Lenore (Deary) McAuliffe, 66, of Bethlehem and formerly of Newtown, died peacefully February 10, at home surrounded by family. She was born in New Haven on May 22, 1950, and was the daughter of Norma Deary of Wallingford and the late James Deary.

She was the wife of the late Patrick F. McAuliffe, the love of her life, and was the human resources administrator for Recovery Network of Programs in Shelton.

Ms McAuliffe grew up in Wallingford and graduated from Lyman Hall High school in 1968. In 1997, McAuliffe Manor in Litchfield, a rehabilitation program for women making their way back from substance use disorders and criminal justice involvements under the sponsorship of CNV Help, Inc, was named for and dedicated to both Patrick and Ms McAuliffe, whose personal and professional lives had been an inspiration and testimony to the reality of the potential inherent in recovery.

She was a longtime resident of Newtown. It was here that Ms McAuliffe lived her daily passion, taking care of horses at her home, Bittersweet Farm. She was attentive and loving to the horses in her care and had an extended family of her boarders and friends in the equine community. She loved traveling on long trips with Kim Macey to trailer horses. Ms McAuliffe also enjoyed bringing her pony Jack Frost, with her late husband Pat often at her side, to hold pony parties for local families.

After selling the farm and moving to Bethlehem in 2007, Ms McAuliffe focused more on riding. Over the past four years, she began competing alongside her best friend, Rosanne Hermenze, in equestrian events conducted at Frazier Farm in Woodbury, where she boarded her second love, quarter-horse Sneekers.

Ms McAuliffe's love of horses carried her through her battle with cancer. Her last ride was in December; even in her weakened state, she got her feet into the stirrups and rode Sneekers for one last walk around the farm. Frazier Farm dedicated an award in her honor, the Moxie Award for future competitors. The award describes Ms McAuliffe as "a dear friend, boarder, and frequent competitor at FF...[who] could often be found blazing through the finish line."

Besides her mother, her children and their spouses, Jennifer and Henry McAtee of Harwinton and Grady and Sarah McAuliffe of Bethlehem; her five beautiful grandchildren, Emily McAtee, Brenna McAtee, and Connor McAtee of Harwinton, and Emerson and Harrison McAuliffe of Bethlehem; her three brothers and their wives, James and Sallie Deary of North Palm Beach, Fla., Kevin and Rhonda Deary of Rohoboth, Mass., and Tom Deary of Wallingford, survive her.

Friends and family will celebrate Ms McAuliffe's life with a memorial service to be conducted on Saturday, April 1, at noon at South Farms, 21 Higbie Road, Morris, Conn.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ms McAuliffe's favorite charity: Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue, PO Box 273, East Hampton CT 06424.