Karen Stefanson Obituary, Death Cause – Our lovely and beautiful daughter, sister, and auntie, Karen Marie Stefanson, passed away recently. It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of her passing. On Saturday, March 4th, 2023, Karen died away at the Cowichan Hospice House with her family members at her side.
The cheerful personality and dry sense of humor that Karen possessed provided our family with a great deal of happiness. Her parents, Darlene and Bill, her brothers, Ken and Rob, her sister-in-law Amber, and most notably her nieces and nephew, Brittany, (grandnephew’s Mason and Brooks), Mia, Emmett, and Olive, with whom she had extremely special relationships, will miss her terribly.
In addition to this, she is survived by a number of beloved cousins. Karen’s maternal grandparents, Marnie and Papa Sharp, as well as her paternal grandparents, Amma and Afi Stefanson, as well as a number of her aunts, uncles, and cousins, passed away before she was born.
Karen was born on September 25th, 1971, but she officially became our beloved daughter on October 8th, 1971, which was also Darlene’s birthday.
Karen has been referred to by Darlene as being the nicest birthday gift she has ever received. Karen left home when she was 17 years old in search of excitement, and she ended up spending a year in Chile as a Rotary Exchange Student, where she became fluent in Spanish. Soon after that, Karen earned a degree in Tourism Administration and went on to work in the hospitality industry, specifically in event planning, conference management, and general management.
Her professional life carried her to Victoria, Vancouver, and ultimately to Whistler, which she called home for a significant portion of her life. Working for the Women’s Hockey Team venue at the University of British Columbia during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver was a highlight of her professional career.
Karen has used her gifts to teach meditation at local colleges, large events such as ‘Wanderlust,’ and most recently for an online support community called ‘I Had Cancer’ that is based in New York and caters to people who have been affected by cancer. Beyond the tourism industry, she has also earned certification as a meditation instructor.
