Asheville, N.C. — Kjaere Andrews, locally known as Karen McLaughlin, passed away on Thursday, July 19, 2018, in North Carolina, after a long period of health and life challenges. Karen was born in Massachusetts in 1946. In 1950 she moved with her two younger siblings, Ellen and Philip, and parents, Dorothy and Joseph McLaughlin, to Royalton, Vt., where the family established Hitching Post Farm. Karen was an excellent equestrian and skier and assisted her father and siblings in teaching campers at their farm for many years. Her all-time favorite horse was Thunder Road, who was borrowed by the US Olympic Equestrian team, as an alternate for the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico. Karen was a bold and amazing skier, a beautiful rider, a pilot, a daring hang-glider and an accomplished artist. She went to UVM and later got her law degree at VLS.

Karen left Vermont over thirty years ago and lived in various Southern locations, often working with horses. In North Carolina she recently reconnected with her niece, Sara Stender, daughter of Ann McLaughlin. Sara had been close to Kjaere during the first six years of her life and they both valued their reacquaintance in Kjaere’s last months.

Kjaere was predeceased by her parents and her sister Rozo (Rosemary), and is survived by siblings Ellen Chap of Royalton, Philip McLaughlin of Randolph, Ann McLaughlin of Strafford and many nieces and nephews in Vt., Colo., Calif., and N.C.

Kjaere will be remembered by many as courageous, talented, vivacious and outspoken.

Kjaere has returned to Vermont where her ashes will be scattered over the grave of her beloved Thunder Road, buried at Hitching Post Farm in Royalton.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to your local homeless shelter or animal shelter of your choice.