It is with a heavy heart that we share our mom passed away on March 17th, 2021. In early January, she was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. While we hoped to have more time together, she was ready to leave earlier than we all expected.
Karen had a positive impact on everyone she touched, and will not be forgotten
Karen was the kind of mom and friend everyone hopes & wishes for
Our mom was extremely special. She was the kind of mom and friend everyone hopes and wishes they had. For many of our friends, she was an extra mom - a person they could come to for advice, to be listened to, to feel valued, loved, and accepted no matter the circumstance. My mom was a home for so many and she loved with her whole heart.
Karen had a lasting, positive impact on everyone that knew her
Our mom was so incredibly touched by the kind words, texts, cards, gifts, and thoughts that were sent to her over the last 2 months. She was constantly surprised by how many people remembered and loved her, and it was so wonderful to remind her what an incredible woman she was. She had a lasting, positive impact on so many people.
Karen was fortunate to travel across the world
Karen loved to have adventures - with Ashlee, she travelled around the world to Austria, Germany, Mexico, and Hawaii. But her favorite trips were the ones we took as a family growing up - Every summer Karen would drive Seth and Ashlee down to southern California to meet up with her sister, Kathy, and nieces, Erin and Alisha. Together they would rent a motel room as a home base and visit their favorite beach - San Clemente, see the animals at the San Diego Zoo, and take in the art and gardens at the Getty Center. So many of our childhood memories are anchored in those places with her.
Karen loved being a mom
Karen loved being a mom. She was there for everything - every PTA meeting, every scout meeting, every homework assignment. She made our days full of fun and creativity from making our own sidewalk chalk, to dancing in the rain and jumping in mud puddles. She was so full of life and led the adventure, always. Her sense of fun and ingenuity for play has had a lasting impact - Ashlee still uses many of her creative ideas in her career as a speech therapist today.
Karen was a person who loved with her whole heart. Our cousins often reflect with us about how special of a bond we have, thanks to our moms. While we never lived in the same city, or even the same state for much of our lives, we were raised much more like siblings than cousins. We spent weeks to months together each summer, and many weekends throughout the year. In the summers, our parents had a ‘kid swap’ in which we were sent in pairs to spend several weeks at the other parent’s house before ‘swapping’ for the second half of summer. That meant that Karen and Kathy were more than aunts, they were second moms. How lucky we were to have 2 moms to be there for us always. Today, as the 4 of us move forward in our lives without them physically present, we are so grateful for their love and their unique way of raising us - we will never be alone - we have so many loving siblings to lean on.
Karen had many passions she shared with others
She had great passions in her life and she shared them with her friends and family constantly. She loved the beach and took every opportunity to spend by the water. She loved Godzilla and would argue at length that Godzilla was, in fact, a good monster who was trying to protect Tokyo, not destroy it. She loved old movie musicals, especially Singing in the Rain, Top Hat, and the Court Jester - these films would always bring a smile to her face. Over the course of the pandemic, she and Ashlee would schedule a movie to watch each weekend together - syncing their watches to watch them separately in their own homes and then call or text about them afterward. They started with all 8 Harry Potter Films, then worked their way through classic musicals and Disney films.
She was also a huge fan of Motown and DooWop music. When Seth went with her to a motown concert a few years ago, she was shocked that he knew so many songs - she didn’t realize how much she had ingrained that music into us from day one.
Day to day, mom loved the little things that brought great joy. She loved to work out and made many friends through the classes she would take at the gym. When everything shut down last year, she created her own home gym and constantly sent us videos of great workouts she found online. Her favorite part of the week was always Saturday morning - she would get up early when it was still cold outside, brew a pot of tea, and cuddle up in a warm blanket on the balcony to read. No one frequented the library like our mom - and a love of reading is another passion she passed down to her children.
Making a difference in Karen’s name
If you feel moved to send a gift or flowers, we ask that you make a donation to an organization that meant a lot to her instead.
Karen was a mother to not just Seth and Ashlee, but to all who needed one.
For many years, Karen donated to the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth. We'd be so honored if, in lieu of flowers or gifts, you would donate funds or in-kind donations in her name.
Karen would also encourage everyone to become a blood donor. She believed she could make a difference in people's lives and donated blood and platelets as often as she could.
We are incredibly grateful for blood donors as well: the blood transfusions she was given in the hospital are what allowed Ashlee to arrive in time to be with her. You never know what a difference you can make with a small gesture.
Leave a message, photo, or story about Karen
We'd love to hear your stories about Karen - please use the comment box below to add your story and a photo, or just leave a message for Karen or her family.