In Loving Memory of Laura Followell

Laura Followell was born on April 30, 1955, in San Benito, Texas, to Jose Carlos Saldivar and Imelda Saldivar. On August 13, 2026, after a courageous battle with cancer, Laura passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by the people who loved her most.

Laura fought a warrior's fight until the very end. She faced an incredibly difficult journey with strength and courage, but cancer never defined who she was. Laura was kind, gentle, and deeply loyal. She was the peacemaker of our family-the one who brought a sense of calm when it was needed most. She had a quiet way of bringing people together, and those who knew her knew the warmth and gentleness of her spirit.

More than anything, Laura loved her family. Her family was her greatest joy and was at the heart of who she was.

In 1977, Laura married her husband, James Followell. Together, they shared nearly 49 years of marriage, building a life filled with love, memories, and devotion to one another and to their family. She was a loving mother to her three sons, James Jr., Ruben, and Eric, and to her stepdaughters, Kim Landry and Tracey Schreiber.

Laura was also a proud and loving grandmother to Gia,10; David, 9; Daniel, 6; and Joseph, 6; Ron Glenn, 35; Donovan, 33; Savannah, 31; Tesha, 28. And great grandmother to Valkyrie, 9; Maverick, 7; Theodore, 4. Her grandchildren as well as many beloved nieces and nephews brought tremendous happiness and joy into her life, and the love she had for them was immeasurable.

Laura shared a lifelong bond with her brothers, Daniel Saldivar, Carlos Saldivar, and David Saldivar, and her sisters, Minerva Vaesa, Christina Bolan, Maria Wright, and Janie Wilson. She carried with her the memory of her parents, Jose Carlos and Imelda Saldivar, and her beloved sisters, Imelda Mayle and Patricia St. John Wells, who passed before her.

In her final days, Laura remained surrounded by the love that had meant so much to her throughout her life. Her husband, children, brothers and sisters, friends, and neighbors were there with her. Around noon on August 13, Laura peacefully fell asleep and passed with those she loved nearby. Her passing was as peaceful as the woman she had always been-quiet, gentle, and surrounded by love.

Those of us who knew Laura will remember far more than the illness she endured. We will remember her kindness and her gentle spirit. We will remember her loyalty and the way she valued the people she loved. We will remember the peacemaker who brought calm to her family and the wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend whose family was always at the center of her life.

Laura leaves us with a legacy that cannot be measured simply in years. It lives in the family she loved, the relationships she nurtured, and the memories that each of us will carry with us. The qualities that made Laura who she was-her gentleness, her kindness, her loyalty, and her love for her family-will remain with us.

Though our hearts are heavy with her passing, there is comfort in knowing that Laura is no longer fighting and no longer in pain. We take comfort in our faith that she is now at peace and resting in the loving arms of the Lord.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul."

- Psalm 23:1-3

Rest peacefully, Laura. Your fight is over, your pain is gone, and your love will live on in all of us. You will be deeply missed and forever loved