Sara Walton Andrews, 47, died peacefully on February 13, 2022, surrounded by her family. A seven-year survivor of brain cancer, Sara approached each day hopefully, always repeating – and believing – “Tomorrow will be better.”

Born in Concord in 1974 to Donald and Rolande Andrews, Sara spent her childhood in various towns throughout southern New Hampshire and Vermont as well as coastal Maine. She lived most recently in Andover, having previously called several Upper Valley communities home, and held Thetford, Vermont, particularly close to her heart. 

An early-college graduate of Simon’s Rock, she completed her BA at Marlboro College and her MFA at Columbia College. Though primarily a photographer and paper artist, Sara showed passion and talent across the arts, with significant additional study in music, dance, and choreography as well as writing and book-making.

Prior to her illness, Sara served as program assistant at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Dartmouth. In earlier years, she taught photography and paper-making to high school and college students; owned and operated Under the Table, a one-woman artisanal bakery (pedaling deliveries through Chicago on her cargo-bicycle); and served as director for the In-Sight Photography Project in Brattleboro, Vermont. Kind and brilliant and with a rich sense of humor (well-known by her friends for giving the “best hugs”), Sara loved the people in her life deeply.

Sara enjoyed gardening, baking, and reading, but her true love was hiking; wherever she lived, she found and explored all the trails, often with her dog Pearson or, later, Sukey, by her side. Brave, adventurous, and free-spirited, she was proud to have completed solo through-hikes of both the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail, and she continued walking out in nature until her very final days.

Sara is survived by her parents, Rolande and Donald Andrews, sister Christiane Andrews, brother-in-law Dean Barker, and nephew Oliver Andrews, all of Andover. The family would like to thank Dr. Amy Chan of DHMC and all the doctors and nurses at the Jack Byrne Center for their profoundly compassionate care.

A celebration of Sara’s life will be held later this spring on her May 17 birthday. To view Sara’s online tribute, send condolences to the family, or for more information, visit CSNH.com. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in her name may be sent to support brain tumor research (fund 2-22819) at DHMC’s Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Office of Development, DHMC, 1 Medical Center Dr. (HB7070), Lebanon NH 03756. 

Additionally, those who knew and loved Sara are encouraged to spend time out in nature, keeping her in their memories.