Dr Lara Jade Sanderson

We are deeply saddened to read of Lara’s death and can’t imagine how you would feel to lose your child. Our hearts and prayers are with you all.

I went to school with Lara at Hargest, we were in the same class in 3rd form. I'm so sorry to hear of Lara's death. We had a lot of the same interests at the time and worked together on several assignments. Lara was a beautiful person, very reserved, but incredibly kind, sweet & thoughtful, and highly intelligent. I feel privileged to have called her a friend. Sending much love & prayers to the family, I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child ❤️

Thinking of you all at this time with love Lara was an amazing person who will live on in our hearts

We are deeply saddened of the sudden passing of a much loved niece as Lara was. So many Happy Memories of such a short life. Condolences to you all. We will be there on 24th to celebrate the life of dear Lara Jade Sanderson. R.I.P.

Dear Chris, Denise, Matthew and Susan and family
I was so sad to read about Lara. I remember Lara and Matthew when they were little. Lara has achieved so much and her research will benefit so many. My love and thoughts are with you all. Love Andrea

im so sorry to hear of the Passing of the Beautiful Lara she was such amazing young woman im sending my condolences to Mrs&Mr Sanderson and Matt,Susan and the two children and Tobby
fly high beautiful
your always have Special place in my heart
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

To Chris, Denise, Matthew and families we are so sorry to hear of the passing of your much loved daughter and sister Lara - our heartfelt condolences to you all. From Ivan and Tracey (Daphne Sandersons brother n law and niece)

I am saddened to hear about the passing of Lara. I remember her beautiful personality and humour, she was such a great friend in High School. May she rest in peace.

Our sincerest condolences on the loss of your gorgeous girl.
I met Lara many years ago and was really taken by her gentle nature, sharp mind, and wicked sense of humour.
Denise and Chris, take the very best of care at this horrible time.

Denise, Chris and Matt, We are truly saddened by the news of Laras passing. Have you in our prayers and thoughts Sanderson family. Lots of love Narnia, Nathan and kids, Dipton NZ.

Chris Denise and Family very sorry to read of Lara’s passing Thinking of you all at this sad time David & Karen Mccoll
Née Johnston Ohai

To the Sanderson family my deepest sympathy and love to all Lara will always be missed and loved

I'll miss you Auntie Dr Lara.
You were more fun than a ping pong ball full of hydrogen on fire!
You've left us all too soon, and my squeeziest hugs to your family. I hope your grief is peppered with laughter.
You were a standout Lara, and I hope that you keep checking in on us.
We may have started our friendship at 10 years old at Lithgow, but we grew up to the accomplished women we wanted to be, sharing heaters at the library and disability tutorials and too many laughs with trips to and from invers & dunners.
Sleep well hun x
You'll be missed

Our thoughts are with you all at this extremely sad time Lara was a very special lady and we are so fortunate to have had the pleasure of knowing her Take care

Denise, Chris, Matthew, Susan and family.
I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Lara. Lara was like a breathe of fresh air, very passionate in all she did. Her smile was infectious she was an amazing young lady and will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her. Thinking of her furbaby Toby at this time also. RIP Lara! ❤️xoxo

Lara described herself on her linked in page as:

(She/Her)
Blurry boundary explorer; qualitative researcher; inter/multidisciplinary; big ideas on small budgets; listening to stories; watching the trees blossom.

And that is a good way to remember her. She made her own way in the world telling stories, listening to stories and people’s experiences, advocating for children and adults living with impairment and/or chronic illness. She was an ethnographer, historian, educator, archivist, librarian and scholar.

She was Dr. Lara Sanderson, Ph.D. Education, Master of Information Studies Archives & Library Science, Masters of Arts Child and Youth Studies, Post Graduate Diploma Child Advocacy, Bachelor of Arts History, English and Classical Studies

The abstract for her PhD thesis, All the little things: The experiences of New Zealand Secondary school teachers living with impairments and/or chronic illness, begins with a poem asking us to know her:

Uncover me, my life is woven
Into the warp of impairment
The weft of chronic illness
Experience first-hand me living (Woven, LJS, 2014)
Those of us fortunate enough to do so came to know a passionate, playful generous person. More than just a scholar - She was a complicated multifaceted woman and a true friend. Self sacrificing and self effacing and very giving, she touched many people’s lives, often more deeply than she knew.

Lara cared about her family and friends and Toby, her dog. She cared about her country, its people, and its history. She cared about the world. She liked her seaside walks, her garden, and the country side - she did spend time watching the trees blossom and playing lawn bowls

The world was a better place for having her in it. She will be greatly missed.

I had the privilege of working with Lara on a research project about doctoral students studying with impairments, disabilities or chronic illness. Lara brought so much to this study. She had excellent research skills and novel approaches of data analysis (she generated wonderful poems to illustrate key themes), and was motivated by a strong desire to support students with disabilities. Lara was such a warm and caring person and she will be deeply missed by me and my HEDC and GRS colleagues. We extend our condolences to family and friends at this sad time - she was taken far too early.

Such sad news . Well Lara thank you for laughs and smiles and fun we had bowling on the grass and indoor and becoming a good friend to which we will never forget…. Rip Lara ………..

Denise, Chris, Mathew and family I can’t imagine the pain and heartache you are going through right now, I have been sharing with my children the last few days about the friendship that you and Lara share and how kind and generous you are of your time and everything. It such a shock and will be hard to imagine what the coming hours, days and weeks will look like. One hour at a time.
Please if there is anything I can do don’t hesitate to ask. You are so kind and caring and now it’s time to let others awhi you, and help you process your thoughts and get through the coming days.
Sending you both all our love and strength.

All my love my heart is truly breaking for you all, and the kind beautiful, humorous and intelligent woman Lara is. I hope you can both find the strength to navigate the next part of your journey together.

I will certainly treasure every moment I have with my family and that I had with Lara and the kind caring person she was always thinking of others first she has achieved so much in her short time here, and I bet she was so looking forward to her birthday, forever 39 😢 and would like to think that Lara is up there giving Hayden the biggest cuddles xxxx 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

I will miss Lara with her quick smart wit and her beaming smile. We always seemed to chip in on each other's joke and she would give her infectious devilish laugh. She would always bring light to our family get togethers.
Never enough of those get togethers as we live in Australia but we would try to catch up each visit to Aotearoa. We never got to do enough Karaoke, play charades, discuss books, play uke together or sit around the piano. I loved the banter with her, especially with her Dad Chris who seemed to take most of it on the chin like a good father does.
Nise will miss her best friend but I'm sure you will be hovering around guiding and protecting her, Matt, Susan and your God daughter Elodie and Conor. And dear wee Toby. Lara, you will be dearly missed by family, friends and colleagues. You are free to fly high now. No holding you back. We will remember you. Love Aunty Kitty & Kevin

Unbelievable to hear and so sad that you left this world so early. When I came to Dunedin's university in 2013 for 3 months, you gave me a warm welcome and made me feel welcome with your heartly and funny manner. I will remember you. Rest in peace, Lara!

Every Day is a Gift

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is
a mystery and today is a gift,
which is why it is called the present.
What the caterpillar perceives is the end;
to the butterfly is just the beginning.
Everything that has a beginning has an ending.
Make your peace with that and all will be well

Chris, Denise, Matt, Susan, Toby and family. We are so sad and heartbroken for the loss of our beautiful Lara. Sending you all so much love. Rest in love beautiful girl xx Love always and forever Mel and Jenna xx

It was with deep sadness to hear of the passing of Lara, a vibrant young lady with a 'wicked' sense of humour who had so much to offer.
Denise, Chris, Matt and Susan I cannot begin to imagine the pain and the grief you are going through at the moment. I am also saddened at not being able to be in Invercargill on Thursday to pay my respects and offer support. I will be there in spirit.
To you all, I am so sorry, I don't really know how to express in words, just how I feel for you.
With all my love, Stephen

Denise, Chris, Matthew and family.
I am so very sad to hear of the passing of Lara. We shared the playground of Hawthorndale Primary and also shared our graduation day in Dunedin. I will always remember Lara's beaming smile and twinkling eyes.
Sending you all love at this incredibly sad time.

I regret that I did not know Lara as well as I could have or should have. But what I learned from her, as she helped me understand the wonderful birds native to New Zealand, and what I could expect to find and where, was that she was overflowing with kindness, patience, passion, intelligence and humor. She was an absolutely wonderful woman who left the world a better place and took time to help me, on the opposite side of the globe. I am so very deeply grateful to her for what she did for me and how she did it. Condolences and love to all of you whose lives were so enriched and impacted by this truly wonderful woman. She will be so missed.

Lara i think of you everyday, it is a tragedy and a huge loss to lose someone as unique as you. I have so many fond memories of when we would catch up, i think you knew how much i always enjoyed seeing you. Aside from your other wonderful attributes i will remember you as smart, witty and beautiful with a wonderful vocabulary and the maker of the best deserts, i hope you know how much you are loved and how you will forever be so special to me.. 💕 RIP Lara x

Dear Denise Chris Mathew Susan on or Connor Elodie
Lara severivie was amazing I miss Lara
Love form Mel