Laura Kjeldgaard “LK” Case ’97

Laura Kjeldgaard “LK” Case ’97, 36, of Quincy, Mass., died on Sept. 20, 2011 after a year-long battle with colon cancer. She was a beloved wife, mother, and friend who leaves a legacy of strength, courage, and independence. Born on Feb. 25, 1975, in Denver, Colo., to Susan Kjeldgaard Stiker and the late J. Mark Kjeldgaard, Case grew up with her two younger brothers in Yarmouth. In 1990 her mother remarried, and Case gained five more siblings. She entered Davidson before transferring to Mount Holyoke College, where she excelled in both field hockey and lacrosse. She graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke in 1997 majoring in medical humanities and ethics. During the summer after graduating, Case was reintroduced to her future husband, Delvyn Case, 162 Waterston Ave., Quincy, MA 02170-3432, now a music professor at Wheaton College, whom she had first met as a small child. Though they had known of each other as they grew up in neighboring towns, it took a blind date set up by their scheming mothers to get them together. They married in 1999 and then moved to Philadelphia. After the birth of her first daughter, Alexandra, in 2000, the family moved to Massachusetts, where their second daughter, Madeline, was born in 2006. Case was a devoted mother, who loved spending time with her family. She loved cheering for the Red Sox, apple picking, reading, and visiting her hometown of Yarmouth, especially for the annual Clam Festival. In the last 10 years of her life, she discovered a passion for photography, particularly for portraiture. Though her talent and attention to detail earned her awards for her work, she always viewed her work as a ministry, often working for free for individuals and groups in her community who could not normally afford high-quality photos of their children, families, and events. Case was an active member of Hope Central Church in Jamaica Plain. She maintained a private but strong faith, whose authenticity was best attested by her empathy for others and by her generosity to many whom she did not even know. In addition to her husband and two daughters, Case is survived by her parents, Susan and Bud Stiker; brothers, Nicholas Kjeldgaard (Wendy, her husband’s sister), Timothy Kjeldgaard, Ned Stiker (Stephanie), Matthew Stiker (Leigh Ann), Tony Stiker (Melissa Schulz), and John Stiker (Jill); and her sister, Samantha Stiker Sheesley (Rick). She is also survived by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.