Laura M. Herman was born in Ashland, Oregon on May 16, 1978. She died at home suddenly and unexpectedly from complications of the flu and pneumonia on Thursday January 30, 2025.

Laura leaves her husband, Michael Herman; a son, Hercules, age 12; and a daughter, Emmeryn, age 11. She is also survived by her parents, Mark and Jackie Gramcko of Medford, Oregon and her sister Casey Souza and her family: husband Troy, son Brody, and daughter Julianna of San Leandro, California.

Laura graduated from South Medford High School in 1996. During her junior year she spent six months as a foreign exchange student in Bolivia through the AFS program. After high school she attended University of Montana in Missoula, Montana.

When she returned to Southern Oregon, she worked for over twenty years at Rogue Valley Manor, a retirement community in Medford; first in the general care area, then focusing on the Memory care unit; and eventually as the administrator of that unit.

Laura had a gift and a passion for work with the elderly, especially those affected by dementia. She had a natural talent for writing, and among her many accomplishments was the self-publication of "Hilltop Heights – Home for the Memory Impaired" – a collection of vignettes based on her experiences while working in a memory care facility. It depicts interactions between memory care residents and their caretakers with interpretations of how to best care for those residents. She provided numerous training programs for caregivers of dementia sufferers. It was her joy to work with the families and the caretakers of those experiencing this condition. She and a partner, Patty Sherin, founded ABCDementia.org, a community of support to improve the care of and communication with dementia patients and their loved ones.

Laura touched and inspired many people through her work, and would have helped many more, given time.