Greeley Central's gymnasium will host one final opportunity to share a smile with Laurie Ford

Jan. 7—Kortne Ford recalls how his mother, Laurie, refused to allow herself to dwell on the negatives, even though, for years, she had every reason in the world to do so.

Naturally, before Laurie died a month ago from a long-fought bout with breast cancer, she made her son promise one thing. Mentioned in her will, there wouldn't be a traditional, somber funeral for her.

So when hundreds of friends, family and admirers of Laurie gather at Greeley Central High School'sJim Baggot Gymnasium on Saturday, the environment will be anything but a solemn one.

Rather, it will be a celebration, in the same festive, positive spirit in which Laurie lived her life.

"She wanted to have a celebration of life, and she wanted it to be open to the public," Kortne said. "She was a fighter. But, she didn't fight how most people think. She fought silently, and she never wanted anybody to know she was going through anything. Her smile and her energy were contagious. She'd walk in a room and light it up just because of her positive energy."

Ford's celebration will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, and the public — and all the people whom Laurie has uplifted throughout the years — are invited.

Laurie Ford, 56, died on Dec. 12 — nearly five years after being diagnosed with cancer a second time. She was given just three to six months to live, but she lived years longer than doctors expected her to.

Her son, Kortne, is one of Greeley's most successful athletic alumni. He's a 2014 Greeley Central graduate and is a five-year veteran professional soccer player for the MLS's Colorado Rapids.

But as successful as Kortne has been on the pitch, he's quick to point out who the true superstar in the Ford family has always been.

"She would drive me to (soccer) training from Greeley to south Denver — two hours to practice and two hours home — after she got teaching every single day, while she was in the middle of chemotherapy and radiation," Kortne said of his dedicated and loving mother. "It's just one of many sacrifices she made so that I would have an opportunity. ... It's the only reason I am where I am today."

While Kortne, 25, is no doubt making his mother proud and influencing a whole new generation of aspiring soccer standouts in Greeley and throughout northern Colorado, he's merely following in his mother's footsteps as he impacts the lives of young people.

Laurie spent 30 years teaching, with 11 of those years spent teaching math in Greeley-Evans School District 6 for Brentwood Middle School and Greeley Central.

Just like she did with her own son, Laurie had an incredible knack for inspiring young people to reach heights they never thought possible.

"It was her goal in life to impact and affect kids around her," Kortne said. "It was her whole life and her whole purpose. When my mom wasn't able to work anymore because of how sick she got — she had to get medical disability — she struggled, mentally. ... It was her whole life, being able to have an impact on kids' lives. She showed love to every single student that came into her room."

Laurie would teach in only areas that had underprivileged children, as she was determined to help those who needed her help the most. She would even use the limited amount of money in her own pocket to buy food for children who couldn't afford to pay for their own lunch.

And, now, Laurie's teaching colleagues, former students, friends, families and well-wishers will have the chance to share one more uplifting moment with Laurie on Saturday.

Even though some tears are likely to be shed, Kortne doesn't want the event to be a downer.

That's not what his mom would have wanted. And, that's certainly not how Laurie lived her life, even in her final years, while battling a terrible disease.

"You would never know she was sick," Kortne said. "It didn't matter how much pain she was in — when she was doing chemo, radiation. If you asked her how she was doing, the first thing out of her mouth was, 'great' or 'amazing.' She was just so upbeat, so positive. And, I think that's a huge reason why she lived as long as she did."

Bobby Fernandez covers high school sports for the Greeley Tribune. Reach him at (970) 392-4478, by email at bfernandez@greeleytribune.com or on Twitter @BobbyDFernandez.

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