• Email a friend
• Create a page like this
• Click here to bookmark this page

This is Janice, Karen's daughter. I want to share Karen's story - of a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother (so happy!), devout Presbyterian, retired Senior Executive Service member (33 years Navy civil service) and Executive Director of Leadership Southern Maryland. She was an intelligent and avid continuous learner, reader, coach, mentor and community leader. Karen and Jack moved to Florida to be close to her grandchildren, Aidan and Zachary, now both 15. She loved participating in all parts of their lives, including school, sports and band. She leaves a legacy of love, hope and goodwill to all that knew and loved her.

Her story takes a sad turn five years ago. As we noticed changes in her behavior, such as memory loss, directional challenges and confusion, Karen made the brave decision to have a brain scan conducted, knowing two previous generations of matriarchs in the family were lost to dementia; her diagnosis was Alzheimer's. After a gradual decline, her last year was extremely difficult. To see this naturally exuberant, extroverted woman unable to communicate and retreat was absolutely devastating.

I've set the bar high for donations, as our fervent wish is that no one else experience the cruelty of this terrible disease. Your donations in her memory will help find the cure.