Rockford, MN - Laura Leigh Bachinski, age 55, died when she was struck by a car while walking in Rockford, MN with the love of her life, Renee. She was born on August 17, 1970, in Grand Forks, ND and spent her childhood in Fargo, ND. She edited both the newspaper and yearbook at Fargo South High School and went on to attend the University of North Dakota, where she studied journalism and graduated with honors. Some would say she also majored in hockey, as she was an avid fan known to drive several hours to support the UND team. She also enjoyed cheering on her brother Scott, who played college hockey at River Falls.

Laura began her professional career in journalism and transitioned into information technology. In the early 2000s, she was on the team that built the first website for Best Buy, which she said was built to sell VCRs and old-school TVs. Laura's exceptional writing and interpersonal skills, along with her wit and stellar sense of humor, helped her to excel in her work. She enjoyed bringing together teams of people to accomplish monumental tasks. She held multiple leadership roles in project and product management for Accenture and Best Buy and enjoyed working with many wonderful people throughout her career. The determination that she brought to her work also helped her achieve her goal of early retirement in 2022.

In the era of online personal ads with no pictures, Laura took a chance and met Renee DeLong, who became the love of her life. They married in a joyous group ceremony in Loring Park on August 1, 2013, the first day of marriage equality in Minnesota. They were inseparable for the nearly 25 years they were together, sharing a love for the Lynx, hiking, traveling, and quiet hours reading in front of the fireplace.

Just before retiring, Laura was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, after struggling for a year with symptoms. She devoted herself to alleviating her symptoms and did extensive research on how to eat, live, and be healthy with this new diagnosis.

Laura had an eye for color and design and created several holiday cards, calendars, and even mugs for her family. Laura loved spending time with her nieces and nephew; she also adored cats, especially Ruthie, Mimi, and Freya. She also enjoyed working through NYT puzzles, going snowshoeing, heading out on bike rides, and DJing at home, seamlessly blending The Pet Shop Boys and New Order into Queen or the Bee Gees.

Laura's smile was like a beam of sunshine, and her contagious laugh often filled the air. She made friends easily and loved hearing people's stories. Everywhere she went, people told her their secrets and it is no surprise that she was loved by so many.

Laura was preceded in death by her father, Wayne Bachinski. She is survived by her wife, Renee DeLong; mother, Diane Bachinski; brother, Scott (Mikaela) Bachinski; sisters-in-law, Christine (Troy) Jones, Denise (Jon Elliott) DeLong; nieces, Emma Bachinski, Ruby Elliott, and Piper Jones; nephew, Riley Bachinski; and many other loving relatives and friends.

To honor Laura, fly a *new* Minnesota flag, check on your neighbors, and pet a cat today. True to form she was wearing her "Big Fan of Human Rights" t-shirt on her last walk. A celebration of life will be held in the upcoming months. Donations preferred to Feline Rescue (https://felinerescue.org), Friends of the Superior Hiking Trail (https://superiorhiking.org), or the Rockford food shelf (https://riverworksonline.org/food-shelf/). The family requests privacy at this time of grieving.

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