Laurie Kay Jeffers

Laurie Kay Jeffers, 69, a resident of Gages Lake, IL, passed away on July 24, 2026 at her home surrounded by her family. She was born on July 11, 1957 in Rockford, IL to Rodger and Iva Northup. Laurie was a graduate of Mundelein High School, class of 1975. She was raised as a Lutheran and continuously found strength in her faith. As a young girl, she enjoyed spending time with her younger brother David and her parents, especially when they would all sit down to play one of their favorite board games. She was an excellent student, played the flute for many years and enjoyed photography.

She met and married her soulmate, Dan, in 1991 at The Cottage Tap, which they would later own and run together. She was a natural entrepreneur and owned The Cottage Tap for 19 years, where many of her cherished customers turned into friends. She truly loved owning the bar because of the relationships that began and deepened over the years. If you were lucky enough to call her a friend, then you know she was deeply loyal, generous and always up for a good time.

She enjoyed fishing, gardening, cooking and traveling. In her free time, you could often find her out on the boat with Dan or in the yard pruning her plants and vegetable garden. Because owning a bar was a 365 day a year commitment, she would often say that if she couldn’t go on vacation, she would turn her yard into her own personal vacation oasis. When she did travel and left her kids in charge of watering, it often ended with at least one plant for her to nurse back to health. She was a fantastic cook and every holiday, party or gathering was special because of the love, time, effort and extra garlic and onion that she put into each meal. Often creating recipes from memory or by taste, we will never be able to completely replicate what she made, we’ve tried.

She loved her family, endlessly. She had a way of making each of us feel special, and while we have many memories together as a family, we also cherish our own individual memories with her. Laurie and Dan were a special duo, it was them against the world. While they had many years together, no amount of years would ever be enough. Her and her daughter, Jessi, told each other everything, they weren’t just mother and daughter, they were best friends. She was so proud of her son, Danny, and cherished being a part of the family he built for himself. She loved being a grandma and she never missed a chance to brag about her wonderful grandchildren and be a witness to their many accomplishments.

After their retirements, Laurie and Dan split their time between their homes in Gages Lake, IL and Pickerel, WI, enjoying quiet mornings, longer chats, and adventures with their kids and grandchildren. Laurie lived life fully and had a blast along the way with her friends, partying, laughing, and not taking life too seriously at any stage.

She was truly one of a kind, unable to be replicated. She loved Unicorns and had a large collection of them, but as her husband often told her, she was THE Unicorn.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 35 years, Dan, of Gages Lake, Illinois; her son, Danny (Molly) of Grayslake, Illinois; her daughter, Jessi (Caleb) of Rhinelander, Wisconsin; and her cherished grandchildren, Emma and Ethan. She is also survived by her brother, David; her sisters-in-law, Sue (Jim) and Bethie; as well as many beloved nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, extended family members, and dear friends who will miss her deeply. She was preceded in death by her loving parents, Iva and Rodger of Pickerel, Wisconsin; mother and father-in-law Nancy and Edward; and by her brother-in-law, Mike.

In keeping with Laurie's wishes, there will be no formal funeral services. A celebration of Laurie's life will be held at Cottage Tap at a later date, where family and friends can gather to share stories, raise a glass, and honor the remarkable woman she was. Details will be announced when they become available.. All arrangements were entrusted to Strang Funeral Chapel, 410 E Belvidere Road, Grayslake, IL 60030. For more information, please call (847)223-8122 or visit www.StrangFuneral.org.