Karen was the daughter of Cecil and Ruth Smith, of Chapleau, Ontario where she grew up. She enjoyed a fairy tale childhood of summers in Victoria, Christmas in Bermuda and even walked down 5th Avenue in the Easter Parade.
She was a fiercely proud graduate of Branksome Hall and supported the school all her life, while keeping and nurturing the friendships she made there.
Marriage and motherhood suited her perfectly and she transformed houses into homes all across Canada, as careers and transfers dictated, never missing a chance to travel eventually to every corner of North America as well as Europe and the Caribbean. No one could navigate the Paris Metro like Karen. She spent the last eight years before covid as the superb navigator of our motorhome, spending 4-5 months a year on the road going everywhere in Canada.
While living in Ontario, she became an adept scuba diver and after moving to Nanaimo became an enthusiastic participant in Dragonboat festivals, paddling throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Karen was married for 53 years to Donald and was the greatest mother possible to James and David. She was the very special aunt and friend of her late brother Brian’s sons, Keith and Chad and the devoted grandmother to Crystal (Sherdan White) and Ashley. She was thrilled by the arrival of her great grandson, Milo.
Late in life, Karen discovered her birth family and immediately found herself with three new brothers - Craig, Mark and Michael Hitchman - and numerous nieces and nephews and cousins. She embraced them all.
Her last good deed was to bestow the gift of sight on two people whose lives have been transformed with her beautiful green eyes. Way to go, Karen.