Lauren Elizabeth Kenyon

Lauren Elizabeth Kenyon, age 24, of Seattle WA, formerly of Chelmsford, MA, passed away on August 27, 2023, in Newhalem, WA in a canyoning accident while in a national park.
She was born in Lowell, MA on June 25, 1999, and is the second daughter of Peter Scott Kenyon and Joanne Elaine (Turcotte) Kenyon of Chelmsford.
It was clear from an early age Lauren had a tender heart and a caring nature. Upon starting grade school her teachers said, 'Lauren is so lovely'. She was indeed 'Lovely Lauren'. Lauren had to overcome a speech impediment and articulation issues as a child and the teasing that came with that. That experience shaped her approach to life - to have discipline, to apply yourself, to constantly improve, and to have empathy for others.
In looking back through all the years of photos, the common thread was being with the people she loved, being outdoors, and having the best smiles - so many beautiful smiles.
Lauren was raised in Chelmsford, MA, is a 2017 graduate of Chelmsford High school, and a December 2020 graduate of UMASS Amherst with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Minors in Computer Science and Mathematics.
On her very first day of college she met Jake Brandner, and they quickly became friends, and that spring, they became a couple. During college she volunteered with her sister Deanna doing Habitat for Humanity style rebuilding work in post hurricane Puerto Rico during spring break. She also participated in various clubs, including an outing club and a brief stint with the parkour club, in which she gained twelve stitches to the head. She enjoyed getting scuba certified with her older sister and even taking belly dancing classes. She was always looking for something fun to do and was great at finding it! Once shy, she now flourished socially and enjoyed pranks like taking a five-gallon jug of ice cream from the dining hall and being told 'you can't do that' by a fellow student to which she responded, 'yes I can' and kept walking. That night, she hosted an ice cream social in the dorms.
During COVID, Lauren and her roommate decided to finish their respective degrees as quickly as possible. In place of the canceled internship scheduled that summer, she trained and became a white-water raft guide, which quickly turned into a new hobby of white-water kayaking. She enjoyed the sport so much, she convinced the family to join her on various occasions. Our most recent family vacation (August 2023) included a two-day rafting excursion in the class 5 rapids of the Penobscot River in Maine. She had the unique experience of pulling her mother out of the water after she was launched into a section of class 5 rapids; this was done both effortlessly and proudly.
In the spring of 2021, she and her former roommate, now graduates, set out across country in a RV for multiple months visiting and hiking as many national parks as possible. It was then that Lauren decided she wanted to live and work in the Seattle area. She applied for, and interviewed, during the RV trip. In August of that year, she and her first love Jake, set out cross country with his car filled to the brim inside, bicycles off the back, and two kayaks on top. They camped and made the trip across the country in two weeks time.
Once settled in Seattle, she worked for Parse Biosciences as a Research Assistant Level 2. In the two short years of her employment, we learned from her boss, colleagues and even the two CEOs that she changed the trajectory of the company through her dedication to her job and willingness to question research result practices. She was also known for her sense of humor, her drive to support and assist those she felt were underrepresented, and her dedication to mentorship and being inclusive. She made her coworkers and work friends smile by dancing down the hallway towards them as they approached and soon, she had others dancing as well. This form of greeting dance continued and even included a CEO. Lauren had a unique ability to truly be herself, no matter the circumstances, and was adored for the lightness and easy smile she brought to any occasion. Her west coast coworkers and friends describe her as being 'the poster woman of the Pacific Northwest,' enjoying many consecutive weekends of adventures including caving, winter hiking and camping, back country skiing, downhill skiing, mountain biking, white water kayaking and of course, canyoning.
Lauren was a registered organ donor. She will be helping others medically, including the gift of sight.
We are so very grateful Lauren lived how she wanted, that she met the love of her life, and made a second family of friends in Seattle. It's been both incredible and awesome to witness her soar. The photos of her weekend adventures are fantastic. She also spent the last two years trying to convince her family to move to the Pacific Northwest, and we're seriously considering it. Even now...its beauty is magnificent. She will be greatly missed for her sense of adventure and joie de vivre.
Lauren leaves behind her beloved life partner Jake Brandner, (originally from Andover, MA, now Seattle, WA); her loving parents Joanne and Peter; sisters Deanna and Abigail, all from Chelmsford; her grandparents Pamphile and Louise Turcotte of Hudson, NH, and Gale Kenyon, also of Chelmsford; as well as her extensive family, home and abroad, and cherished friends from across the country. Lauren was predeceased by her grampy, Richard Kenyon, her uncle Marcel Turcotte, and her great uncle Stephen Daggett.
Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, from 3 pm to 7 pm at the Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home, 24 Worthen St, Chelmsford. A private funeral is to be held at a later date and there will be a celebration of life in the late spring of 2024, near her birthday.
In lieu of flowers, we are asking for contributions that support her partner, Jake Brandner, as he continues with his portion of their life plan of completing his PhD, for which she had financially supported. gofund.me/9674e7f1