Laurie Mcvay

"She flew up to heaven on the wings of angels."

Laurie Kathleen McVay was born on June 23, 1979 to Michael and Terry (Smith) McVay in Gothenburg, NE.  She was welcomed home by her sister, Hattie, and her brother, Scott.

Laurie attended Gothenburg Public Schools and graduated from Gothenburg High School in 1998. She attended Chadron State College and the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.  Laurie graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in 2003.  She was also a Registered Nurse.

Following graduation, Laurie moved to Seattle, WA.  There she married Tamotu Tagoa'i, Jr.  Laurie and Junior had six children, Rosemary, Tommy, Michael, Olivia, Grace, and Isaiah.  While in Seattle, Laurie was Director of Nursing for a care facility.

Laurie loved her children and family dearly and cherished all the family times together.  She so enjoyed her grandparents, and she had a special place in her heart for her nieces and nephews.  But Laurie's children were the loves of her life.

Our hearts were broken on May 19, 2021 when Laurie passed away in Seattle from complications of pneumonia.

Laurie is survived by her husband, her children, her parents, her sister, Hattie (Anthony) McVay, of Gillette, WY, her brother, Scott (Lacy) McVay of Gothenburg, and her grandmother, Vera (Chambers) Smith, of Kearney, NE.  She is also survived by nieces and nephews Dacia and Drew Douthit of Gillette and Destiny, Cheyenne, Caiden, and William McVay, Ryleigh Widick, and Joey Holland of Gothenburg,; aunts and uncles Micki Roberts of Lincoln, NE, Curt (Marilyn) Smith of Bismarck, ND, and Lynn (Carroll) Brown of St. Libory, NE, and many cousins.  Very dear to Laurie were friends Jay and Suzanne Holmes of Gothenburg and their children.

Laurie was preceded in death by her grandparents C. Edward and Jeannette McVay of Gothenburg, & William Smith of Jeffrey Lake, Brady, NE, parents -in-law Tamotu and Adria Tagoa'i of Seattle, WA and uncle David Roberts of Schuyler, NE.

"She flew to heaven on the wings of angels.  By the clouds and star, and passed where no one sees. And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waitin!  And I know she's smilin' sayin', don't worry 'bout me." - Alan Jackson

Services will be held 1:30 pm, Friday, June 11, 2021 at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, NE with Pastor Greg Boller officiating.
Interment will follow in the Gothenburg Cemetery, Gothenburg, NE.

Memorials may be given to the BackPack Program or the Gothenburg American Legion Baseball.