Obituary of Laura J. Conners

Laura Joy (Richardson) Conners left this world April 2, 2019 just before sunrise in Syracuse, NY after her 16-month struggle with multiple cancers, including the rare and virulent variety that took her from us.  She was born in Madison, WI on March 28, 1973, and lived there through high school graduation.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree at Syracuse University, a Master's Degree in Education at LeMoyne College, and taught 5th grade at Gillette Road School in North Syracuse for 19 years.  

Laura leaves a legacy and a model of continuous caring for her devoted family, lifelong friends, admiring students, and four-legged "kids."  If you were one of her animals, it meant unbridled caring and affection.  If you were one of her students, it meant learning while having fun.  If you were one of her friends, it meant generosity of spirit.  If you were one of her family members, it meant you knew she held you in her heart above all else, including and most notably herself. Faith was a constant component in how she lived her life, illustrated through her unyielding love for God's word, and by His protection she felt through both the physical and emblematic presence of angelic birds of prey.  Throughout her battle with cancer, her faith was refined, and she regularly shared her spiritual journey with others through blogs at CaringBridge. She would often share how her reliance on God and His word provided her with the strength she needed to fight, while still connecting and caring for each and every one of us, without hesitation. 

She is survived by her husband and best friend since teen years Kevin Conners, her grateful parents Karen and Dave Richardson, her adoring sister Kristin (aka to Laura "boogie") Richardson (Jim Butters), her fond aunts, uncles and cousins, especially her caring aunty Pam, her proud parents-in-law Janet and Kim Conners, her trusted brother-in-law Brian Conners (Jessi), and Kevin's and her ever-faithful family friend Lynn Infanti.  Seely, her beautiful Australian Kelpie, her two Bloodhounds Lynde and Schini, her favorite pony Stuart, and her other horses Kenny, Jack and Princess, will continue to run, play and prance at Kevin’s and her West Wind Farm.  

Laura's life here with us, and her life we know she now has with the Lord, will be celebrated in a memorial service – open to all -- at Eastern Hills Bible Church, 8277 Cazenovia Road (Highway 92), Manlius, NY 13104, www.easternhills.org on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 1:00 pm.

For the past nine years Laura has dedicated herself to the art of trailing Bloodhounds.  She was a skilled trail layer and hound handler (Bloodhound Lynde). She helped test Bloodhound puppies for agencies across the U.S.  Laura would then host these puppies in her home until she and Kevin would take a road trip to meet the pup's future handler.  She believed strongly in the ability of the Bloodhounds to find lost family members and criminals.

In lieu of flowers, for those wishing to make a donation in Laura's memory, please write checks to the National Police Bloodhound Association (NPBA), and ask for a receipt for tax purposes.  The NPBA (38540 Alva Drive, Cherry Valley, CA 92223) is a non-profit (tax ID 36-3263526).

Ballweg and Lunsford Funeral Home has care of arrangements