Laurie Kaczor

Laurie J. Kaczor, 69 of Wayne, died Monday, May 27, 2019 after a two year battle with cancer.  She fought as hard as her Champion Rodeo Barrel Racer spirit would allow.

Born and raised in Wayne, NJ, by loving parents (pre-deceased Frank and Adele Symon). Laurie was a graduate of Wayne Valley High School also graduating from Katharine Gibbs Schools in Montclair and then perused a career as an executive Legal Secretary. Laurie was always an animal lover who enjoyed riding horses. After meeting her husband, Peter Kaczor, the two of them became ‘weekend warriors’ in the rodeo scene throughout New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.  Laurie became a champion barrel racer, winning many saddles, belt buckles, and division championships at rodeos and events all over the country.  Her favorite rodeo was the Keystone Barrel Classic and Plainfield Riding Club in Pennsylvania, but she rode in many others as well.

She and Peter used to vacation at the Big Sky Roping Ranch in Montana, where Dennis Tryan his wife Pat, sons Clay and Travis Tryan trained them, and they went on to compete in many rodeos throughout Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.  Laurie has also proudly competed in barrel racing at the world famous Cody Night Rodeo, in Cody, Wyoming.  She was a “Jersey girl” who often won the division championship riding a borrowed horse while competing against western riders. She was featured in the Roper, a western Rodeo magazine for her accomplishments. Laurie was an amazing rider; she also took English lessons before she met Pete. In 2007 she purchased her own horse, Monte, who had been trained as a roping horse by Travis Tryan, he was also his back up horse.  He was fast, and she taught Monte how to race barrels, and they continued to win many events together. Laurie was a member of the National Barrel Horse Association, the International Barrel Racing Association and the Horseman’s Riding Club. She simply loved competing in rodeo and Barrel Racing.

Laurie and Pete also vacationed at the 1000 Acre Ranch resort in New York State for many years, meeting their dear and close friends from Massachusetts. They are good memories that will live forever.

Laurie and her husband Peter were married in 1989 and have enjoyed thirty years of a very loving marriage together.  Since they first met at the Meadowbrook in Cedar Grove, they have grown to love each other dearly.  They both had a love for riding before they even met, and that mutual passion played a huge role throughout their marriage.  Peter was a champion team roper, but in more recent years he took on the role of being Laurie’s ‘crew chief’ of sorts. He drove the truck, took care of the horse and trailer, and made sure she had what she needed always. They made a perfect team. The Farm that Monte is stabled at is so supportive, Laurie was so happy that Monte was always well taken care of and ready to compete. When Laurie became ill in 2016, Peter was by her side through everything and gave her all the support he possibly could. He will miss her dearly. She was a beautiful soul that would help any creature two legged or four.

Laurie is survived by her beloved husband Peter of Wayne, brother in law Julian Kaczor and his wife Sue of Sussex NJ, sister in laws Elzbieta Andalora and her husband Dominic of Hamburg NJ, sister in law Dorota Mosley and her husband Joe of Hamburg NJ, Aunt Jane La Conte of Denville NJ, Aunt Helen (Symon) Fink of Freehold, NJ, and her many loved cousins; Diane and her husband Tony Finley of Bloomingdale, NJ, Tom and his wife Paulette La Conte Jefferson, NJ, Chris and his wife Annmarie Duda of, Kenilworth, NJ,  Jim and his wife Deb Duda, of Basking Ridge, NJ, Dawn Young and her husband Craig of Bloomsburg, Pa, Linette Larrison of Orangeville, Pa, Susette Wertman and her husband Marlin Wertman of Catawissa, Pa, Jeanne and her husband Micheal Lethbridge of Villages, Florida, Gaily and her husband Fred Sobotkin of Bluffton, SC, Anne and her husband Wes Patterson of Freehold, NJ, Charles Symon and wife Agnes of Beacon, NY, Craig and Sissy Duda of NJ, and Robert Schambach of NJ.  She was predeceased by her mother Adele Symon, by her father Frank Symon, and by her brother; Frank Roger Symon.

In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 www.stjude.org.