Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

[sharon sanders]

It is with a heavy heart that I report the death of Laura Montgomery (LMonty). She died suddenly this weekend.

She was a pioneer on the internet believing that individuals can speak with one voice and make a difference. And she was right.

She joined FluTrackers in the first week that we were online.

We were thrilled when she joined because she was already highly respected on the internet and she helped us by lending her name to our site.

She began to load FluTrackers with our first preparation threads. Her thread "BASIC PREPS LIST FOR ONE -30 Days" written in 2006 has 88,478 hits and just last week I saw the International Red Cross reading her first post.

In February of 2007 Laura agreed to be an administrator of FluTrackers and also in that same year she agreed to be a founder of our advisory board. As a registered nurse she had practical knowledge that was invaluable.

She touched many with her sage advice and thoughtful comments. She was a voice of reason in a time of turmoil.

She called me several times concerned about my situation when I started a farming project a few years ago. She knew I was overwhelmed and her emotional support was very comforting. I will never forget her kind and reassuring words. She lives on in the hearts of those that she touched and she is still with us in spirit.

"So, you are not dead, your soul still lives, lives on in a higher plane, and in your loved one's hearts."

Ken Wilber

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[Sally Furniss]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

I would like to convey my best wishes to the family and friends of Laura. I also thank her for her many years of service to others. She loved animals and was a very kind person.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

A very sad event.

We will remember together her contribute to the development of this comfortable community.

 

[tetano]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

I support the community's pain over the loss of a so important member

 

[Emily]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

My thoughts are with all who are grieving the loss of this good woman.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

How sad, wishing all the best to her loved ones.

 

[Anne]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

mes plus sinc?res condol?ances ? sa famille, ses amis et ceux qui travaillaient avec Laura

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

My deepest sympathies for you and for all of Laura's family and friends.

 

[mixin]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

She was very generous with her time; she also contributed at Timebomb, as well as other forums. I'll miss her posts.

My sympathy to her husband, family and friends, may they have strength and comfort to cope with this terrible loss.

 

[Michael Coston]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

My condolences to her family, friends, and the online community. She was one of the pioneers here, and her contributions will be greatly missed.

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

This is very sad. My sincere sympathy to her family and friends.

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

I am very sorry to hear of Laura's passing. Everyone who knows her will be very sad - she was a lovely, kind and compassionate lady.

 

[kent nickell]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

My condolences to Laura's loved ones and the many she helped on this site. She will be truly missed.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

Condolences to Laura's family, friends on and off-line. So very sad.

 

[Laidback Al]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

As noted by Sharon and Michael, Laura was a pioneer and helped build credibility for the nascent FluTrackers site. But before Laura was pioneer here she was a respected poster at other flu boards including the now-defunct Curevents. Besides the name ?LMonty? I think she also posted under the moniker of ?Laura M? at some other sites.

In 2006, I recall that Laura, Hawkeye, Shannon, Sharon, and I attempted rudimentary online collaboration of the prep list at backpackit.com. But it was Laura who eventually compiled and posted the list as it appears today.

In 2007, she was instrumental in promoting a line list of H5N1 cases to track human cases. That tradition continues today in our threads of H5N1 case listings in Egypt and Indonesia.

She played an integral role in the development of FluTrackers, her contributions will not be forgotten.

 

[Mellie]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

I also am very sad that "lmonte" -- Laura -- has died. She was one remarkable person! Hard to believe she's gone. Wonderful she lives on here and in our hearts!

I will always remember Laura's humor and LIGHTness, her willingness both to initiate and to help with threads and projects of others. She was thoughtful and made clear what she contributed that was science based from her nursing and research background, what she thought would or wouldn't work from her experiential background in nursing and in life, and what was her opinion. She was a scientist, a public servant and a remarkable human being with insight into how humans worked.

Laura was always upbeat, matter-of-fact in the face of others' occasional fear and negativity, optimistic, professional with incredible knowledge-skills-and-abilities, inclusive and creative. Her contributions to flutrackers and the developing internet are legion.

2006 is not all that long ago in years, but it's light years from where we are today in web development and use. In 2006 there was no Facebook or Twitter. No Wikipedia or Blogs. Flutrackers was utterly unique and necessary as a way for professionals to communicate around the world about changes in genomes, surface topography of viruses and immune cells, antivirals, vaccines, historic pandemics, current outbreaks around the world and the possibility of catastrophic, high-mortality or lower-mortality pandemic flu.

Flutrackers was also a website where we could come together wherever in the world we were and educate each other about best practices for staying well, for protecting our families, co-workers, and friends, for educating within our own communities, agencies, organizations, nations and beyond. "Prepare for the worst and expect the best."

We were among the first to use the internet's capabilities as a discussion and self-help forum, a wiki for tracking outbreaks, a classroom to teach and learn immunology, epidemiology, virology -- and for some, how and what to prepare. Oh, I forgot we learned a lot of geography too and sociology and about cultures other than our own and about when to get out of the stock market! The knowledge that was shared here helped stimulate federal and state interagency agreements and federal flu internet websites here in the USA. We are much better prepared for emergencies than in the past.

Laura was part of all of that sharing along with Anne and Sharon and others starting in 2006. I am glad to have known and worked with her. My life was and is enriched by her. Here's to ya, Laura!

Mellie, stress psychologist for wildland firefighters and lmonte's friend and colleague on flutrackers.

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

I had many whispered conversations with Laura which inevitably put a smile on my face. She could find humor in so many situations. I want to extend my condolances to her husband, family and friends both immediate as well as those here at FT. We lost a dear woman who cannot be replaced. A hard working, caring and passionate pioneer of the use of the internet as a means to help both the United States and the world. We were indeed blessed to have her in our lives. We will miss her.
Shannon

 

[JJackson]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

What to add? The comments above make it clear what a kind and stabilising presence she was. For me personally it is our attempts in the early days of the site to get to grips with the science which I most remember. So much good sound logic and deductive reasoning. My best wishes to all her family and friends and my own tribute will be to go off now and spend a couple of hours rereading some of her old post and remember my friend.
Jonathan

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

What to add? The comments above make it clear what a kind and stabilising presence she was. For me personally it is our attempts in the early days of the site to get to grips with the science which I most remember. So much good sound logic and deductive reasoning. My best wishes to all her family and friends and my own tribute will to go off now and spend a couple of hours rereading some of her old post and remember my friend.
Jonathan

I have started to compile a thread with copies of some of her posts "A Collection of Laura Montgomery's Posts" here. Any moderator can add to this thread. Please be sure you copy and not move the post so that the original thread that contains her post stays intact (I have to watch myself! lol).

"For all of the challenges mankind has faced, a functioning community responding to a changing enviornment has been the answer."

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Laura Montgomery, Advisor and Administrator at FluTrackers.com, Died

Laura Ann Montgomery, age 57, of Everton, Arkansas passed away at her home on Saturday, August 18, 2012.

Laura was born in New York City, New York on March 26, 1955 to Joseph Thomas and Violet Dorothy (Phillips) Donlon. She was a Registered Nurse and worked for Hospice of the Hills in Harrison, Arkansas. Mrs. Montgomery enjoyed gardening, fishing, farming, and raising goats. She had been a resident of Marion County for the past 6 years.

Mrs. Montgomery is survived by her husband, David Montgomery of Everton, Arkansas;

two sons: Kevin Archbald, of Meinheim, Germany; and Shawn Archbald of Yardley, Pennsylvania;

two brothers: Joseph Donlon of Brooklyn, New York; and Thomas Donlon of Smithtown, New York;

one sister, Elizabeth Seitz, of Yardley, Pennsylvania;

and two grandchildren.

Graveside service will be held 11:00 am, Saturday, August 25, 2012 at Anderson Flat Cemetery with Chaplain Marge Doyle and Rev. Seamus Doyle officiating.

No visitation will be held.

Memorials can be made to: Hospice of the Hills, P.O. Box 1927, Harrison, AR 72602


http://www.haburns.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1564890&fh_id=10253