---

Laurie Jayne (Dale) Burdiek passed away at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) July 18, 2014. She was diagnosed with scleroderma in 2003 and had recently been diagnosed with severe pulmonary complications as a result of this disease. She was at UPMC undergoing a lung transplant evaluation before God abruptly called her home.
Laurie was one of four children born to Laurel Dale and Jill (Bradley) Wood. She was born April 19, 1962 in Cardston, Canada and spent her childhood living in many places across the U.S., settling down in Coronado National Park, where she completed high school in Sierra Vista, Arizona.   
After graduating from Buena High School, Laurie married Rodney Branstetter, and together they had two children, Lara and Jarod. In addition, she attended travel school, then worked as a travel agent in Germany before returning to the U.S. and devoting her time to raising her children.
In 1994, Laurie married Richard Burdiek, with whom she had a daughter, Kjerstin.
Laurie was passionate about seeing the world, eager to quench her thirst for history and to snag a piece of it for herself, building up an impressive collection of magnets for her fridge. While living in England and Luxembourg, her favorite way to spend her time was exploring Europe with her family. She also briefly lived in Texas before moving to Maryland in 2003. Laurie loved visiting her siblings in Texas and Tennessee, her extended family in Minnesota, and her father and stepmother, Sharon, in Montana. When she wasn’t on the go, she loved decorating her house, shopping, working on her garden with her husband, looking after her kitties, and relaxing on her hammock in the backyard. She was a devoted and loving mother, always thinking of her children and striving to give them the very best lives she could. This included going all out for the holidays, and celebrating all of her family’s accomplishments, big and small. Laurie was a very thoughtful, selfless, compassionate person, vibrant and full of wit, who enjoyed her daily cups of black tea, as well as an annual glass of champagne.
Laurie was preceded in death by her mother, Jill Wood. Laurie is survived by Richard, her husband of 20 years; her daughter Lara (27) of Columbia, Maryland, son Jarod (24) of Houston, Texas, and daughter Kjerstin (19) of Laurel, Maryland. Laurie is also survived by her father Laurel Dale of Nye, Montana, sister Elizabeth of Ft. Worth, Texas, and brothers Bradley and Jonathon of Nashville, Tennessee and Taylor, Texas.
Visitation will be from 5-7 PM Thursday, July 24 at Grandstrand Funeral Home – 941 State Road 35, Osceola, WI;  also one hour prior to the service at church on Friday.  Funeral services will be at 11 AM Friday July 25 at First Lutheran Church in Taylors Falls, MN.  Interment will be in Kahbakong Cemetery.
There will be a luncheon at the Church Hall for everyone immediately following the cemetery service. Flowers can be sent to: Grandstrand Funeral Home 941 State Road 35, PO Box 39 Osceola, Wisconsin 54020.  
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Scleroderma Foundation and sent in care of Grandstrand Funeral Home.  See www.grandstrandfh.com  

---