Laurel Sazama

Laurel Reynolds Sazama, 78, of Chippewa Falls, WI passed away on Monday, August 19, 2024, at Mayo Clinic Health System – Eau Claire. 

Laurel was born in Madison, WI on July 22, 1946, to Lyman and Evelyn (Brewer) Reynolds. As a child she spent time learning in a one-room schoolhouse in the township of Fitchburg, WI, later graduating from Oregon High School in 1964. She would fondly remember being a “corn detasseler” as a child, sitting above the combine and cutting tassels as corn was fed in. 

She became the first college graduate in her family, earning a bachelor’s degree in history and library science from UW Madison. 

On May 18, 1968, she married her best friend Gerald “Jerry” Sazama in the Newman Chapel at UW Madison. Laurel and Jerry met on a blind date set up by mutual friends and knew early on that they were meant to be. Together they raised three wonderful children, Matt, Amy and Suzy. They were the proud grandparents of Liam, Elissa, Finley and Avery. Laurel spent 30 years with Coldwell Banker as a realtor. She was a proud member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood (Chapter AB) in Chippewa Falls; a P.E.O. Group in Green Valley, AZ; American Association of University Women (AAUW); and faithfully served on the Chippewa Falls Public Library Board for years. 

Laurel began watching football games with her dad as a kid (which got her out of doing dishes) but her love of the Green Bay Packers truly started when Brett Favre took the field, and she remained a devout fan. Everyone knew not to call her on game day. She also had a love of cats, watching “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune”, spending time with her grandchildren, going to lunch with friends, and being an avid reader. For the past 16 years Laurel and Jerry enjoying spending their winters in Green Valley, Arizona.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Jerry Sazama; her children, Matt Sazama of Lancaster, MA, Amy (Erik) Nyberg of Shawnee, KS, and Suzy (Corey) O’Connell of Baldwin, WI; her siblings, Dianne Reynolds of Madison, WI, Maureen Reynolds of Belleville, WI and Daniel Reynolds of Oshkosh, WI; her grandchildren, Liam Nyberg, Elissa Nyberg, Finley O’Connell, and Avery O’Connell; along with many other dear family and friends. 

Laurel was preceded in death by her parents, Lyman and Evelyn Reynolds; her daughter-in-law, Kim Sazama; along with two siblings, Marijo Sandlin, and Lyman Reynolds, Jr.

A Memorial Service for Laurel will take place at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel, Chippewa Falls with a visitation beginning at 10:00am. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Chippewa Falls Public Library, the American Cancer Society or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Heart of America Chapter.