“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

—Jane Goodall

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Laurie Jean (Shrack) Borst, 68, of Terryville, passed away after a prolonged illness on September 30, 2025.

She was born in New Milford in February 1957 to Francis and Jean (MacKenzie) Shrack, the eldest of four children. Throughout her life, Laurie developed a passion for science, nature, nature education, and nature preservation. After she graduated from New Milford High School in 1975, she bounced around the northeast before landing back in New Fairfield with her daughter, Nicole.

Laurie met her husband, Jim, in 1980 while working together at Interlab in Danbury. They were married in May 1985, and had boy-girl twins in April 1987. The children kept her very busy in their elementary years when they moved back to Sandy Hook in 1988. It was then that she became very active in the community, volunteering in classrooms, substitute teaching, and working for The Newtown Bee as their education reporter.

As she continued to grow her passion for education and science, Laurie, a lifelong learner, returned to school in the 1990s when she earned an Associate’s Degree in Environmental Science from Naugatuck Valley Community College, a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Western Connecticut State University, and eventually a Master's Degree in Science Education from Southern Connecticut State University.

Laurie worked as a science teacher at Ezra Academy in Woodbridge, and volunteered her time with the Jane Goodall Institute (Roots and Shoots) where her passion for developing care, compassion, and understanding of the natural world in young children flourished. She took this to many other volunteer efforts and organizations in which she worked with kids to develop a passion and interest in science and inquiry.

Laurie’s legacy is carried on by her husband, James Borst; her daughter Nicole Antonelli and her husband Rich; her daughter Wendy LaBarge and her husband Bryan; her son Dylan Borst and his wife Jessica Davis; her four grandchildren, Rachel and Brandon Antonelli and Paige and Theo LaBarge, all of whom she was endlessly proud. She is also survived by her mother, Jean (MacKenzie) Shrack; brother, David Shrack, and his wife Doreen; brother, Joe Shrack and wife Susan; sister, Ellen and several nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.

Laurie adored the myriad pets that graced her life over the years, treating them like the family they are. She will be missed by her beloved cats, Mongo and Stella.

In Laurie’s honor and memory, her family asks that rather than send flowers, please consider gracing someone with a random act of kindness — send flowers to a friend just because, plant a tree, smile at a stranger.

Family and friends are invited to come together to celebrate her life on Saturday, October 25, from 1 to 5 pm, at her home in Terryville.