Deborah Laake (April 19, 1952 – February 6, 2000) was a

columnist A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Column (newspaper), Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the fo ...

at the ''

Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885 by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ''Galvesto ...

'' in the 1980s and later a staff writer, columnist,

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...

, and executive at the ''

Phoenix New Times ''Phoenix New Times'' is a free digital and print media company based in Phoenix, Arizona. ''New Times'' publishes daily online coverage of local news, restaurants, music and arts, as well as longform narrative journalism. A weekly print issue ...

''. She was famous for her 1993 book entitled '' Secret Ceremonies: A Mormon Woman's Intimate Diary of Marriage and Beyond'', a candid and critical account of her experiences growing up and marrying as a member of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(LDS Church).

Biography

Laake was born Deborah Elsbeth Legler in Phoenix, Arizona. She was raised as a member of the LDS Church and attended

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

. After she stopped practicing the religion, she published the book ''Secret Ceremonies''. In the book she describes her childhood, her marriage, her divorce and the temple ceremonies in the LDS Church. She also blames the church "for her inability to enjoy marital intercourse, for her three failed marriages, for her attempted suicide, and for the two months she spent in a psychiatric institution". The book was a commercial success; it spent 15 weeks on the ''New York Times'' best-seller list and over 500,000 copies were printed. Writing in

Religion News Service Religion News Service (RNS) is a news agency covering religion, ethics, spirituality and moral issues. It publishes news, information, and commentaries on faiths and religious movements to newspapers, magazines, broadcast organizations and religio ...

Jana Riess Jana Kathryn Riess (born December 13, 1969) is an American writer and editor. Riess's writings have focused on American religions, especially the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which she is a member, and other new religious mov ...

characterizes ''Secret Ceremonies'' as a "go-for-the-jugular exposé" typical of the

ex-Mormon Ex-Mormon or post-Mormon refers to a disaffiliate of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) or any of its schismatic breakoffs, collectively called "Mormonism". Ex-Mormons—sometimes referred to as exmo or postmo—may ne ...

memoirs of her era. Laake was

excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to end or at least regulate the communion of a member of a congregation with other members of the religious institution who are in normal communion with each other. The purpose ...

for apostasy because of her criticisms and also for her "detailed revelation of top-secret Mormon temple ceremonies" shortly after the book's publication. In 1994, Laake was diagnosed with

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...

. In 2000, she committed suicide by "ingesting an overdose of pills" in Charleston,

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. At the time of her death; Laake was being actively treated for depression. According to her friend and former coworker Terry Green Sterling, this depression was severe and it began several years prior to the suicide.

Awards

She received various awards throughout her career. In 1983, she won a special citation from the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...

for her feature writing. Also in 1983, the Columbia School of Journalism gave Laake a special award for her short story "Wormboys". In 1987 she won

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

's feature column writing award. In 1988, she was elected Arizona's "Journalist of the Year" and won the National Headliner award in 1991.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laake, Deborah 1952 births 2000 suicides American columnists People excommunicated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Brigham Young University alumni Critics of Mormonism The Dallas Morning News people Drug-related suicides in South Carolina American women columnists 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers Mormon memoirists American women non-fiction writers