Laura A. Billsten, age 84, moved from St. Charles to her glorious heavenly home on March 28, 2025.  She made this transition peacefully at The Grove of St. Charles after a short battle with cancer.

In 1940 she brightened the Dearborn, Michigan home of her parents, Abe and Esther Penner. When a baby sister arrived seven years later, she became her loyal protector.  She experienced newness of life as a young girl when she came to faith in Jesus Christ.  That commitment shaped her into a person who deeply cared about young people.

She graduated from Edsel Ford High School (class of 1958) and broadened her experience when she came to Wheaton to study elementary education at Wheaton College (class of 1962).  She began teaching in Glen Ellyn following graduation.

In 1964, she married Paul Billsten, also a Wheaton College graduate.  Later two sons (Nels and Kurt) were born, and she paused her teaching career while she raised her boys.  During those years, she was active in numerous church and school activities.  She enjoyed hosting friends and family in her home and was always ready to serve up delicious food to her sons' friends with no advance notice.  In the late 1980s, she returned to teaching before finally retiring in 2005.

She was a member of College Church in Wheaton.  In summer, she treasured family time at Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference in Michigan, which provided decades of inspiration and fellowship.

She was preceded in death by her husband Paul of 57 years.  She is survived by her sons Nels (LeighAnn) of Pensacola, FL and Kurt (Julia) of St. Charles, IL, her grandchildren Claudia, Jacob, Roberta and Henry, her sister Robyn (Steven), sister-in-law Rhoda Sneller (the late Lowell), a nephew and two nieces.

A private family service will be held at Fort Sheridan National Cemetery.

Family and friends may sign a guestbook at hultgrenfh.com.