Laurel Elizabeth (Eller) Coppola

Laurel Elizabeth (Eller) Coppola, 55, of Amherst NH transitioned from this life on Sunday October 15, 2023, into the company of the saints in light. Laurie is the beloved wife of Robert J. Coppola of Amherst and dearly loved mother of cherished children Matthew Christian 26 and Caterina Nicole 23. Robert and Laurie, high school sweethearts, married in 1995 in Newton MA. Laurie graduated from Mason Rice Elementary School, Day Junior High School, and Mt. Alvernia High School in Newton MA. She studied interior design and retail services, graduating from Bay State College in Boston MA and Mt. Ida College in Newton MA.

Laurie, a fierce fighter, advocated for what she believed in: her family, fairness, and competence. Laurie was an employee at Gateways Community Services in Nashua which just honored her for her 15 years of service as their Electronic Documents Management (EDM) Supervisor. In Amherst she and Michele Hennas coached cheerleading squads and served on the board of directors for Amherst’s Patriots’ cheerleading, becoming fast friends. When Caterina participated with Tewksbury’s East Elite Celebrity Cheer Club, Laurie was an exuberant team Mom/chaperone. Regional and national meets were held from Dallas TX, Myrtle Beach SC to Orlando FL.

During the pandemic, having always loved their family vacations with Robin and Peter Wolf in York Beach, Maine over the years, Laurie and Robert purchased a surplus shuttle bus from Franconia State Park NH. They refurbished it into Franc, their camper. They enjoyed many sweet trips, almost always with Max their dog, especially to York Beach. During the past two years, Laurie organized many bucket list events with her family to York Beach, Chicago, Marco Island, Boston’s Legal Seafoods in the Seaport, and with her parents up the Cog Rail to the top of Mt Washington for its last run of the season in October 2022, with bright fall colors, sunshine at the base, and a blizzard at the top.

In addition to her wider family, long-time friends including Michele Hennas, the Wolfs, Thomas and Michelle Howard and others visited. Family, cousins, friends, and neighbors from near and far sent flowers, brought food, called, texted, and sent cards. Robert’s colleagues from Joe Ashooh’s State Farm Agency in Manchester and Hudson were enormously supportive. Laurie’s colleagues at Gateways stayed in close touch. Executive Director Sandy Pelletier and Laurie’s Manager Rick Trudeau, both visited her.

Laurie’s family is grateful to Pilgrim Congregational Church, United Church of Christ (UCC), Pastor Judie Bryant, their members, and the Community Church of Durham UCC and to so many others who sent cards, kept her in their prayers, and provided abiding friendship. The family thanks the amazing local EMT teams, and the teams at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua and Merrimack NH Home Health and Hospice Services whose skills, compassion, and quality care embraced Laurie and eased her journey.

Laurie is survived by her large wider family, including her cherished parents Sandra and John Eller of Manchester NH, her dear sister Jonna Grenier and her husband Todd of Danville NH and their sons Alec and his wife Melisa of Salem NH and Shawn of Barrington NH. It includes Ohio relatives, Aunt Sue Medd and Uncle Bill and Aunt Helen Eller. It also includes Bill and Helen’s son Tim and his wife Anna Eller and son-in-law Brian Ressler and his sons Brandon, Aaron, and Ethan. It includes Uncle Jim and Aunt Margaret Eller and their daughter Katrina of Sun River MT.

Her wider surviving family includes her loving mother-in-law Anna Coppola of Newton MA and her brothers-in-law and their spouses. They are Bruno and Sharon Coppola of Moultonborough NH. It includes Paolo and Michelle Coppola of Clinton MA and their older son Daryl, his wife Amy and their children Giada and Lorenzo, and Paolo and Michelle’s younger son Dominic. It includes Nick and Melinda Coppola and their daughter Emily of Norwood MA. She was predeceased in 2021 by her marvelous father-in-law Loreto Coppola of Newton MA and in previous years, by her loving Ohio grandparents: Ward and Margery Hamm, Ralph and Maryalice Eller, Ruth Fortune Eller. She was also predeceased by Goshen, Ohio cousins Christine Eller Ressler last year and Mikal Eller in 1994.

Laurie’s life will be celebrated on November 3 at 10 AM at the Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC, 4 Watson Street, Nashua NH 03064 with Pastor Judie Bryant officiating. The interment will be private with Pastor David Grishaw-Jones of the Community Church of Durham NH, UCC, officiating. The family adds that Laurie would want you to remember your family and hold them close. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts are suggested to a charity of your choice or to Pilgrim Congregational Church, 4 Watson Street, Nashua, NH 03064 or to the Animal Rescue League of NH, 545 State Route 101, Bedford, NH 03110. To view Laurie’s Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit www.csnh.com.