was the owner of that Bernie Sanders sign that spanned a full city block when she displayed it in her front yard on Washington Street in Keene in 2016, and she is still not sorry to any of her neighbors who expressed constant upset with the sign throughout that election year.

Of all the roles she played in life, Laura was the proudest of her roles as a mom and then Grammie. She loved her daughter, Jantzen Bridges, unconditionally, investing in her and advocating for her in ways that Laura, herself, had personally never experienced or seen modeled. She listened intently, nurtured passions and talents, instilled in her the expectation for love and respect, taught her to sing out loud whenever possible, and cheered louder and harder for her daughter than anyone ever believed was possible until they experienced it. And yes, when necessary, she could be just terrifying enough to remind her daughter and everyone else of who was in charge. When it came to being Grammie, she brought all that plus greater softness, whimsy, and joy to her relationship with her granddaughter, Ava, who carries on Grammie’s creative, playful, and determined spirit.

She is survived by her daughter, Jantzen Bridges, her old but favorite son-in-law, Lee Gabler, and her granddaughter, Ava Gabler, all of Denver, CO; her mother, Janice Fosdick Thompson, sisters, Linda Rose and Kay Bailey, foster sister, Terri Sweets, long-time partner and Papa Bear, Kirk Bigelow, and numerous cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

Services will be held privately in August with interment to follow in Evergreen Cemetery in Winchester, NH. 

In lieu of flowers, the family is working on a memorial foundation honoring Laura’s legacy that will be announced at a later date. 

Please reach out to Laura's daughter, Jantzen Bridges, at mamabearthompsonlegacy@gmail.com with any inquiries relative to her memorial service and/or memorial foundation.