AUGUSTA--Laurie Weston Ladd passed away on February 20, 2013 after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Augusta on November 30, 1959 to Gerald and Carolyn (Coffin) Ladd, Laurie was a kind and generous person whose unselfishness, strong work ethic, and friendly nature touched many people throughout her life. Laurie grew up in Augusta and attended Augusta public schools. She graduated from Cony High School in 1978. At Cony, she was a standout athlete on the field hockey, softball, and volleyball teams. Laurie began her college career at the University of Maine at Orono and soon transferred to the University of Maine at Augusta where she continued to study Business. Laurie received her Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Management Degree from UMA in 2001. As a work study student in 1983, Laurie began working in the UMA Business Office. A year later she transferred to the Financial Aid Office where she continued as a fulltime staff member for 30 years in positions of increasing responsibility. During her career at UMA, Laurie was an active member of the campus Wellness Committee and NEASC self-study committee. She was a member of the Maine Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and Finance Authority of Maine’s Advisory Committee on Grants and Scholarships. At UMA, Laurie’s dedication was unprecedented and she made a positive impact on the lives of thousands of students. Laurie was dedicated to her loved ones. Always the first to volunteer to help a family member in need or during times of crisis. Laurie’s family, friends, and neighbors knew the door was always open at her Augusta home. An animal lover, Laurie had many canine and feline companions over the years. From 1987 to 1997 she served as the bookkeeper at the Kennebec Valley Humane Society. Laurie enjoyed numerous hobbies, particularly arts and crafts and gardening in her spacious backyard. She loved to spend time outdoors, playing with nieces and nephews, tossing a Frisbee, identifying wildflowers, walking her dogs, and splashing in area lakes. Among her favorite spots in Maine were Long Pond in Belgrade, Mt. Pisgah (for blueberry picking), East Boothbay, Pine Point in Scarborough, Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth, Rangeley, and the Jordan :Pond House at Acadia National Park. Laurie, having grown up in the shadow of the Maine Statehouse dome, appreciated many of Augusta’s historical sites and architecture. She was a member of the Kennebec Historical Society. Laurie continued to participate in softball and volleyball after high school with the Augusta Recreation Department and was a member of the YMCA. She was an avid fan of Cony Rams athletics and of the Boston Red Sox. Laurie is survived by her mother, Carolyn C. Ladd, her father Gerald E. Ladd, and stepmother Ann T. Ladd; her sisters, Sylvia M. Reed and husband Bruce A. Reed, and Elaine B. Ladd and close friend Andrew G. Lewis, stepbrothers Keith Therrien and Kevin Therrien, stepsister Marcia Chibuogwu, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 2 p.m. at Jewett Hall, University of Maine Augusta. The family invites Laurie’s friends to a gathering in the Fireplace Room in Randall Hall after the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the new UMA Laurie Weston Ladd Memorial Scholarship Fund, UMA Advancement Office, 46 University Dr., Augusta, ME. 04330 or to The American Cancer Society, 1 Bowdoin Mill Island, Suite 300, Topsham, ME. 04086. Arrangements are in the care of Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home, One Church Street, Augusta. Condolences, memories, photos, and videos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the website at www.khrfuneralhomes.com