Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Who Laura Was
Laura Anne Keppel was born on January 23, 1963 in Pittsburgh, and grew up in McKees Rocks and Carnegie, PA. She was extraordinarily kind, brilliantly sharp, and tougher than anyone who knew her could have imagined. She was a soldier, a nurse, a technologist, a gardener, a debater, a cat person, and a warrior — in that order or any other, depending on the day.
Laura graduated from Sto-Rox High School in 1981. She earned an Associate Degree from CCAC and obtained her LPN license. She later graduated Magna Cum Laude and Alpha Chi from Pennsylvania College of Technology, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Technology. Education wasn’t something Laura did once — it was a lifelong pursuit. She loved numbers, information, and technology, and she had a relentless need to understand how things worked.
She honorably served in the United States Army for 26 years, achieving the rank of Sergeant First Class. She held various administrative and medical positions, including Practical Nurse and Medical Specialist. She was proud of every assignment, but especially her work with FEMA during Hurricane Katrina. Laura was a decorated soldier, receiving numerous commendations including the Meritorious Service Medal. After the military, she built a career in IT at PENNDOT. She was also a licensed real estate agent with a passion for design and construction. There wasn’t much Laura couldn’t do once she set her mind to it.
She enjoyed gardening, fine wine, the Arts, and spending time with her friends. She was an avid reader and researcher. She was dedicated to continuous learning and loved numbers, information and technology. She was a fact finder and fact checker and had a strong aversion to alternative facts. She loved the art of debate and engaging conversations.
She was gritty and gutsy. She was a perfectionist. She was generous to a fault. She had a dry wit and a contagious laugh. She had a soft spot for stray animals. She was a loyal friend. She was a warrior.
Laura’s Battle
Laura was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer and fought it into remission. But like many cancers, it came back — and it came back aggressively. When it returned, the doctors and cancer care team at Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh became her lifeline. They kept her alive for years through treatment, care, and clinical intervention, giving Laura more time with the people she loved.
As her options narrowed, Laura did what she always did — she researched. She scoured clinical trial databases, contacted research centers, and refused to stop looking for the next option. She approached her diagnosis with the same tenacity and discipline she brought to the Army, to her education, and to everything she cared about. That relentless search for answers is the reason this website exists.
Laura Anne Keppel passed away peacefully at her home in Collier Township, PA, on Monday, March 23, 2020, surrounded by her loved ones, after a valiant battle with ovarian cancer. She was 57 years old.
Family
Laura was preceded in death by her husband and the love of her life, Jerome “Jerry” Farmer, Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army; her mother Gertrude Sigley and stepfather Ross Sigley; her father Albert Keppel; her sister Michele Artrup; and her brother-in-law George Farmer.
She is survived by her sister Lorraine Honeychuck; nieces Ashley (Scott) Rambo, Amber Smida, and Barbara Ringler; great nephews David Ostrander (Specialist, U.S. Army) and Evan Matthews; great nieces McKenna Buchert, Marissa Matthews, and Taryn Kilgore; sisters-in-law Lorelei (John) Goelz, Sonia Heiney (Joseph Roach), and Claudia Farmer; her best friend Nancy (John) Mihalcin; her beloved Ratso and PeeWee; and countless aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Cremation took place privately. Arrangements were under the care of Scott Ritter, Funeral Director, Leo J. Henney Funeral Home, Carnegie, PA.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
About Jerry
Jerome W. Farmer — Jerry — was the love of Laura’s life. He was a decorated U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major, a Vietnam veteran, a Pennsylvania State Trooper, and, by all accounts, one of the funniest people in any room. His own obituary — written with his unmistakable voice — said he “kicked the oxygen habit” on January 30, 2015, “having lived for more than twice what his mother expected but half of what he thought he deserved.”
Jerry was born in Pittsburgh on June 8, 1947. He served in Vietnam, built a career with the Pennsylvania State Police, and threw legendary Halloween parties where he’d inevitably show up as someone’s favorite mummy. He endured what he called “AGONIZING home improvements” at Laura’s insistence — completed YESTERDAY, she demanded.
He was predeceased by his mother, father, and brother George. He is survived by his treasured wife Laura, his cherished sister Lorelei, his sister Sonia, his lovely sister-in-law Claudia (George) Farmer, many nieces and nephews, and his beloved Squidgy, Ratso, and PeeWee.
Memorial contributions can be made on our Donate page. To see photos of Laura with the friends and family who loved her, visit Remembering Laura.