Karen "Kim" Irene (Marino) DiJulio

January 9, 1953 - June 15, 2022

A loving mother, sister, grandmother, and friend; a true character and creative soul we’ve all grown to love, appreciate, and remember.

Karen Irene Marino was born in 1953 to Olga Yolanda Spica and John Benjamin Marino, Jr. in Ridgewood, NJ at Valley Hospital. She grew up there and graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1971. She moved to New York City and studied the Arts at the New School for Social Research and Parsons School of Design 1971-1981.

There, in NYC, she lived in the SoHo neighborhood where she met Alterisio C. DiJulio, “Charlie”, shooting pool at a local bar, “Milady’s”. Soon she was married to the artist and expecting their first child, a daughter named Maxine. After becoming pregnant with their second child, a son named John, Kim and Charlie bought a 5-acre property in Palisade, Colorado with a small vineyard.

Kim studied Middle Eastern dance under Ibrahim “Bobby” Farrah while still in New York and was locally active in belly dancing throughout the 80’s & 90’s on Colorado’s Western Slope. She self-published two books during the 90’s and participated in yoga, rock collecting, and multiple recreational pool leagues. In 2005 she took three years of master classes in Denver at The Clear Creek Academy of Jewelry & Metal Arts. Her dichroic glass pieces have been shown in galleries and fairs around Colorado and online.

During her 35+ years as an organic farmer of award-winning vinifera wine grapes, she cultivated a vast network of lawns and gardens on her property which she maintained until being diagnosed with brain cancer in March of 2022.

Kim is survived by her 2 children, Maxine DiJulio Hendry and John DiJulio, granddaughter Hazelee Monroe DiJulio, brother Dr. John “Jack” B. Marino III, and numerous other nieces, nephews and cousins, and cats.

A creative soul and independent thinker who always spoke her mind and loved to laugh and watch old movies, Kim was most at peace creating art through painting, writing, acting, dancing, jewelry design, gardening, farming, or any other task. As a true spirit of the 1960’s, one of her favorite songs was Like a Rolling Stone, by Bob Dylan. Kim will be forever missed.

Kim’s Celebration of Life will be held at the Magnolia House in Palisade, 3674 G 4/10 Road, Palisade, Colorado on September 10, 2022 between 5-7 PM.

She will be laid to rest in her family plot at Woodlawn Cemetery in NY on Sunday, September 18th. For additional details, please contact [email protected]

Please share memories and photos for her online memorial at: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/grand-junction-co/karen-dijulio-10795644#remembering

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to HopeWest Hospice or your local hospice in Kim’s name at https://www.hopewestco.org/donate/