Obituary of Karen Anne MAXWELL

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Karen Anne Maxwell, daughter to proud parents Joan Marie Maxwell (Nolan) and William Douglas Maxwell (passed February 11, 2000), loving sister to Donna Marie Maxwell (Ian Charles Davidson) and devoted Godmother to dear Chris, Sophie and Sage Skjodt. Karen was born November 3, 1965 in Fort McMurray, Alberta and led a remarkable life. It was once remarked that Karen could fall upstairs, but in truth, Karen dared where others might not. Karen was someone who worked for what she wanted, was loyal, direct and fearlessness in setting boundaries and earnest in a way that reminded all of us around her of the beauty of being vulnerable and honest about who we truly are at our cores.                     

Karen grew up in Lethbridge, Alberta, attending Lethbridge Collegiate Institute and graduating from the University of Lethbridge with a degree in Management. At twenty-one years of age Karen left Lethbridge and headed east.

From working at the CBC in Toronto; to working in music management with Sloan and the Rankin Family in Halifax; to attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in Milan, Italy; to teaching gifted young women at Sacred Heart School of Halifax, after completing a second degree, this time in Education;  Karen brought order and beauty to everything she touched. Karen returned to Southern Alberta in 2005, moving to Calgary with sister, Donna. It was here Karen created a beautiful life for herself complete with a lovely home and deep and abiding friendships. It was one of Karen’s many gifts that wherever she lived she developed deep friendships with people of integrity, wit and kindness.

Karen loved to travel, including regular trips to New York City, Paris and California. Whether it was the Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City or the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, Karen had a keen understanding of and appreciation for art and fashion and was a gifted writer. A few highlights of travels include family birthdays celebrated in Athens, Santorini and Paris, going on tour to Japan with Sloan, summers and Christmases spent with family at our family summer home on the Bras Dor Lake along with numerous trips to Indian Wells, California which served as a launch pad for road trips for Karen and Mom to towns along the Southern California coastline. Karen always knew what the latest and greatest trend, event, store, food or restaurant was, and she had boundless energy and enthusiasm to experience the best new thing. Through Karen we saw all that was new and interesting in the world.

Karen passed from a very rare and aggressive form of cancer. She still had so much life left to live. We are heartbroken. There are times in life we can impact change by working harder, longer or smarter and then there are times we are faced with circumstances beyond our control. Watching Karen face such remarkably unfair circumstances over which she had no control we learnt what grace truly means.

We will forever miss our sweet, beautiful Karen but we will carry her in our hearts forever and she will go on in in the memories of each friend and family member she travelled with, laughed with and simply spent time with.

A special thank you to the remarkable team at Rosedale Hospice. Their compassion and expertise are unparalleled. They placed their arms around Karen and our family and loved and cared for us during a terribly sad and difficult time and for this we are profoundly grateful.

A memorial mass will be performed for the repose of Karen’s soul at 10:00 am, Friday, December 20, 2019 at Sacred Heart Church, 1307 – 14th St. S.W., Calgary with a reception to follow. Internment to occur at Forest Haven Memorial Garden in Sydney, Nova Scotia summer 2020.