Karen was a daughter, mother, aunt, and friend.

As my mother, she taught me to always do my best, be kind to others, and follow my dreams. At the age of 44, she went back to college and earned her nursing degree, all while raising my sister and I as a single mom. She enjoyed being a nurse, especially when she worked the OB floor.

Family was very important to her. Growing up, we had lots of large family gatherings at our home. She loved to have a house full of family to entertain. As the oldest of 4 children, she really was the thread that tied the family together.

Church and faith were also cornerstones in her life. She held many roles within the church over the years, such as council member, Sunday school teacher, and sang in the choir.

She had a knack for making everyone she met feel like a friend, and often, they became one. Karen loved to laugh, but she was also the friend you turned to, if you needed a listening ear.

Her diagnosis of ovarian cancer did not change any of that. It just made her a fighter.

And fight, she did.

For almost five years, Karen endured numerous surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy.

Some would think that her life would have revolved around the treatments, but she made sure it didn’t. In that time, she traveled to North Carolina, Virginia, Iowa, Florida, Mexico and even Chile. She wasn’t about to let cancer stop her. One of her favorite sayings was, “ I can be sick sitting at home or I can be sick out living life.”

Her strength and faith astonished me. We still had many family gatherings in her home, enjoying our time with each other. “If I live, I live”, she’d say, “If I die, I live.” She continued to spend time with friends, doing crafts, playing trivia, or just talking.

Sadly, her body couldn’t keep fighting, even though her spirit was strong. Surrounded by her family and friends on December 18, 2003, she passed away, but she will never be forgotten.

Learn More about Ovarian Cancer by visiting the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition website at www.ovarian.org