Karen Ann Nolan-Ashton

Hebron-A life of exploration, passion, and curiosity is a life fulfilled.

Karen Nolan-Ashton lived a life most would aspire to lead, from humble and wholesome beginnings on her family’s dairy farm, to traveling with her loving husband at her side. Her warm smile would illuminate the room, while her personality would pull others toward her, always the warm, caring center of attention.  Retelling her childhood memories and sharing stories from travels, she would ignite her passion and joy in others.

Little did William Nolan and family realize what a precious package had been delivered from the Mary McClellan Hospital to their East Main Street home, a baby girl, named Karen.

Karen was born to Mr. and Mrs. William Nolan, Sr. She was the youngest of the four Nolan children. David, William, Jr. and Lawrence.  All of whom grew to love and adore her. She would become their best friend and their strongest advocate throughout their entire lives. 

Being a dairy farmer's daughter, Karen had the best of both worlds, “The village life” and “The farm life” on her family’s dairy farm located in White Creek and the family home on Main St. in Cambridge, NY. Karen and her brothers would walk to school in the morning from their village home and then board the rural bus in the afternoon to help at the family farm, feeding calves after school was a common routine. Karen was a 4-H member, and an enthusiastic cheerleader for the Cambridge Indians football team. A beautiful vibrant girl, she had an overflowing personality and the affinity to make friends in both the farming and village communities, many of them lifelong.

Karen graduated from Cambridge Central School class of 1979 and went on to attend Becker College located in Leicester, Massachusetts where she majored in travel and tourism, as travel was her a lifelong interest and passion.  On June 10, 1989, Karen was married to her best friend and love of her life Chuck Ashton at the Arlington Green on the Battenkill River in Arlington, Vermont. Going on to have a beautiful and love filled life together. They traveled extensively making memories that will forever endure.

Loved and mourned by her family and friends, her husband, Chuck Ashton; mother, Ann Nolan; brothers, Lawrence Nolan (Monica), and David Nolan (Peggy); sister-in-law, Barbara Nolan, sister- in-law, Gail Cooney and family, brother-in-law, Steve Ashton Jr. (Verna) and family and numerous nieces and nephews. Now reunited with her late father William Nolan, Sr. and brother, William Nolan, Jr. and all whom have gone home before her.

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 11:00 am at St. Patrick’s Church, 17 South Park St., Cambridge.  Those attending are asked to please wear a facial covering or face mask, regardless of vaccination status.

Interment will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Cambridge.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Karen may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place. Memphis, TN  38105.

To offer condolences to the family, please visit www.gariepyfuneralhomes.com

Funeral arrangements are with the McClellan-Gariepy Funeral Home, Inc. in Salem.

                                                  “To Travel is to live”-Hans Christian Anderson

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