Remembering Laura
My dear friend Laura Janeshewski passed away November 6, 2006 in a hospital bed in Toronto. Whether it was distance or our busy lives I don’t know, but I only found out last night through a mutual friend.
Laura was loved by so many people. She was the least selfish person I’ve ever met. I am indebted to Laura for her boundless and overflowing support and encouragement over the last 23 years we’ve known each other.
Laura and I met at our Theatre 200 class at UBC, under the instruction of Mr. Stanley Weese. Somehow we hit it off and never lost contact for very long over the years that followed. I think I helped her move once, and she had the messiest apartment I’ve ever seen — unbelievable she could find anything, let alone her 2 guinea pigs under all that clutter.
Laura was a very talented woman who took up any creative task with relish. For years she was the lead researcher for Macleans magazine’s University issue. She wrote for MoneySense and other Toronto publications; she was a writer/research for CBC radio and TV; she played guitar, composed songs and sang.
She was co-host of one of Vancouver cable TV’s odd successes, The Complaint Dept. A UBC Theatre Alumni, Laura acted, did stand-up comedy and TheatreSports.
When I was producing work for community television Laura was the first person who came to mind when I was casting (see The Honey Party). I wrote The Hug Clinic script with Laura in mind as the too sweet instructor “Cara Martin,” who put it all on the line to get people to let down their guards and give someone a hug. Laura was just like that in real life – she just wanted peace and love for everyone.
Thank you, Laura.
March 31, 2007 @ 1:51 am
Wow. Almost 2am and I’m listening to my wife’s iPod and an REM song comes on. For some reason I suddenly remember a tv show from when I was in High School – the Complaint Dept. One night one of the hosts, Laura, went off about how much she disliked REM.
So I decided to see if the internet could help me find out what happened to my old “friends” Dave and Laura. Last I saw, Laura she was heading to Toronto to make it big. Ok…she lost a few points in my book for that – you know how us BCers view TO. The show went off the air not too long after…was never as witty with the next girl…Kelly I think.
It was only cable access…but I was going to the same HS that Laura went to (finally found her grad picture when she revealed her true name…never found out why she went by Laura Owen(s?) for a while) and that was kinda neat.
So, when I finally got the spelling of her name right tonight, I was saddened to read of her passing.
I’m sure that someone with so much humour in her life had a lot of friends who will keep her spirit alive.