Laurie Stewart Burns | Passages
Published 1:54 pm Thursday, September 29, 2016
Laurie Stewart Burns was born Feb. 21, 1952 in Los Angeles, California and died on Sept. 18, 2016 in Friday Harbor, Washington from complications of ALS.
Laurie leaves behind to mourn her loving husband of 22 years, Gary Burns; her mother, Virginia Rickenbach Stewart; and her siblings, Stephanie Linton (Dale); Rodney Stewart (Ann); and Steven Stewart (Jeanee). Her father Wayne Clark Stewart preceded her in death in 2011.
Laurie was raised in Spanish Fork, Utah. She attended Brockbank Elementary and Spanish Fork Jr. High.
At Spanish Fork High School she was very involved in many activities including membership on the debate team, pep club, junior class secretary, and varsity cheerleading. She surprised everyone and was elected state vice president for the Future Homemakers of America.
Before she turned 13 years of age, Laurie knew that she wanted to be a physical therapist. She worked hard for this goal.
She attended Brigham Young University and graduated in 1974 with a B.S. in Physical Education. She went on to the University of Utah and obtained a B.S. degree in Physical Therapy and a Masters’ degree in Health Education.
After Laurie graduated she began her career as a staff physical therapist for Intermountain Healthcare at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City. She worked there for 22 years. She also worked as an assistant professor of Physical Therapy at the University of Utah from 1983–1987.
Laurie founded the Back Institute at Cottonwood Hospital. She was the Director of Therapy Services there. Laurie took an instrumental role in planning the Orthopedic Specialty Hospital. Laurie’s goal was to always offer patients the benefit of exercise and education before surgery.
Laurie originally went into physical therapy to be able to work with geriatric patients. Under her direction, she opened the Senior Clinic located at St. Joseph Villa. The clinic was her dream come true: rehabilitation professionals, physicians, pharmacists, case managers and mental health professionals all working together as a team to keep seniors healthy and independent.
Laurie also planned the senior clinic at Cottonwood Hospital. Providing health care to seniors was the most challenging task she ever took on but it brought her the most joy.
Laurie was active in the profession of physical therapy, serving as the legislative chair, public relations representative, and executive secretary on the Board of Directors for Utah Physical Therapy Association. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Arthritis Foundation.
In 1992 she was awarded the Esteemed Alumni Award from Spanish Fork HS and in 1998 was honored at the University of Utah Division of Physical Therapy.
When Laurie retired from her profession, she and her husband sold their home in Salt Lake City and moved to Friday Harbor, Washington. At this time she had two loves – going out on the boat fishing and glass art. Her husband built her a glass studio so she could continue creating the beautiful fused glass art that she had started in SLC. Many top art galleries sought out her artwork.
Toward the latter end of 2015 Laurie was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). She was already suffering the long-term effects of the polio that she had when she was 6-months-old. She suffered much the last year of her life.
Her husband, Gary, lovingly took care of her until the end. Now she has gone on to a better world where she will be free from the limitations of her body.
