Karen D. Parker's Obituary
Karen Denice Parker, January 10, 1947 – October 26, 2012
“Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss
Our beloved mother, grandmother, soul mate, sister, aunt and friend, Karen (Lemos) Parker tackled life with faith, enthusiasm, gratitude, humor, and resilience. For 18 months, our reigning “Queen” fought gastric cancer with a warrior’s valor - and an angel’s grace. On October 26, 2012, the Lord carried her home to find rest in His eternal embrace. Now, she holds the keys to the secrets of the world she was so eager to explore.
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.
~Mae West
Born on January 10th, 1947 to Lyle & Lillian Lemos, Karen will be remembered for her appetite for the good life. She heartily pursued her passions: time with family, travel, food, antiques, vintage jewelry, reading, music - and her tastes were broad. (From James Taylor to Quiet Riot, she was open to whatever music stirred her soul!) She adored her family and her 4 grandchildren, and of course, her beloved cats, Zippy, Zak and Peanut - whose enthusiastic purrs no doubt greeted her entrance into the everlasting. An intensely curious, compassionate, intelligent, loving, vibrant, funny, and capable woman, Karen touched the lives of many.
Karen enjoyed a career as a civil servant that spanned 3 decades, most of which was spent at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. As a newly minted single mother, she launched her career in the typing pool and deftly garnered recognition, awards and promotions over the years. Her legacy lives on at CMS’ Child Care Center that serves employees’ children, which Karen designed and launched. She was intimately acquainted with the peace of mind those efforts would bring working families.
After raising her own brood, Karen embraced mid-life with vigor. She indulged her nomadic spirit, traveling to France, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, Albuquerque and England. A member of Women Traveling Together, she found kindred spirits with ladies who shared her world citizenship. But we especially smile when we think about her final trip. Just weeks following a brutal round of chemo, she took her bald, beautiful self to Disney World to plunge down a raging waterslide. Take that, Cancer.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” - Isaiah 41:10
Karen’s memory will live on in her many treasured friends and loving family members: her partner, Frank Kindel; daughter, Diane (Parker) Meehl; son-in-law, Tony Meehl; son, Steven Parker; sisters, Suzanne (Lemos) Henson and Valerie (Lemos) Dugan; nieces, Heather Henson and Dana (Henson) Gaehring; nephew Sean Dugan; and her beloved grandchildren: Eli, Lauren and Sarah Meehl (14, 10 and 6) and Christian Parker (19 - months).
Karen and her family are deeply grateful for the compassionate and attentive care she received from Hospice of the Chesapeake and Bright Star Healthcare. Our deepest gratitude will be paid forward.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Karen on Saturday, December 1st from 1 – 3 p.m. at Lasting Tributes Cremation & Funeral Care in Annapolis, Maryland. If you’d like to honor Karen’s memory with a donation, kindly direct those toward Hospice of the Chesapeake: http://www.hospicechesapeake.org
What’s your fondest memory of Karen?
What’s a lesson you learned from Karen?
Share a story where Karen's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Karen you’ll never forget.
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