Born February 10th, 1951 in Fort Meade, Maryland to an army family, Karen lived throughout the United States and in Turkey into her high school years. She completed high school in the U.S., and went on to obtain a B.A. at the University of Massachusetts. Then she was off to Newfoundland for her M.A. at Memorial University, culminating in a PH.D. in Anthropology from McMaster University. Soon after arriving at Mac she met John (Meneok) who became her husband of 44 years, 8 months and 22 days when, sadly, she left us. Karen enjoyed many hobbies, including but not limited to singing in the Canadian Martyrs Church choir, and photographing nature or “objects of unusual size”. Karen, always the cultural anthropologist, enjoyed a varied career finishing as the Senior Ethics Officer at McMaster. Karen was a devout Catholic and she had a long history with Canadian Martyrs Church, where her funeral mass will be held Tuesday, July 11th at 11 am. Viewings will be held from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm on the 10th at the Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main St., Dundas. She leaves behind her husband John, son Luke, sister Andrea, and a plethora of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends. In celebration of Karen’s life, perform an act of random kindness, or give your family an extra long hug (whether they want it or not). A light has gone out of the world and it falls to us left behind to try to make up the loss.
It is with great sadness that I learned of this news. Karen was a remarkable person. Very kind and caring. I knew Karen in her role as Senior Ethics Officer for many years when I served as Chair of the McMaster Research Ethics Board. Many a time, I would meet Karen for lunch (bringing my sushi to her office) and we would chat together, not only about work things, but just about life in general. I really enjoyed her stories about her ethnography work in the sub-arctic and Atlantic Canada. Fascinating tales! I had the pleasure of having Karen as a guest lecturer in one of my PhD classes several times. She was always there to help me whenever I asked. My sincere condolences to Karen’s family at this difficult time.
I am so saddened to hear this news. I knew Karen through my involvement with MREB and greatly appreciated her sage advice and gentle encouragement. RIP Karen.
Very sad to hear this news. I worked with Karen for a number of years at McMaster and used to meet every few weeks to talk about work however we always ended up talking about so many other wonderful things. She was always so kind and so funny. My deepest condolences.
My deepest sympathy to the family on the loss of an extraordinary person and friend.
I so enjoyed volunteering with Karen at Canadian Martyrs Parish over many years. Her sage advice, warmth, kindness and enthusiasm will not be forgotten. She remains in my heart and prayers. Heaven has a new sparkling angel in the choir.
-Louise-Ann Caravaggio
So sad to hear this news. Karen was an amazingly supportive, enthusiastic, and fun person! I enjoyed working with her while serving on MREB. We always had lively conversations about ethics and anthropology. My deepest condolences to her family.
Such sad news. I’m very glad to have known Karen during the time I served as a member of the MREB Board and as Chair and Vice Chair. She was such a kind and caring person, and deeply devoted to the work of MREB. Her liveliness and sense of fun made the work easier. My deepest condolences to her family and friends.
Karen was my tutorial assistant when I was a first year student at McMaster and I chose to study cultural anthropology perhaps somewhat inspired by the enthusiasm she had for the subject. Thirty years later after I had returned to McMaster, Karen came into my office as the new Senior Ethics Advisor for MREB! I worked with her until she retired. She was always positive and cheerful. She had so many stories. She was an expert in research methodology. She was attentive and kind and an inspiration to the students and faculty who came to her for help. My prayers go out to her family, friends, and all that may have crossed her path.
I first met Karen at McMaster University at a drop in session she and her colleagues were holding for the Research Ethics Board. Nobody came except me, so I had them all to myself to review my first ethics application. Karen stood out, she took me under her wing and was so kind, answered all my questions and gave hands on help to prepare a perfect application. I remember Garnoch the gnome on her desk, and lunches on campus. I had no idea until years later that she was deeply into her Catholic faith. Over the past few years, I discovered we share a passion for the Divine Mercy chaplet and devotion to the Divine Mercy. Thank you for your friendship and prayers, Karen, you are irreplaceable and i will miss you! Passing along my sincere and deepest condolences to John and all of Karen’s family for your loss. I am confident she is with Jesus and having a great time, and at the same time she is also with you. Love and prayers to all of you.
Karen was a genuinely good person. Gentle, kind, faithful, encouraging and joyful. I so much appreciated working with her on the MREB board. She was very good at her job and she guided me through some of my early MREB applications, always very helpful. My condolences to her family and friends.
I was so very sad to hear of Karen’s passing. We were colleagues and Karen was always so helpful in assisting the HiREB staff, she was very knowledgeable and was even a presenter at one our educational retreats. It was a pleasure to know Karen and work with her. My condolences to her family.
My condolences to Karen’s family and friends. I had the pleasure to meet Karen as a graduate student in Anthropology. She was very supportive and keen to bridge the gap related to ethics and Indigenous research methodologies.
John and Luke so very sorry to hear about the passing of your wife/mother. Keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers. Love from your cousin Marilyn Pavao – Cope
I am very saddened by this news. Karen was the Senior Ethics advisor during most of my 8-year term as MREB Chair. Thorough, kind, funny, thoughtful, insightful–she made my work better and more enjoyable. Remarkable women who will be missed.
It is with great sadness that we write. We are so grateful to have experienced the joy of Karen’s friendship. We met Karen at McMaster University when we were all three doing our doctorates. We also shared a connection with Memorial University where we ended up on faculty but which we first learned about from Karen’s stories. It was while doing her master’s degree at Memorial that Karen had her first experiences of the insights and humility that come with in-depth ethnographic fieldwork and she often spoke about that time with excitement and fondness. Karen’s kindness, comradeship, and endless curiosity sustained and boosted those around her. She listened well and truly to others, and took a sincere interest in their concerns and perspectives. She was Wayne’s thesis-writing buddy and our confidante. Her affection and her sense of humour were always a comfort. Her deep faith, and her sense of proportion and perspective, made her wise from a young age. Our hearts go out to John, Luke, Andrea, and her other family and friends in this difficult time. We send you blessings and the comfort of all your memories.
Sharon Roseman & Wayne Fife, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
All of us were fortunate to have known Karen. She gave us examples to follow in many ways. Her examples will live on with all of us.
I am deeply saddened to hear about Karen’s passing. Karen was instrumental in supporting me as a new research ethics board reviewer at McMaster. She was kind (and very funny!) and had an uncanny way of making research ethics applicable (and dare I say, interesting!!) to student researchers. We worked alot to support my research students wrap their heads around research ethics, specifically from a community-baser/engaged standpoint. She was curious, invited many questions and was always available to think through creative approaches to engaging students. I believe that I am a better research ethics board reviewer because I knew her. I am better because I knew her. My family lights a candle for her family and everyone else who was lucky enough to meet her.
Dearest Sister, good and loyal friend, counsel, spiritual advisor, prayer partner prayer worrier, I miss you deeply. Thanks so much for always being just a call away in good time and in bad. You always placed joy in my heart and a smile in my face. I thank God for you my treasure.
Karen was so wonderful to me when I served as a doctoral student on the MREB at McMaster University. Her support and encouragement fostered my appreciation for research ethics, and I hope she would be proud to know that I continue to serve on my university’s REB today. When I graduated, Karen and Michael made time to take me out for lunch. It was a completely unexpected opportunity to meet socially, and one that I will always value. Karen will be very missed by so many.
I first met Karen years ago and she didn’t know my name. She thought I was Luke’s friend with the glasses, Dave. Over the years I got to see and learn more from her as I would continue to play a part in her son’s life. Karen and I would chat and talk on occasion at campus. She has fed me and cared for me. I appreciated that her love for her son extended to his friends. I was deeply saddened by the news of her passing. We lost a kind and loving soul. You were not just my best friend’s mom. You were my friend too. Rest well.
Dear Auntie,
Words cannot describe the sadness that my family and I are feeling. You were the greatest woman and aunt a man could ever ask for! All those times playing Tensies and all the laughs we shared will never be forgotten. Thank you for being such an amazing example to my children and myself. You brought joy to everyone and you were always the brightest star that brought light into every room. We miss you and love you with all of our hearts. I will always look up to you no matter what. I love you.
My sincere condolences to Karen’s family and friends. How many times after a meeting did I find myself lingering and chatting with Karen? As a researcher and teacher I still often think of the lessons I learned from her: Start students in the shallow end of the research swimming pool! It’s our job to care about research participants, not the university’s reputation! And, of course, the crucial policy distinction between “researchers shall…” and “researchers may…”!
May light perpetual shine upon her.
So sorry for this loss Karen had such a warmth of spirit and will be remembered for her smile and kindness. It was such a pleasure working together teaching and learning research ethics. Karen, you’ll be truly missed
Dear Auntie,
Words cannot describe how much sadness my family and I are going through knowing you are no longer with us. You were an amazing woman and an even more amazing aunt. From kicking our butts at Tensies, to just filling our lives with laughter and love. You were irreplaceable. We love and miss you with all of our hearts. We will always look up to you no matter. I love you auntie. May you rest in peace.
Karen was a light in a dark world. We are are proud that she was our cousin and she will be dearly missed. We will keep her in our daily prayers and ensure that extra-long hugs are given.
Karen, your wise counsel and warm, smiling face will be deeply missed. Rest easy, my friend.
So sorry and saddened for your loss , John and Luke. As first time moms , we met and bonded for a long friendship. Some of us came got together just four years ago for a lunch together and catching up. She was always the proud mom and cheerleader of Luke.
During the mid to late1990s Karen taught full-time in the Anthropology Program at Wilfrid Laurier University. She was a dedicated, successful and popular teacher, a great colleague and team player. She also edited a special issue of the journal ANTHROPOLOGICA on “Women in the Fisheries,” contributing to it her own article, based on fieldwork in Labrador. She was a credit to her profession.
So sorry to hear that Karen passed away last July. When I worked with her at McMaster she was one of my sources of joy. She was always good but also slightly naughty and I much appreciated her smile and laugh and her spirit. She will be missed by many.
I was one of Karen’s advisors at Memorial University, and she was
a good friend as well. Karen stayed with us in our Conception Bay farmhouse many times, and looked after it in our longer absences several times. She was a joy to work with, as well as a wonderful person to be with. I only regret that over the past few years we fell out of contact, knowing that she was not well but hoping to visit her again in Hamilton. We sent her celebratory cards a few times but did not get a reply. Today, we learned from her husband John that she had passed away last July. We will miss her wit and intelligence, and our hearts go out to her family.
It is with great sadness that I learned only recently of Karen’s passing. She was a lovely person. Sending most sincere condolences to her family.