A wonderful, generous, intelligent, gorgeous woman and surfing gal-pal, Karen was a founding member of the South Steyne Surf Sistas (SSSS), an informal group of female surfers who lived in Manly and whom weather permitting, could be found most days laughing as we caught – and wiped out from - a few waves somewhere along Manly beach.
Karen lived down the road and we met in 2001 while descending the stairs at south Manly one dawn, surfed together and from then saw each other in the water and out, several times a week.
A keen surfer, Karen was devastated when diagnosed with breast cancer.
Do to ongoing treatment she was unable to surf, so the SSSS - Sophie, Laura, Alison, Belinda and Eilidh - decided that every time we went out surfing alone or together, we’d ‘catch a wave for Karen’.
Unfortunately, after her initial diagnosis she was rarely well enough to get back on her beloved surfboard, but was always keen to hear about the waves that the rest of the sistas had been riding.
A 'glass-half-full’ person, Karen was a gifted teacher and was as much an inspiration on the waves as she was in the classroom. A loving mother to Josh and Sarah, who caught the surfing bug from her and her former husband Tony, Karen loved nothing better than taking them to the beach and watching the joy on their faces as they slid doen the face of little waves.
A few years ago, Karen met and married Martin, for whom she said made the sun come out again in her life.
Family and friends are invitedto attend a Celebration of Karen's life to be held in its entirety at St Matthew's Anglican Church, The Corso, Manly, on Monday (June 15, 2009) at 2 p.m.
Prior to the service, a viewing of Karen will be held from1.20 to 1.50 p.m.Karen has requested that, instead of flowers, a collection be taken on the day to support her sponsored child in Indonesia.Karen has also requested no black to be worn at this celebration of her life.
Karen was just 48; a wonderful friend who was much loved by so many and she will be sadly missed wherever and whenever the sistas surf.
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