After a short but intense battle with a rare cancer, Lydia Elizabeth Lawlor passed away at the age of 31 on December 16, 2025 at The University of Kansas Medical Center, just across the state line from her lovely Midtown apartment in Kansas City, MO. In her final weeks and days, she spent beautiful and meaningful time with family, friends, and loved ones; she frequently expressed her immense gratitude for the supportive love she received.

Openness, intelligence, a strange (but captivating) sense of humor, a strong commitment to live according to her values, and both a scientific and empathetic curiosity all describe who Lydia was. She loved her large family fiercely and was always at the center of fun and play during gatherings. Though she joked that she was a personality hire at work, her combination of traits actually made her excel, and won esteem and affection from many colleagues. Driven by her curious nature, Lydia loved insects, crunchy-looking gemstones, birds (defending the beauty of pigeons across the globe), and making a spreadsheet to track data on literally anything and everything. She also loved a substantial sock, consuming an array of various drink types over the course of one day, and had a long-standing obsession with keys, locks, and unique doors. A frank personal transparency implied an underlying confident sense of self; a confidence that bloomed as she chose challenging paths of self-discovery. As she grew to know herself, she made space for others to do the same. The sharp wit and insight that might tease a friend was also used to encourage them to make bold moves that would enrich their own lives. Her magnetic personality drew friends and strangers alike, and it was not uncommon to hear Lydia mention in passing that a random person disclosed their life’s story to her. Everyone just loved her, often instantly.

Lydia’s life was defined by community. After finishing her education at Olathe North High School and a bachelor’s degree at Kansas State University, she was particularly intentional about continuing to maintain and build social bonds, both one-on-one and as a glue binding groups of people. Hard to imagine many other younger millennials not afraid of a phone call, even a handwritten letter. You would rarely find her home; she’d be just as likely throwing pottery with clay studio friends, attending board game nights, wandering the Nelson Atkins museum, having a cute drink or coffee on a patio at the chicest of local spots, meeting with her D&D group, antiquing, or volunteering time with the local tenants union. Always on the lookout for a new hobby or skill: baking focaccia or marveling that her many plants often survived. She recently took up crocheting to hand-create baby gifts for the brand new tiny humans in her life: Ava, Vivi, Henry. To chase away the winter blues, she hosted a weekly soup night for friends during cold months and invited them to bring their favorite crafts along. However, you probably couldn’t count on her to recreate a dish; she made them up on the spot, used whatever she had on hand to feed the ones she cared for. Just like Lydia, they were unreplicable delights inspired by love for others.

An avid traveler, she regularly surprised you with a new scheme of where she’d head next. Twenty-two countries had already been visited; she was captivated by hiking and nature the most, saying that many big cities ended up seeming pretty similar. But more than where or how often, who traveled with her meant the most, a wide circle of friends and family. Returning home was always made so sweet by the devoted welcome of her cat Caterpillar (and recent addition to the family, adorable kitten Misu). And by the particularly beloved people she lived with through the years: dear friends Madeline Byrd, Ramie Taylor, Theresa Collins, and her sister Maggie.

All who knew and loved her will profoundly mourn the loss of the shared life she should have had with them. But the difficult last months served to illuminate such incredible depths of feeling, strengthened by a life of countless hours of joy, passing time, exploring, loving, growing and becoming with her loved ones. Her loss is felt so intensely because she loved us and life so completely.

Lydia was preceded in death by grandparents David Lawlor, Vivienne Lawlor (Day), Dean Smith; uncle Gerald Lawlor; sister-in-law Christina Lawlor (Giffin). Lydia is survived by her parents Ron and Sherry Lawlor (Smith); grandmother Carol Smith (Williams); siblings Chris (father to her niece Katie), Sara, Josh, Joe, Sam and his wife Amanda (with baby niece Vivienne), Tom and his wife Nicole (with baby niece Ava), and Maggie. So many dear extended family members - aunts, uncles, cousins - and her cherished community of friends, both the nearest and those flung across the world, grieve deeply alongside the immediate family.

A stop-by visitation to demonstrate support to the family will be held on Saturday, January 3rd from 11 A.M.-1 P.M. at The Station at 28, 2730 Mercier St., Kansas City, Missouri.