Laura’s Story

Laura Hay Humphrey was vivacious, bubbly young woman who loved the arts. From early childhood Laura wanted to sing and dance. By the time she was 2 she was already singing along to music on the radio and by age 3 she was dancing at Ibsen Dance Studio which became her home away from home throughout her life. During elementary and middle school, Laura began learning to play a variety of instruments including piano, violin and guitar. At Oak Park High School Laura sang and danced with the school’s Glee Club - The Oak Street Singers and was active in the school’s choir and theater. She continued her study of music at Northwest Missouri State University by majoring in Music and was active with the Tower Choir and Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity.

Her first venture in performance was April 16, 1988, when she starred in “The Birth of Laura.”  She had a speaking part, mostly crying, but she soon learned to vocalize in other ways. When she was 7, she asked if she could audition for Gladstone Theater in the Park and was cast in “Annie Get Your Gun.” She loved the theater and was in a performance every year until her final performance when she starred as Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” in 2017.

After graduating from college, Laura landed a non-arts job she loved at Children’s Mercy Hospital. She also found the love of her life, Ryan Humphrey. Even though she was busy, Laura still made time for the arts by participating in the Gladstone Theater in the Park plays each summer and teaching at Ibsen Dance Studio – even if she ran a little late. Ryan and Laura loved Halloween and creating elaborate costumes to celebrate the holiday.  Their last costumes were a homage to Stranger Things.  She was in love with her new husband Ryan, her new house, her cats, her turtle and her frogs when both she and Ryan’s lives were cut short in an accident.

The Laura Hay Humphrey Foundation wants to honor Laura’s memory by continuing her dedication to the arts and her community and by encouraging young people to experience the joys of the arts.