Laura Stratton On October 11, 2012 Laura Palumbo Stratton left our side to be with her Lord and Savior. She was born on August 22, 1916 to Dominic and Maria Palumbo who immigrated from Italy in the early 1900s. Her parents ended up in New Mexico where her father worked in the coal mines as a foreman for the Phelps Dodge Corporation. Laura came from a large Italian family with eight brothers and sisters. At the time of her death, her only remaining sibling is her sister Sara Wilson of Arvada, Colorado. After graduating Laura had various jobs in the Colorado area, but in 1944 was transferred from the Remington Arms Plant in Denver to Richland where she resided until her death.

In 1945 she married Monty Stratton, whom she met while working at Hanford, and their 67-year marriage continued until her death. Interestingly, she asked her friends if they thought she should go out with Monty, her boss at the time. Little did she know it was just the beginning of a long and happy journey in her life. A year after they were married they started a family and Richland became their permanent home.

Laura was blessed with the gift of gab and a strong desire to help people. She was active throughout her life and became involved with a variety of activities. Laura loved to pay softball and during her early life she was the sponsor of a girl's softball team in Richland. Along with a friend, she also helped start a program for children with mental disabilities in the Tri-Cities. The program started in a private home where they worked with children with Down's syndrome. They were finally able to get the State to recognize the program and introduce it into the local public schools after taking it to Olympia. Laura also had a gift for gardening and loved working in her yard which yearly produced an abundance of vegetables she readily gave to friends and neighbors.

With Laura's love of people she found the perfect job for herself. For several years she was the manager of the Newcomers Welcome Service for Richland and was actually paid to meet and greet people into Richland. Laura took this job to heart and not only introduced newcomers to the area but invited them into her home for lots of home-cooked meals and conversations. Many of these newcomers were from foreign countries and developed long-term friendships with Laura. In later years, Monty and Laura visited many of these friends in their home countries. She especially enjoyed a number of trips to her parent's hometown San Pietro Avellana, Italy. They were fortunate to visit a majority of the European countries along with Russia, Japan and China. Later in her life, Laura made a special trip with a group to visit the Holy Lands.

When Laura wasn't abroad she was busy with her duplicate bridge club. She was excited to finally acquire enough tournament bridge points and receive her Bridge Life Masters award in 2004. On her 90th birthday she celebrated by inviting her bridge club members over for one of her home-cooked meals.

Laura is survived by her husband Monty, son Frank Stratton special friend Kadi O'Leary, daughter Dorothy Haight husband Bob, granddaughter Kristin Caudill husband Bert, grandson Kevin Haight wife Sarah and two great-grandchildren Sophia and Charlotte Caudill, in addition to her many friends, neighbors, sister, and several nieces and nephews.

With Laura's love of people and unmatched generosity in caring for others she will be missed but not forgotten. In lieu of flowers, the family requests you give to your charity of choice.

Visitation will be held at Einan's Funeral Home with a Vigil on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 starting at 6:00pm and ending at 8:00pm. A Memorial Mass will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church on Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 11:00am with an inurnment at Sunset Memorial Gardens at 2:00pm.