Karen Kohler, age 68, of Shelburne, Vt., died peacefully at the University of Vermont Medical Center on September 15, 2023, after a yearlong battle with cancer.
Without a doubt, she had a kind and gentle soul. She is in God’s caring hands now and one of His special angels. We believe that her kind and loving spirit will be looking over her family and friends.
Sweetie, we will miss you greatly. May you rest in peace.
Final viewing will be held at Ready Funeral Home, 261 Shelburne Rd., Burlington, VT, on Wednesday, September 20, 5-7 p.m. The funeral mass will be held at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 72 Church St., Shelburne, VT, on Thursday, September 21, noon-1 p.m. The family asks that you join them for a small, informal reception in the church hall after the interment ceremonies at the Shelburne Cemetery.
Karen was born on March 9, 1955, in Boston, to the late Raymond and Lillian Haskell. She graduated from Vestal High School in Vestal, N.Y., in 1973. She went on to earn a degree as a medical office assistant from Broome Community College in Binghamton, N.Y. After several years working in that field, she went back to BCC to earn her degree as a registered nurse in 1979. She worked in that profession across various disciplines for over 43 years, both in New York and Vermont, until officially retiring from the UVMMC rehab unit in November 2021.
Anyone who met Karen over the years was attracted to her contagious smile, fun nature, and enthusiastic party-planner spirit for family and friends. She loved working in her home gardens, enjoyed cooking and baking, was always willing to help and support her family and friends, and loved playing with and going on fun adventures with her grandchildren. She was dedicated to helping countless patients through their healing process and was devoted to her medical colleagues — nurses, doctors and management. As a result, she made many lifelong friends along the way.
In 1979, she married John Kohler at St. Vincent De Paul Blessed Sacrament Church in Vestal, N.Y. They were married for 44 years, living in Endwell, N.Y., until moving to Shelburne, Vt., in 1993.
She is survived by her husband, John, of Shelburne, Vt.; daughter Melissa Kohler of Waterbury, Vt.; son Ben Kohler of Auburndale, Mass. (daughter-in-law Helen, grandson Alex and granddaughter Ellie); son Jonathan of Essex Junction, Vt. (daughter-in-law Kassie, grandson Grant and granddaughter Avery), and her blocky-headed English yellow Lab, Jake.
She is also survived by sister Deb Seaman and her husband, Mike Seaman, of New Tazewell, Tenn.; sister Cindy Simone and her husband, Dennis, of Monroe, N.Y.; sister Lisa Distin and her husband, Mike, of Binghamton, N.Y.; sister-in-heart and lifetime friend Joyce Oziemina and her husband, Tom, of Apalachin, N.Y; cousins Josephine DeSalvatore and Lori Ingliss, both of the Boston area; niece Jessica White and her husband, Lt. Col. Mac White, of Hampstead, N.C.; and aunt Linda Pantridge of Gulfport, Fla. She is predeceased by her nephew David Seaman of Kentucky.
A message from her sisters:
Dear sister, we thank you so much for the many years of friendship, celebration and adventures that you shared with us — the personal gifts you left on our beds, the wonderful meals, the hikes, the shopping, and your homemade jams and breads. You showed us your love in so many ways. You always had such a calming influence on the situations and people you encountered in life. Knowing you was its own blessing. God and His angels have now received you into heaven with the knowledge that you lived a life of love, compassion and forgiveness. We will all miss you dearly.
Karen was a longtime supporter of the Vermont Marine Corps League’s Toys for Kids program, which collects and distributes new toys to needy children during the Christmas season.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a tax-deductible donation in her name to Toys for Kids, PO Box 4092, Burlington, VT 05406, or go directly to the Toys for Kids website (toysforkidsvt.com), hit the donate tab and donate via PayPal.
Arrangements are in care of Ready Funeral and Cremation Services. To send online condolences, please visit readyfuneral.com.
This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2023.