Obituary of Karen R. Richardson

Karen Ruth (Parks) Richardson left this world suddenly the night of April 11, 2019 in Syracuse, NY, after her youngest daughter Laura (“my baby”) did the same 9 days previous. 

Karen was born in San Angelo, TX, on April 23, 1944, lived in Texas through elementary school, and subsequently on Long Island through high school.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Delaware, a Master's Degree in Library Science at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), and worked most of her adult life in Wisconsin and New York State as a homemaker, mentor, and caregiver for her mother, husband, daughters, and sons-in-law, occasionally and briefly entering the retail workforce.

Karen was a lover all her life, genuine and unassuming.  She loved those who raised her in difficult circumstances.  She loved a man who needed loving, and inspired two wonderful daughters in her image, with him.  She loved her creatures, especially her collies.  She always watched, expansively, to adopt others who needed loving, “little ones” who fell under the angelic aura of her generous spirit, gentle life rhythms, and grace-filled comportment.  She filled their hearts, and often their mailboxes, with graceful script and scripture, with affectionate stickers and stamps from her endless stock.  Sometimes she re-filled their wallets.  Gifts spoke her love; her home was cluttered with gifts-to-go, looking for their own homes.  Never wanting to be a burden herself, she freely and humbly embraced others being burdened, somewhat like the poor widow who gave away all she had to support others.  Attachments were her accomplishments.  Many have said simply, in apt tribute, “You know, I loved her.” On the day she died, she was completing ten days of re-energized love for those who loved her late baby.  Having loved her own in this world, she loved them to the end.

She is survived by her husband and admiring best friend since late teen years Dave Richardson, by their daughter Kristin (Jim Butters), by her brother Rick (Frederick Roger) Parks (Shelby), by her bereaved son-in-law Kevin Conners, by her virtual sisters Dianne Bowen, Sherrill Dec, Connie Morey, Shirley Pilster-Daniel, Pamela  Richardson, Rosemary Stein, Yvonne Young, and Donna Zeolla, by her Wednesday Bible-Study sisters-at-heart, by her sister-in-law Susan Richardson (Brian Smeenk) and brother in law Peter Richardson … and by Hope, last in the line of her collies.

Karen’s and Laura’s lives here with us, and the life we know they now have with the Lord, will be celebrated in a joint memorial service – open to all -- at Eastern Hills Bible Church, 8277 Cazenovia Road (Highway 92), Manlius, NY13104, www.easternhills.org, on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, for those wishing to make a donation in Karen’s memory, please consider Karen’s friends and associates at David’s Refuge (www.davidsrefuge.org), or Joni&Friends (www.joniandfriends.org), or the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) (Alzheimer’s  took Karen’s mother Ruby Parks).

In the photo to the left, from October 2018, Karen is expressively radiant as she marvels at the avian angel covering both herself and daughter Laura.  The visit of a variety of avian angels was an inspiration of her husband Dave’s bowler friend Tom Kirkwood.