Obituary for Laura Leslie (Bowen) Loder | Ryan Mortuary
August 14, 1952 ~ May 25, 2021 (age 68)
SALINA - Laura Leslie (Bowen) Loder died Tuesday, May 25, 2021 in Salina. She was born August 14, 1952 to Richard and Marilyn Bowen in Kansas City, MO. As a child, she lived in Kansas City, Springfield, Mo, and Beloit, KS until moving with her family to Salina in 1963. She graduated from Salina High School in 1970, a member of the last graduating class there. She lived much of her adult life in Salina but lived in Noble, OK. in the late 70s for a few years, and in 1991 she moved to the Loder family farm in Marquette, KS, in 1991 with Doug Loder. She lived there until his death in 2016 and then moved back to Salina.
She had varied careers and workplaces during her adult life. She spent the last 25-plus years driving for Quality Driveaway delivering buses nearly everywhere in the United States. She is remembered by her family, coworkers and others who knew her for her wit and humor. She always had a listening ear and a metaphor to summarize any situation. She was a member of First Covenant Church in Salina and found great joy in singing along to country gospel music.
She was preceded in death by her husband Doug Loder, her father Richard Bowen, her mother Marilyn Larson and a brother, Joe Bowen.
She is survived by her son Jeremy Hopkins (Angela) of Salina, daughter Emily DeRocco (Steven) of Virginia, sisters Sue Jordan (Don) of Salina, Sally Morrison (Todd) of Olathe, and her stepfather Oscar Larson of Tescott. Her grandchildren were the greatest joy of her life and include Noah and Eli Hopkins of Salina and Laramie, Liam, Elon, Joss and Dexter DeRocco of Northern Virginia. She is also survived by her nephews James (Soni) and John (Casey) Jordan and nieces Melanie and Malorie Morrison. She will also be missed by her extended Larson family including her several stepbrothers and sisters and their spouses and children as well as her extended Loder family including all of Doug’s children and grandchildren.
Services will be Saturday, May 29 at 10 a.m. at First Covenant Church, 2625 E. Magnolia Road in Salina. Burial will be private by family at a later date in the Franklin Cemetery, Tescott.
In lieu of flowers, the family would suggest donations to the Salvation Army or the First Covenant Church, Salina. Ryan Mortuary is handling arrangements.
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