After 24,320 days on this Earth, the voice of our Sweet Darlin' Angel has been stilled. Laurie Jan Reece departed this world at 5:27 a.m. on Friday, July 17, 2020 — the Awful, Horrible, Terribly Yucky Year of the Covid pandemic. St. David's Round Rock cared for Laurie during her final illness. Born December 17, 1953, at the original St. David's Hospital, downtown, she was one of a rare species: the Austinite Nativus.

Laurie was preceded in death by her father, Wendell "Von" Reece, and her mother, Connie Morgan Reece. She is survived by her sister, Connie Lavon Reece. Laurie was gifted with a beautiful singing voice and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Over the years she directed church choirs, produced musicals, and ministered to countless people through her vocal talents — often accompanied by her sister.

Growing up in the family business, Laurie worked at auctions from the time she could read and write. When Von retired and the business was sold in the early 90's, Laurie was running the entire operation. Perhaps because she worked in a family-owned business, Laurie often undervalued her abilities, but her accomplishments were many.

Laurie was the first Executive Director of the Texas Society for Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, taking the mom-and-pop organization to a full-fledged medical society with professional administration. She guided TSGE through the legislative maze involved in passing the 2001 Colon Cancer Screening bill. Later that year she oversaw the TSGE annual meeting, held just three days after 9/11. In 2007 Laurie received the Marcel Patterson–Robert Nelson award; she remains the sole non-MD to receive this award, bestowed upon someone who has made a significant contribution to the field of gastroenterology.

For 23 years Laurie served as the Executive Director of the Texas Transplantation Society, the professional association for doctors, nurses, histocompatibility labs, and organ procurement organizations. In addition to managing the myriad aspects of producing the society's annual meeting, Laurie also led the group's advocacy efforts — a job akin to cat herding. She spearheaded the society's legislative efforts on

• the Donate Life Registry, the official organ, eye, and tissue donor registry for the state of Texas, now with over 12 million registered donors;
• the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act; and
• the Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force.

Laurie was instrumental in launching Donate Life Day at the state capitol, held during every legislative session to educate lawmakers on the shortage of available organs and the need to promote organ donation.

The Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation, which matches unrelated living kidney donors and recipients, also benefitted from Laurie's insight and administrative skills. It was not unusual at the Reece household to hear her say, "I can't eat right now, I have a kidney in the air."

Laurie was a bona fide Southerner, raised on sweet tea and Jesus. She loved the Lord dearly and daily prayed that He would use her to bless others. She also loved Dr. Pepper and Cheetos, and often joked that she needed Cheetos "because my serum cheese level is low."

In 2015 Laurie fell and suffered a closed head injury. After three days she regained consciousness — and promptly tried to get out of bed and go to work. Although she recovered, the 79 days spent in the hospital took their toll, and she was finally forced to slow down. She despised every minute of retirement.

Truly, it was her indomitable spirit that kept Laurie alive far longer than doctors had originally projected. But finally, Laurie's frail body could no longer withstand the onslaught of pain and suffering. Soon we will place that body in the ground, but it will not languish there forever.

Even now, her spirit is free to streak across the heavens—first to thank her blessed Savior, Jesus Christ; then to find Mom, Dad, Doe Doe, Tincie, and all those other loved ones who arrived on the early bus; and even to throw the ball for Missy and Wendy and Bonnie Lou and Holly Luyah and Amazin' Gracie and Caruso, and some stray that followed her home to that "mansion just over the hilltop."

A memorial service will be held on Monday, July 20, at Beck Funeral Home on 620, with burial to follow at Merrilltown Cemetery. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, attendance is by invitation only.