Deborah Laake (April 19, 1952 – February 6, 2000) was acolumnist at theDallas Morning News in the 1980s and later a staff writer, columnist,editor, and executive at thePhoenix New Times.[1] She was famous for her 1993 book entitledSecret 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 ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).[2]
Laake was born Deborah Elsbeth Legler in Phoenix, Arizona. She was raised as a member of the LDS Church and attendedBrigham Young University. After she stopped practicing the religion, she published the bookSecret Ceremonies. In the book she describes her childhood, her marriage, her divorce and thetemple 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".[3] The book was a commercial success; it spent 15 weeks on theNew York Times best-seller list and over 500,000 copies were printed.[4] Writing inReligion News Service,Jana Riess characterizesSecret Ceremonies as a "go-for-the-jugular exposé" typical of theex-Mormon memoirs of her era.[5]
Shortly after the book's publication Laake wasexcommunicated forapostasy because of her criticisms and also for her "detailed revelation of top-secret Mormon temple ceremonies".[6] In 1994, Laake was diagnosed withbreast cancer.[2] In 2000, she committed suicide by "ingesting an overdose of pills" in Charleston,South Carolina.[1] At the time of her death; Laake was being actively treated for depression.[2] According to her friend and former coworker Terry Green Sterling, this depression was severe and it began several years prior to the suicide.[6]
She received various awards throughout her career. In 1983, she won a special citation from theUniversity of Missouri for her feature writing.[1] Also in 1983, the Columbia School of Journalism gave Laake a special award for her short story "Wormboys".[2] In 1987 she wonArizona's feature column writing award. In 1988, she was elected Arizona's "Journalist of the Year" and won the National Headliner award in 1991.[1]
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