Hi Karen Marie Kainer I wanted to wish you a happy Birthday. I will never forget your sweet face and huge smile when it was a loved one’s birthday. I miss you and I know your family does and we love you so much. So today we celebrate you and I give thanks for the memories I have and the time God gave me to spend with you. I believe he put me here to meet your sister and then I got to meet you. I am blessed to have your family and thank you for being Catherine’s sister and all the love and inspiration you left with her. I hope you’re doing the chicken dance with my dad because he is a joker and would dance with you in heaven. I heart Karen, Happy Birthday.🥰

When I first met Catherine I wasn’t expecting I would be met with so much love from her sister Karen. I got so many hugs and kisses on the cheek from Karen sometimes felt like even more than my girlfriend 😁. Karen in all these years never forgot my birthday or a card. In those cards she always shared with me how much I was her favorite and wished me from Heart Karen🥺. I liked hearing her talk about her day and especially how she loved her sister Catherine and wanted me to marry her 🙏🏻 would make Karen happy in her heart. Karen was so incredibly independent and just a beautiful sister to be around and I am so honored to have been a good brother to her she meant so much to me and my girl Catherine. I will always remember you Karen. I Heart you.✝️

Karen remembered birthdays and anniversaries whether it was immediate family or not. If she knew it, she remembered it.

The fact that she had such a great memory made her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, so surprising as well as devastatingly sad. Once it progress beyond the point of our capabilities we made the difficult but necessary decision to move her out of the only environment she had ever known, which brought about new and different stresses. I think, we all began to question why she had to suffer so with her broken mind when she didn’t deserve it. 

Once she was in her new place, I watched  as she became more engaging—at least to a greater degree than at home. There was far more stimuli around her. In a short time nurses, aides administrators and residents began to care about her and look out for her. We learned different stories of their interactions with Karen that made them smile, laugh and surprised them. She may not have been able to talk much anymore, but she still flashed that smile, giggled & surprised you with a word or phrase…all of which were infectious. 

So maybe, there were a few other people that needed to meet her and have her in their orbit before she left. We will always be more than grateful to all the people who took special care of Karen and looked out for her during the time we couldn’t. She was a unique little lady who will be incredibly missed, but we are glad she is now free. 
 
A-oh Karen! 
Love you from in the heart

The way her mind structured information was interesting. She would correlate the days of the week with the colors she wore and the food she ate. Thursdays were turkey day and purple day because Thursday had a U in it.
One day my mom was at Subway with Karen when she spun around and told the man in line that she needed a hug. Mom was mortified. The man said it’s ok and Karen hugged him and he hugged her. He told my mother that he was an off-duty police officer and that he had had a rough day and that hug was needed. She had a way about her like that.

Karen did many things:

- She was part of the special Olympics.
- She had friends.
- She bowled. 
- She did hook rugs, of which we had many.
- She did word search puzzles. 
- She kept diaries. 
- She learned life skills. 
- She traveled
- She was serious at times and stubborn.
- If she got angry, it didn’t last long and she would tell you the red devil must’ve got in her. 
- She was always forgiving. 
- She loved to write and wrote my mom & Dad many notes and cards.
- Most everyone she knew got cards or a letter. If you were lucky she stuck a coupon in there too or a trinket. 
- She would write letters to Robert, Catherine and I to remind us of daylight savings time & sent us valentines cards. 

She learned far beyond what was expected of her.

Karen Marie

Because my mom was brave and dared to disagree with a Dr. that said my sister would never amount to anything more than a burden and should be institutionalized, Karen thrived and lived a life beyond expectation. 

Because of the choices my mom & dad made, Karen became very self sufficient. She worked, she rode Metrolift—her vein of independence, she washed her own clothes, cooked her own meals—microwave only, all while living at home with our parents. 

Because my parents chose to be brave & take Karen out in public when comments such as, ‘…you don’t bring a child like that out. You leave them at home’, swirled around them from strangers, Karen became a social butterfly of sorts. She loved her family, friends & people & was a total ham. She loved the attention. She unknowingly endeared herself to almost everyone she met.

Sparkly things always caught Karen’s eye. Once during a trip to Target, Karen spied a glittery dress. She grabbed it off the rack, held it up to herself and said, “Would I look good in this?”

Karen always wanted to help and my next-door neighbor Carrie told me this story:

Her husband survived a stroke and was struggling with rehab. Unbeknownst to us, Karen brought her portable keyboard to their house because Karen felt playing it would be good therapy for his hands.

Karen’s empathy knew no bounds - evidenced by her uncanny ability to recognize the need for what her family coined “a Karen hug” to those desiring a bit of love.

Even while battling Alzheimer’s, Karen’s compassion, caring, and kindness shone through. Once while I was watching TV with her, a commercial for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital came on. Karen said to the images of cancer-stricken kids, “It’s okay, it’ll be alright”.

Karen gave the best hugs and she seemed to know who was in need of one. We were in Subway getting her favorite turkey sandwich, she turned to the gentleman behind us and said “ I need a hug”, he looked surprised but leaned down and gave her a hug.
 On our next visit, the cashier told me that after we left the fellow said he was an off-duty policeman and had had a very bad day and Karen’s hug was just what he needed.

Down Syndrome:
It doesn’t mean I’m  down. It means I help people who are feeling down. My smiles are contagious. My laugh is medicine for the heart. My hugs are heavenly. My heart itself is PURE GOLD - @ilmiocuore

One day God sent an angel to be happy and to make others happy. Now He’s calling this angel, our angel Karen, home.

Karen will be greatly missed. She was so kind, loving, and never met a stranger. Her love for everyone was abundant and apparent. I am proud to call her my friend. May she rest in peace!
Love, 
Catherine Swilley

Dear Annette and  Family
My heart is aching for all of you at the loss of your precious Karen. But I know she is in Heaven dancing with the Angels. May your wonderful and loving  memories of her sustain you in this time of sorrow!
Sincerely, 
Kathy Rotwitt

We will miss her more than the limits of our language can tell and our heart can bear. Our world is that much fuller because we knew her and that much emptier now that she’s gone.

To Chris and family
So sorry for your loss. Shes getting big hugs from all the angels!
I remember when Chris would text a word that she had said then everyone would try to figure the word out!
Take care my friend. Hope you are doing well.
Sincerely 
Pam Hilmes

Dear Annette, Bob, Robert, Chris and Catherine,

Karen touched us all with her beauty, joy and love for everyone, a precious soul.  She was sensitive, and cared so much about others. At times shy, she was like a little flower bud blooming in the sunshine of your encouragement. Your dedication and care supported her very happy and successful life and the lives of so many others. We were privileged to share part of Karen's life with Dorothy who still suffers with her Alzheimer's.  We know Karen is rejoicing in the loving presence of God, and will join our prayers with hers for your consolation and peace. What a beautiful witness you and she are to our Catholic faith.
Dorothy Feehery , and Mary

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Karen Marie Kainer

3 juillet 1960 – 6 mars 2025

Heights Funeral Home

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