Laurel St. James
White River Junction, VT – Laurel St. James, 76, died unexpectedly, at
home in White River Jct.
She was born July 3, 1949, in Bradford, VT a daughter of Leon D. and
Jeanette (Benoit) St. James. Laurel grew up in White River Jct. and
following her graduation from Hartford High School she began working
at Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, NH. After a time, she decided
to travel around the country, living in California and later in
Minnesota where she pursued a Bachelors Degree in Horticulture at the
University of Minnesota. She and her former husband adopted Jesse, a
child with autism from Korea, in 1986 and Laurel has spent most of her
life since caring and advocating for him. The family lived in
Damariscotta, ME for ten years before moving to St. Johnsbury in 1998
and lived there until she and Jesse moved to White River Jct. earlier
this year. Laurel was excited to be back in her hometown and reconnect
with her roots.
Laurel was very active in her community wherever she lived, including
countless hours volunteering and advocating for people with special
needs. Most recently, she was a steady volunteer in the gift shop at
Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital.
She is predeceased by her parents and her brothers Michael and Ronald
St. James.
Laurel leaves her son, Jesse Long of White River Jct.; a brother
Robert St. James (Jennifer) of Enfield, NH; sisters, Donna Sullivan
(Steve Lumm) of Santa Barbara, CA and Linda St. James of Arroyo
Grande, CA. as well as many nieces and nephews.
There will be a Time of Remembrance on September 13, 2025, from 10:30
AM to 12:30 PM, at Knight Funeral Home, 903 Hartford Avenue, White
River Junction, VT.
Condolences to Laurel’s family may be made in an online guestbook at
knightfuneralhomes.com.
Donations in her remembrance may be made to Visions for Creative
Housing Solutions, www.visionsnh.org, or Heifer International,
www.heifer.org.