Laura DeBrock

Laura DeBrock, 61, of Towaco, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 18, 2025. 

Laura was born in Livingston and raised in Cedar Grove. She was the firstborn of Joseph and Nancy (MacFarlane) Freda’s three children. 

A graduate of Cedar Grove High School’s Class of 1982, Laura, after completing her education, worked at the Fortunoffs Store in Wayne’s Willowbrook Mall. While there, she established deep friendships that spanned more than forty years with two of her coworkers, Cheryl, and Pam. That job also proved pivotal in her life, as it was where she met the man she would eventually marry - Christopher “Chris” DeBrock. 

Chris’s sister, Eileen, also worked at Fortunoffs, and one day she brought Laura home, where Laura and Chris met for the first time. Around that same time, Eileen had purchased a new home, which served as the perfect excuse for Chris to ask Laura if she wanted to take a ride together to see it. A few days later, Chris was supposed to meet a friend at the 94th Bomb Grill in Fairfield. The friend never showed up, but—wouldn’t you know - Laura was there. From that point on, for both Laura and Chris, there was never a thought of turning back. 

Their dating relationship ultimately led to a marriage proposal by Chris, which took place at the former With Love Restaurant in Lincoln Park. Seizing the moment, Chris dropped to one knee right in the middle of the dining room, in front of all the other patrons. He popped the question, and, caught completely off guard, Laura smiled and said “yes,” as the entire restaurant erupted into applause. 

They exchanged wedding vows on Sunday, May 19, 1991, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Pompton Plains. It was a beautiful, sunny spring day - perfect for a wedding. A reception followed at the former Mayfair Farms in West Orange, and they then honeymooned in Aruba. 

After the wedding and honeymoon, Laura and Chris began married life in their home at 19 Albert Street in Pompton Lakes. While there, they were blessed with two children, Christopher and Kelsy. It was during this time that Laura established a cherished friendship with her neighbor, Janine. After several more moves, Laura and Chris settled in their present home in Towaco, but their friendship with Janine and her husband, Perry, never ended. Laura and Chris enjoyed time spent together at Janine and Perry’s home in Florida, and every weekend their families gathered at one another’s homes for cake and coffee. 

Laura poured herself into her children. For all the years that Kelsy played youth softball, Laura served as the head coach. She never missed any of her son Chris’s football or lacrosse games, and she was always happy to play bus driver for her children and all their friends. Sometimes she would even take them all to the diner after a game, and her home was a welcoming place where her children’s friends loved to visit. She was simply a great mom. 

In between her “Mommy” activities, Laura worked for many years as a dental assistant for several dental practices. 

Laura enjoyed working in her gardens, tending to her flowers and vegetables. She was also every dog in the world’s best friend. If the names of every dog touched by Laura’s love were written down, they would fill a page and more. Some notable ones included Hunter, Calvin, and Benny. She never passed up an opportunity to give an animal a second chance. Just ask Benny - a dog who remained unclaimed at a shelter for more than two years. Moved by compassion for this pooch who had no chance of winning a beauty contest, Laura finally took him home and gave him the love that every living creature deserves. Laura’s love of animals extended far beyond dogs. She also helped care for cats, birds, parakeets, and even tarantulas and lizards. If Dr. Doolittle had a wife, it could have been Laura. 

Above all else, Laura cherished her family. Recently blessed with two grandchildren, she loved being their “Nuny”. She adored them with all her heart, and despite her physical limitations, those two little angels were welcomed any day of the week and every weekend. Laura was a truly generous and giving person. It was not unusual to arrive at her home and hear her say, “Hey! Open that box. I saw it, thought about you, and thought you’d like it.” Or she would call her daughter and say, “Hey, put on the QVC channel right now. Whatta ya think? I want to get that for you. What size should I get?” 

Laura was the captain of her ship - no grass ever grew under her feet. She knew what she wanted, and she made it happen. Laura and her husband Chris were the ultimate hosts, always eager to welcome friends and family into their home. There was always plenty of laughter, and Laura made sure there was more than enough food - so guests could head home with a nice helping of leftovers. 

Laura’s warm personality and the energy she brought into a room will be dearly missed by all who were privileged to share life with her. In recent years, after losing mobility, her family got her a Google Home speaker. While it was helpful for making and receiving calls, getting information, or listening to music, it also became a great source of entertainment for her family as they listened to her interact with the device. Her children and grandchildren will deeply miss FaceTime calls with Nuny. Laura had a knack for calling right before dinner, naps, or whenever she could find an excuse. 

Laura was the kind of person who was always there for you. She lived to help others. 

Laura was the beloved wife of Chris DeBrock, blessed in marriage for 34 years. She was the loving mother of Christopher and his wife, Jillian DeBrock, of Oak Ridge, NJ, and Kelsy and her husband, Albert Tyma, of Green Township, NJ; the adoring grandmother of Owen and Alexandra; the dearest sister of James and his wife, Marianne Freda, of Kinnelon, and Craig and his late wife, Kelly Freda, of Hope, NJ; and the dear aunt of Gavin, Casey, Mackenzie, Hayden, and Kiernan. 

Because of her great love and big heart for all of God’s creatures, in lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Laura’s name are asked to consider the Montville Animal Shelter, 7 Church Lane, Montville, NJ 07045.