Laurie Voelkel

In Loving Memory Lauren "Laurie" E. Voelkel, 65, of McAllen, Texas passed peacefully with her family by her side on February 18, 2019, after an 11-year struggle with ovarian cancer. She is now pain-free and at home with her Lord and Savior. Laurie was born in Tokyo, Japan on December 31, 1953, at 6:10 a.m. to parents Myron Ellis Jones Jr. and Nobuko "Mimi" Jones. She was raised in Bowling Green, Ohio and graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1975 with a Bachelor's degree in Education. She was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She also joined Kappa Kappa IOTA, the oldest national professional organization for educators. After graduation, Laurie moved to Weslaco, Texas to begin her teaching career. There she met Calvin "Marvin" Voelkel. They were married in 1978 for 38 cherished years and raised two beautiful daughters, Jennifer and Catherine. After 30 years of teaching for McAllen ISD, she retired but continued her love for teaching and children by substitute teaching as often as she could. Laurie was smart, creative, kind, and thoughtful. She and her loving daughter, Jennifer, devoted much of their time caring for Marvin until he passed from cancer on March 28, 2016. Laurie equally devoted her time to her terminally ill younger daughter, Catherine, who was born with cystic fibrosis and passed exactly two months later on May 28, 2016. Laurie is survived by her first-born daughter, Jennifer Harbison; son-in-law, Ross; and her three beloved grandchildren Taylor, Trinity, and Ryan Harbison. Laurie is also survived by her son-in-law Peter Harriss; her three younger sisters, Mariann (Stan), Mimi (Misti), and Ginger (Ken) and several nieces and nephews. Honorary pallbearers include Stephen Jones, Matthew Jones, Brandon Jones, Max Connor-Jones, Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Blandford, and Christopher Blandford. Laurie will be deeply missed. Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at McCaleb Funeral Home, 900 W. 4th Street, Weslaco, Texas. A service celebrating her life will be held at 2:00 p.m. with a reception to follow. Donations in her honor may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 6931 Arlington Road, 2nd floor Bethesda, Maryland 20814 Or to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance https://ocrahope.org/