New London, N.H. —
Laura was born in Stamford, Conn. on March 18, 1951, daughter of the late Dorothy Hart Hemingway and George S. Stirling Jr. She was raised in New Canaan, Conn. and graduated from Saint Catherine’s School in Richmond, Va. Laura received her Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Connecticut State University.
She enjoyed a career in banking before moving to New London in 1982. She married John MacKenna in 1985 and together they raised two children, James and Sarah. Laura worked for the New Hampshire Bar Association in a variety of roles. She self-studied accounting, passed the CPA test on the first attempt, and embarked on a successful accounting career in New Hampshire, Connecticut, West Virginia and Kentucky.
Laura especially enjoyed spending time with her children, songbirds, horses, puzzles of all kinds, country music and the presence of those she loved. Some of her favorite poems were My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson and Birches by Robert Frost. She was especially fond of “I hope you Dance” by Lee Ann Womak.
She is survived by her children James and Katie (Laurie) MacKenna of New London, N.H., Sarah MacKenna of Simpsonville, Ky., her siblings Pamela Stirling of Charlotte, N.C., Dean Stirling of Madison, Conn., James Stirling of Bethany, Conn. and Alexandra Stirling Ives of Annapolis, Md., as well as her cousin Eleanor Callahan, nine nieces, three nephews, two grandnephews and one grandniece.
Calling hours will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on March 3, 2017 at the Chadwick Funeral Home, 235 Main St, New London, N.H. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on March 4, 2017 at the First Baptist Church, 461 Main St, New London, NH. The community is invited to attend. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the American Saddlebred Association (4083 Iron Works Pkwy, Lexington, Ky. 40511) or the Norris Cotton Cancer Center (1 Medical Center Dr, Lebanon, N.H. 03766).