Future was bright for slain Conant senior, friends say
Girls gathered around a box of Oreos and cans of Pepsi Friday afternoon inside of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Schaumburg and remembered Laura Engelhardt's laugh.
"She would definitely love to see us smile now," friend Sarah Kellermeyer said.
Friends at St. Peter cried, giggled and hugged Friday to mourn Engelhardt's death. Her loss was felt more for St. Peter's class of 2005, which had an eighth-grade graduating class of about 30.
Engelhardt, 18, was among the three dead in Friday's stabbings in Hoffman Estates. Her father, Alan Engelhardt, and grandmother, Marlene Gacek, also were killed.
Alan was a stay-at-home dad who excelled as a cook, friends said. He attended most of his daughter's sporting events. The family also included Laura's mother Shelly; brother Jeff, who attends Southern Illinois University; sister Amanda; and Amanda's daughter Stella.
"They were all very close," Conant High School classmate Jenny Earl said.
A senior, Laura Engelhardt had recently decided to attend the University of Missouri in the fall. Her MySpace profile even declared her excitement over being asked to prom.
Forget typical teenage girl behavior, like forming cliques and talking behind each other's back - friends said Engelhardt was different.
"We were saying we don't think we've ever heard her say anything bad about anybody, which is a lot to say for a high school girl," Earl said.
Laura was in Conant's band and played softball and volleyball. Friend Kourtney Dillavou said Engelhardt wasn't the best athlete but loved sports anyway, and gave it her all. Friends remember the bruises Laura earned while playing basketball and showing her hustle.
Her MySpace page also celebrated the birth of her niece, who friends said was born about two months ago to Laura's older sister Amanda.
"She loved playing with Stella; she'd always came to school with new stories and tell us like what she and Stella did last night," Conant classmate Katie McCoy said.
McCoy added that Laura just helped pick out Easter shoes for her niece at the shoe store inside the Woodfield Shopping Center where Laura worked.
Science teacher Sharon McCoy knew Laura from AP Biology class. She said Laura was a star student who showed no symptoms of problems at home.
"You hope you kids grow up to be like her - such a great role model," her teacher said.
Friends appeared slightly envious of Engelhardt's ability to ace tests without studying. But they loved her and her sense of humor anyway.
Though quiet in class, when she was outside school she could be found texting friends about her favorite "American Idol" contestant, or talking about traveling to Australia to study abroad while in college. McCoy said the two had been going to "Idol" summer concerts since sixth grade.