Laura F. Crowder

Age 55 of Lino Lakes, passed away peacefully on May 20, 2022. Laura was born on November 5th, 1966 to John Lucas and Judith Adams (Pratt) Proudfit in Edina, MN. Being born six weeks premature in the ‘60s, her survival was itself an accomplishment. She developed a love of the Middle Ages, King Arthur, and Robin Hood. She became involved in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) at 14, a medieval living history group. Attending Minnetonka High School, she also became active in the theater group. ​After graduating in 1985, Laura went to St. Olaf College, where she found there was no SCA group, so she founded one – Nordleigh. She spent her junior year at Oxford studying at the Centre for Medieval & Renaissance Studies. Laura received a Bachelor of Arts from St. Olaf College in 1989 with an Area of Concentration of Medieval Studies. Her Senior Project was a formal lecture on “Courtly Love”. ​She went on to earn a Juris Doctor from Hamline University, School of Law in 1995 and began working for the State of Minnesota Department of Juvenile Justice in grants administration. ​Laura met Rob at an SCA event in 1995 and they were married October 25th, 1997 (Saint Crispin’s Day). She became a homemaker and they adopted two girls from China, Ruth Meizhen (Ren) and Margaret Sijie. She continued her love of learning, the Middle Ages, gaming, greyhounds, and reading. Her sharp mind, extensive (if obscure) knowledge, and dry sense of humor will be missed by many. ​Preceded in death by her father, John, and her mother, Judith. Survived by husband, Rob; daughters, Ren and Margaret; and siblings, Libbet, James, and Sarah Proudfit. ​Memorial service 11 AM Saturday, June 4 at ST. MARK LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1 N. Rd., Circle Pines.  Visitation 10 – 11 AM Saturday at the church.​In lieu of flowers, we would ask instead for donations in Laura’s name be made to the Red Cross or Second Harvest Heartland.