Laura May Bendell

Laura May (Laurie) Bendell passed away on April 17, 2026, at the age of 90.

Laurie was born on May 13, 1935, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, to Laurance (Larry) and Kathryn (Kitty) Long, joining her older sister, Shirley. Sadly, Larry passed away when Laurie was only two years old. Kitty later married Arthur Kalbach, who adopted both Laurie and Shirley, and together they welcomed a third daughter, Arlene.

As a child, Laurie enjoyed composing poems, acting in school plays, and toe and tap dancing. She made the honor roll throughout junior and senior high school and graduated from Upper Darby Senior High School in 1953.

While working at S.S. Kresge’s 5 and 10 store, she met Edward Bendell. After dating for three years, they were married at her home church in Upper Darby on April 23, 1955. Both later worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad and enjoyed traveling across the United States by train and by car.

They welcomed three children—Debra, Edward Jr., and Lauren. Laurie found great joy in helping in each of their classrooms over the years and supporting their involvement in scouts and other activities.

In 1967, the family moved to Littleton, Colorado. A year later they relocated to Hutchinson, Kansas, and in 1972 returned to Littleton. They found their church home at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, where Laurie served as a member of the Altar Guild.

Laurie and Ed were introduced to square and round dancing and became avid dancers with the Mountaineers Square Dance Club. They also enjoyed bike riding and caring for a variety of animals—turtles, birds, rabbits, dogs, and cats—throughout their married life.

They adored their four grandchildren—Thomas Bendell, Matthew Bendell, Jason Bendell, and Courtney Harriman Smith. Laurie often helped in their classrooms just as she had with her own children, and she and Ed rarely missed a sports game or activity. They were immensely proud of their grandchildren’s accomplishments. The family suffered a great loss when Ed passed away in June 2007.

In the years that followed, Laurie continued to cherish family gatherings celebrating holidays, birthdays, graduations, marriages, and the arrival of great‑grandchildren: Rivers, Benjamin, Juniper, and Winter.

Laurie was preceded in death by her husband, Ed, and her sisters, Shirley and Arlene. She is survived by her daughter Debbie; her son Ed (Karen); her daughter Lauren (Doug); her grandsons Tom (Sammy), Matt (Shandi), and Jason; her granddaughter Courtney (Nate); her great‑grandchildren Rivers, Benjamin, Juniper, and Winter; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on May 13, 2026 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 6322 S. Lakeview Street, Littleton, Colorado. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Altar Guild 
The Humane Society of the South Platte Valley: https://hsspv.org/donate
 

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