Laurie Neff

Laurie A. Neff

Died July 25, 2020

TRAVERSE CITY —

Laurie Ann Neff, 77, of Traverse City, passed away on Saturday, July 25, 2020, surrounded by her family. Born in 1942 in Berwyn, IL, she was the daughter of William (Bud) and Marcelle (Marcy) Baronti.

On April 20, 1963, in Lyons, IL, she married George Stewart Neff. Laurie and George lived many happy years in Riverside, IL before moving to Traverse City in 1977, into their fixer-upper dream home on Washington Street.

Laurie and George owned many restaurants over the years, including the Turn Around Cafe, Hot ’n Now, Dadz Chicken, and the Steakout Grill.

She is survived by her daughters, Trisha Neff (Bob Ward) of Interlochen and Tracey (David) Lark of Kingsley; and her three grandchildren, Cole, Natalie, and Madalyn Gabel. She is also survived by her brother Bill Baronti, sister-in-law Mary Stewart Hall, and cousin and best friend, Marcy Mazurek. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years and her parents.

Laurie especially enjoyed being with her family, for poolside fun, group dinners, or just sitting around together. Road trips with George to visit family and friends were a favorite pastime. Later in life, she took wonderful care of George during his struggles with diabetes. Her positive attitude and kind heart will be missed immensely by those who were fortunate enough to know her.

“Don’t cry for me. I am not alone. The angels are with me to welcome me home.”

The family would like to thank the compassionate nurses and doctors at Munson Medical Center.

The family is being served by Life Story Funeral Home; please visit www.lifestorytc.com to sign the guest book and share your memories. Cremation has taken place; a celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made in Laurie’s name to The American Lung Association or the Cherryland Humane Society.