Laurie Lee Wootan

Laurie Lee Wootan 1956 – 2025

Laurie Wootan, 68, passed away peacefully at home on May 7, following a courageous two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born in Chatham, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, Laurie’s life began by the sea and after attending University of Massachusetts took her across the country—from San Diego to Indianapolis—where she met her husband of 44 years, Patrick Wootan. Together, they built a life rooted in love, laughter, and unwavering devotion to family and friends.

Laurie and Patrick met at Graham Electronics, and she later worked at Indiana Bell until the birth of their first daughter, Allison, followed by Leanna. She chose to dedicate herself fully to motherhood, creating a home filled with care, beautifully prepared meals, and quiet strength. Her presence gave her family the space to flourish.

Graceful, thoughtful, and deeply devoted, Laurie poured her heart into every detail of family life. Whether spending weekends at Webster Lake or planning extraordinary journeys—Italy, France, Belize, Costa Rica, Mexico, New York City, Cape Cod, or sailing the British Virgin Islands—she gave her loved ones the gift of shared adventure. After Patrick’s retirement, she embraced the off-season quiet of National Parks, traveling through Austin, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. Laurie had the rare gift of making the present moment feel sacred.

Food was at the center of Laurie’s world. A gifted and intuitive cook, she prepared daily meals that felt like feasts—never rushed, always from scratch, served at the heart of the home around her handmade Indiana hardwood table. She introduced many of her daughters’ friends to new flavors and traditions, later helping a tennis friend realize a dream of opening an ice cream shop. Ever attentive to detail, Laurie studied food safety and passed those lessons to her family—extending her deep care from her kitchen into ours.

Laurie was also a natural athlete. A field hockey player in high school, she carried that competitive spirit into her adult life through tennis and golf. On one early golf outing, a ball she struck from the woods rolled straight into the hole. “What’s that?” she asked. “That’s an eagle,” Patrick told her. She smiled. She became a regular at the Indianapolis Racquet Club, thriving in league play and never missing a Grand Slam match—regardless of the time zone. She made numerous trips to the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows with her tennis friends and traveled often to Florida for sunshine, tennis, and wine.

Laurie also had a deep love of music and the performing arts. For 44 years, she and Patrick made a tradition of attending shows at the Indiana Repertory Theatre, and spending Christmas breaks in New York seeing Broadway shows. From classical to jazz, concerts were a source of joy and connection. The Jazz Kitchen was one of her favorites, where she celebrated many memorable nights with family and friends.

Even after her diagnosis, Laurie continued to live with purpose and joy. She and Patrick made it their mission to “eat their way across the world,” traveling to St. Martin, Anguilla, Spain, Portugal, Austin, Boston, Chicago, and—always—New York City. A lifelong Red Sox fan, Laurie wore her colors proudly in every city, including box seats behind home plate at Yankee Stadium—the evil empire, where she entered with a smile and unwavering pride.

Laurie’s world revolved around her daughters, Allison and Leanna, and her husband, Patrick, her pet (Bandit) and granddaughters Sam and Louisa. With grace, creativity, and quiet determination, she nurtured everyone around her. She was our bookkeeper, counselor, chauffeur, and steady hand—always listening, always present, always leading with love.

Laurie is survived by her husband, Patrick Wootan; her daughters, Leanna Wootan (Austin, TX) and Allison Wootan, and son-in-law John Wright; and her beloved granddaughters, Samantha and Louisa Wootan Wright (Medford, MA). She also leaves behind her mother, Sally Coughlin (Lake Worth, FL); her brother, Craig Coughlin (Erin, Chatham, MA); and her sister, Jeanne Mango (Lake Worth, FL). She was preceded in death by her father, James Coughlin, and her sister, Cathy Annes.

The family would like to thank all her caregivers with special thanks to Nurse Nan.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 31 at 1:00 PM at Flanner & Buchanan in Broad Ripple, with a brief service beginning at 2:30 PM.

While flowers are appreciated, donations in Laurie’s memory are welcome to the Humane Society of Indianapolis, IRT Children’s Outreach, or the Indianapolis Children’s Choir.