♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ OUR KAREN ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥
Karen was born a fiesty little redhead with a temper to match and didn't hesitate to show it when things were not "going her way". When she was about a year old, her mother decided to get a part-time job. She had one of her younger sisters over to baby-sit her. This made Karen very unhappy, and so she screamed her little head off and did not stop until her mother got home from her job. Needless to say, June lost her babysitter and her job after just one day. After that, she started a baby-sitting service at home. Karen was quite happy with this, and when she was a little older, became a "school teacher" to all the little children, as well as her sister Kathy who was two years younger. This was an advantage later in life as she began her work with special children.
Karen was such a special and wonderful part of our family and is the reason we have many of the photos of our family today. She loved photography and took thousands of photos, especially nature scenes. Her dream was to become a professional photographer and writer. She had already written articles that had been published in newspapers and magazines. She also wrote short stories and many beautiful poems.
When Karen took a notion to try something new, she didn't hesitate. Once she decided to go to Los Angeles with a friend, which she did, and, typical Karen, she got a job there. After being out there for a while, she thought it was time come back to Alabama, so with almost no money, and an old car that had one tire with a slow leak, she headed home. Since she had never seen the Grand Canyon and didn't want to waste a perfectly good opportunity, of course she did just that. How she made it back home safely with that old car, stopping frequently at gas stations to air up the tire, is something only Karen could do!
Karen had worked as a Flight Attendant for several years, but her true love was working with children. She loved little children and animals, especially those who had been neglected or abused and worked hard to help them and would have adopted them all if it had been possible. She had worked at the Children's Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, and on the Royal Carribean Cruise Lines caring for children of parents on the cruises. She later began working in Children's Social Services in Jacksonville, Florida with the worst cases of neglected and abused children. Being the compassionate person that she was, this job took a terrible toll on her emotionally, and as she began to suffer with bouts of depression, she had to change direction in her life. She studied to become a licensed massage therapist and then became a teacher of the art, all while continuing the pursuit of her dream of a career as a writer and photographer. There was no job that Karen was afraid to tackle for she just jumped right in and gave it her best.
She was also a volunteer worker with the local animal shelter in Jacksonville, where she would usually end up adopting a stray animal that she knew no one else would take. It might be the homeliest, but to her it was special. She was such a loving, caring, and beautiful person.
Karen lived by the ocean for almost all of her adult life, for that is where she was happiest. She found peace and solitude at the oceanside where she often went alone to do her writing and where she took many of her beautiful photographs. One of her poems is entitled "Finding Peace". The first verse of this poem is inscribed on her memorial marker with a picture of the ocean above. She and her younger sister Kathy were extremely close and spent many happy times together there. They shared a special bond, not only as sisters, but also as best friends. Kathy took care of her sister Karen's last pet, a cat named Nya that she had adopted from the animal shelter because nobody else wanted her. That was the loving and compassionate nature of "Our Karen".
Karen was preceded in death by her dad Herman "Red" Brown, her paternal grandparents, Herbert Brown and Carrie Brown and her maternal grandparents, Lewis Brady and Thelma "Burke" Brady. She is survived by her mother, June Clara "Brady" Brown and her sister, Kathy Renee "Brown" Flowers, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who loved her dearly. We will always miss her loving and caring spirit.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Karen was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia on her birthday and lost her battle with it ten days later when she had a sudden massive brain hemmorage at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. At her side were her mother, her sister Kathy with whom she shared a very close bond, her Aunt Pat, and other family members who also loved her deeply.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Finding Peace
Went to the ocean looking for answers,
Waves danced around my toes.
No solutions in the foamy surf,
Just contentment in the roar.
Hiked a mountain trail,
Prayed to my God for guidance
Through this journey.
No revelation on the hill,
Just peace among the glory.
Sweet, sweet nature calms my heart,
From stormy days to peaceful flow.
The heart holds all the knowing,
Nature gently guides the soul.
karen m. brown ~ ©2004
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
The poem below was written by Kathy not long after her sister died. She said that Karen had come to her in a dream one night and Kathy later penned this poem. She said the words just flowed and it was as though she were writing the words through Karen. To me they are Karen's words of comfort to her little sister.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I'm Closer Than You Think
Come close to me little sister
See me through the ancient veil that separates us.
Breathe in and discern me through the fog of doubt.
Accept my presence as a gift,
A soft translucence that moves with your thoughts
And flows around you, wrapping you with my essence.
Feel my breath as I whisper to you.
Listen with your open mind and heart
And hear the words of peace and comfort
I am capable of giving.
Let the sun filter through this veil
And illuminate the murky madness of guilt and fear.
Catch my laughter as it bounces through you
And share my smile as I see you, baby sister,
With fresh eyes and understanding.
Know me in my new form now
More completely than in life,
And share with me the beauty of this transformation.
~ in loving celebration of my "big sister" ~
Karen Marie Brown
May 14, 1965 ~ May 24, 2008
~Kathy~
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Karen was born a fiesty little redhead with a temper to match and didn't hesitate to show it when things were not "going her way". When she was about a year old, her mother decided to get a part-time job. She had one of her younger sisters over to baby-sit her. This made Karen very unhappy, and so she screamed her little head off and did not stop until her mother got home from her job. Needless to say, June lost her babysitter and her job after just one day. After that, she started a baby-sitting service at home. Karen was quite happy with this, and when she was a little older, became a "school teacher" to all the little children, as well as her sister Kathy who was two years younger. This was an advantage later in life as she began her work with special children.
Karen was such a special and wonderful part of our family and is the reason we have many of the photos of our family today. She loved photography and took thousands of photos, especially nature scenes. Her dream was to become a professional photographer and writer. She had already written articles that had been published in newspapers and magazines. She also wrote short stories and many beautiful poems.
When Karen took a notion to try something new, she didn't hesitate. Once she decided to go to Los Angeles with a friend, which she did, and, typical Karen, she got a job there. After being out there for a while, she thought it was time come back to Alabama, so with almost no money, and an old car that had one tire with a slow leak, she headed home. Since she had never seen the Grand Canyon and didn't want to waste a perfectly good opportunity, of course she did just that. How she made it back home safely with that old car, stopping frequently at gas stations to air up the tire, is something only Karen could do!
Karen had worked as a Flight Attendant for several years, but her true love was working with children. She loved little children and animals, especially those who had been neglected or abused and worked hard to help them and would have adopted them all if it had been possible. She had worked at the Children's Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, and on the Royal Carribean Cruise Lines caring for children of parents on the cruises. She later began working in Children's Social Services in Jacksonville, Florida with the worst cases of neglected and abused children. Being the compassionate person that she was, this job took a terrible toll on her emotionally, and as she began to suffer with bouts of depression, she had to change direction in her life. She studied to become a licensed massage therapist and then became a teacher of the art, all while continuing the pursuit of her dream of a career as a writer and photographer. There was no job that Karen was afraid to tackle for she just jumped right in and gave it her best.
She was also a volunteer worker with the local animal shelter in Jacksonville, where she would usually end up adopting a stray animal that she knew no one else would take. It might be the homeliest, but to her it was special. She was such a loving, caring, and beautiful person.
Karen lived by the ocean for almost all of her adult life, for that is where she was happiest. She found peace and solitude at the oceanside where she often went alone to do her writing and where she took many of her beautiful photographs. One of her poems is entitled "Finding Peace". The first verse of this poem is inscribed on her memorial marker with a picture of the ocean above. She and her younger sister Kathy were extremely close and spent many happy times together there. They shared a special bond, not only as sisters, but also as best friends. Kathy took care of her sister Karen's last pet, a cat named Nya that she had adopted from the animal shelter because nobody else wanted her. That was the loving and compassionate nature of "Our Karen".
Karen was preceded in death by her dad Herman "Red" Brown, her paternal grandparents, Herbert Brown and Carrie Brown and her maternal grandparents, Lewis Brady and Thelma "Burke" Brady. She is survived by her mother, June Clara "Brady" Brown and her sister, Kathy Renee "Brown" Flowers, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who loved her dearly. We will always miss her loving and caring spirit.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Karen was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia on her birthday and lost her battle with it ten days later when she had a sudden massive brain hemmorage at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. At her side were her mother, her sister Kathy with whom she shared a very close bond, her Aunt Pat, and other family members who also loved her deeply.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Finding Peace
Went to the ocean looking for answers,
Waves danced around my toes.
No solutions in the foamy surf,
Just contentment in the roar.
Hiked a mountain trail,
Prayed to my God for guidance
Through this journey.
No revelation on the hill,
Just peace among the glory.
Sweet, sweet nature calms my heart,
From stormy days to peaceful flow.
The heart holds all the knowing,
Nature gently guides the soul.
karen m. brown ~ ©2004
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
The poem below was written by Kathy not long after her sister died. She said that Karen had come to her in a dream one night and Kathy later penned this poem. She said the words just flowed and it was as though she were writing the words through Karen. To me they are Karen's words of comfort to her little sister.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I'm Closer Than You Think
Come close to me little sister
See me through the ancient veil that separates us.
Breathe in and discern me through the fog of doubt.
Accept my presence as a gift,
A soft translucence that moves with your thoughts
And flows around you, wrapping you with my essence.
Feel my breath as I whisper to you.
Listen with your open mind and heart
And hear the words of peace and comfort
I am capable of giving.
Let the sun filter through this veil
And illuminate the murky madness of guilt and fear.
Catch my laughter as it bounces through you
And share my smile as I see you, baby sister,
With fresh eyes and understanding.
Know me in my new form now
More completely than in life,
And share with me the beauty of this transformation.
~ in loving celebration of my "big sister" ~
Karen Marie Brown
May 14, 1965 ~ May 24, 2008
~Kathy~
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ OUR KAREN ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥
Karen was born a fiesty little redhead with a temper to match and didn't hesitate to show it when things were not "going her way". When she was about a year old, her mother decided to get a part-time job. She had one of her younger sisters over to baby-sit her. This made Karen very unhappy, and so she screamed her little head off and did not stop until her mother got home from her job. Needless to say, June lost her babysitter and her job after just one day. After that, she started a baby-sitting service at home. Karen was quite happy with this, and when she was a little older, became a "school teacher" to all the little children, as well as her sister Kathy who was two years younger. This was an advantage later in life as she began her work with special children.
Karen was such a special and wonderful part of our family and is the reason we have many of the photos of our family today. She loved photography and took thousands of photos, especially nature scenes. Her dream was to become a professional photographer and writer. She had already written articles that had been published in newspapers and magazines. She also wrote short stories and many beautiful poems.
When Karen took a notion to try something new, she didn't hesitate. Once she decided to go to Los Angeles with a friend, which she did, and, typical Karen, she got a job there. After being out there for a while, she thought it was time come back to Alabama, so with almost no money, and an old car that had one tire with a slow leak, she headed home. Since she had never seen the Grand Canyon and didn't want to waste a perfectly good opportunity, of course she did just that. How she made it back home safely with that old car, stopping frequently at gas stations to air up the tire, is something only Karen could do!
Karen had worked as a Flight Attendant for several years, but her true love was working with children. She loved little children and animals, especially those who had been neglected or abused and worked hard to help them and would have adopted them all if it had been possible. She had worked at the Children's Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, and on the Royal Carribean Cruise Lines caring for children of parents on the cruises. She later began working in Children's Social Services in Jacksonville, Florida with the worst cases of neglected and abused children. Being the compassionate person that she was, this job took a terrible toll on her emotionally, and as she began to suffer with bouts of depression, she had to change direction in her life. She studied to become a licensed massage therapist and then became a teacher of the art, all while continuing the pursuit of her dream of a career as a writer and photographer. There was no job that Karen was afraid to tackle for she just jumped right in and gave it her best.
She was also a volunteer worker with the local animal shelter in Jacksonville, where she would usually end up adopting a stray animal that she knew no one else would take. It might be the homeliest, but to her it was special. She was such a loving, caring, and beautiful person.
Karen lived by the ocean for almost all of her adult life, for that is where she was happiest. She found peace and solitude at the oceanside where she often went alone to do her writing and where she took many of her beautiful photographs. One of her poems is entitled "Finding Peace". The first verse of this poem is inscribed on her memorial marker with a picture of the ocean above. She and her younger sister Kathy were extremely close and spent many happy times together there. They shared a special bond, not only as sisters, but also as best friends. Kathy took care of her sister Karen's last pet, a cat named Nya that she had adopted from the animal shelter because nobody else wanted her. That was the loving and compassionate nature of "Our Karen".
Karen was preceded in death by her dad Herman "Red" Brown, her paternal grandparents, Herbert Brown and Carrie Brown and her maternal grandparents, Lewis Brady and Thelma "Burke" Brady. She is survived by her mother, June Clara "Brady" Brown and her sister, Kathy Renee "Brown" Flowers, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who loved her dearly. We will always miss her loving and caring spirit.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Karen was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia on her birthday and lost her battle with it ten days later when she had a sudden massive brain hemmorage at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. At her side were her mother, her sister Kathy with whom she shared a very close bond, her Aunt Pat, and other family members who also loved her deeply.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Finding Peace
Went to the ocean looking for answers,
Waves danced around my toes.
No solutions in the foamy surf,
Just contentment in the roar.
Hiked a mountain trail,
Prayed to my God for guidance
Through this journey.
No revelation on the hill,
Just peace among the glory.
Sweet, sweet nature calms my heart,
From stormy days to peaceful flow.
The heart holds all the knowing,
Nature gently guides the soul.
karen m. brown ~ ©2004
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
The poem below was written by Kathy not long after her sister died. She said that Karen had come to her in a dream one night and Kathy later penned this poem. She said the words just flowed and it was as though she were writing the words through Karen. To me they are Karen's words of comfort to her little sister.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I'm Closer Than You Think
Come close to me little sister
See me through the ancient veil that separates us.
Breathe in and discern me through the fog of doubt.
Accept my presence as a gift,
A soft translucence that moves with your thoughts
And flows around you, wrapping you with my essence.
Feel my breath as I whisper to you.
Listen with your open mind and heart
And hear the words of peace and comfort
I am capable of giving.
Let the sun filter through this veil
And illuminate the murky madness of guilt and fear.
Catch my laughter as it bounces through you
And share my smile as I see you, baby sister,
With fresh eyes and understanding.
Know me in my new form now
More completely than in life,
And share with me the beauty of this transformation.
~ in loving celebration of my "big sister" ~
Karen Marie Brown
May 14, 1965 ~ May 24, 2008
~Kathy~
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Karen was born a fiesty little redhead with a temper to match and didn't hesitate to show it when things were not "going her way". When she was about a year old, her mother decided to get a part-time job. She had one of her younger sisters over to baby-sit her. This made Karen very unhappy, and so she screamed her little head off and did not stop until her mother got home from her job. Needless to say, June lost her babysitter and her job after just one day. After that, she started a baby-sitting service at home. Karen was quite happy with this, and when she was a little older, became a "school teacher" to all the little children, as well as her sister Kathy who was two years younger. This was an advantage later in life as she began her work with special children.
Karen was such a special and wonderful part of our family and is the reason we have many of the photos of our family today. She loved photography and took thousands of photos, especially nature scenes. Her dream was to become a professional photographer and writer. She had already written articles that had been published in newspapers and magazines. She also wrote short stories and many beautiful poems.
When Karen took a notion to try something new, she didn't hesitate. Once she decided to go to Los Angeles with a friend, which she did, and, typical Karen, she got a job there. After being out there for a while, she thought it was time come back to Alabama, so with almost no money, and an old car that had one tire with a slow leak, she headed home. Since she had never seen the Grand Canyon and didn't want to waste a perfectly good opportunity, of course she did just that. How she made it back home safely with that old car, stopping frequently at gas stations to air up the tire, is something only Karen could do!
Karen had worked as a Flight Attendant for several years, but her true love was working with children. She loved little children and animals, especially those who had been neglected or abused and worked hard to help them and would have adopted them all if it had been possible. She had worked at the Children's Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, and on the Royal Carribean Cruise Lines caring for children of parents on the cruises. She later began working in Children's Social Services in Jacksonville, Florida with the worst cases of neglected and abused children. Being the compassionate person that she was, this job took a terrible toll on her emotionally, and as she began to suffer with bouts of depression, she had to change direction in her life. She studied to become a licensed massage therapist and then became a teacher of the art, all while continuing the pursuit of her dream of a career as a writer and photographer. There was no job that Karen was afraid to tackle for she just jumped right in and gave it her best.
She was also a volunteer worker with the local animal shelter in Jacksonville, where she would usually end up adopting a stray animal that she knew no one else would take. It might be the homeliest, but to her it was special. She was such a loving, caring, and beautiful person.
Karen lived by the ocean for almost all of her adult life, for that is where she was happiest. She found peace and solitude at the oceanside where she often went alone to do her writing and where she took many of her beautiful photographs. One of her poems is entitled "Finding Peace". The first verse of this poem is inscribed on her memorial marker with a picture of the ocean above. She and her younger sister Kathy were extremely close and spent many happy times together there. They shared a special bond, not only as sisters, but also as best friends. Kathy took care of her sister Karen's last pet, a cat named Nya that she had adopted from the animal shelter because nobody else wanted her. That was the loving and compassionate nature of "Our Karen".
Karen was preceded in death by her dad Herman "Red" Brown, her paternal grandparents, Herbert Brown and Carrie Brown and her maternal grandparents, Lewis Brady and Thelma "Burke" Brady. She is survived by her mother, June Clara "Brady" Brown and her sister, Kathy Renee "Brown" Flowers, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who loved her dearly. We will always miss her loving and caring spirit.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Karen was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia on her birthday and lost her battle with it ten days later when she had a sudden massive brain hemmorage at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. At her side were her mother, her sister Kathy with whom she shared a very close bond, her Aunt Pat, and other family members who also loved her deeply.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Finding Peace
Went to the ocean looking for answers,
Waves danced around my toes.
No solutions in the foamy surf,
Just contentment in the roar.
Hiked a mountain trail,
Prayed to my God for guidance
Through this journey.
No revelation on the hill,
Just peace among the glory.
Sweet, sweet nature calms my heart,
From stormy days to peaceful flow.
The heart holds all the knowing,
Nature gently guides the soul.
karen m. brown ~ ©2004
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
The poem below was written by Kathy not long after her sister died. She said that Karen had come to her in a dream one night and Kathy later penned this poem. She said the words just flowed and it was as though she were writing the words through Karen. To me they are Karen's words of comfort to her little sister.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I'm Closer Than You Think
Come close to me little sister
See me through the ancient veil that separates us.
Breathe in and discern me through the fog of doubt.
Accept my presence as a gift,
A soft translucence that moves with your thoughts
And flows around you, wrapping you with my essence.
Feel my breath as I whisper to you.
Listen with your open mind and heart
And hear the words of peace and comfort
I am capable of giving.
Let the sun filter through this veil
And illuminate the murky madness of guilt and fear.
Catch my laughter as it bounces through you
And share my smile as I see you, baby sister,
With fresh eyes and understanding.
Know me in my new form now
More completely than in life,
And share with me the beauty of this transformation.
~ in loving celebration of my "big sister" ~
Karen Marie Brown
May 14, 1965 ~ May 24, 2008
~Kathy~
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Inscription
WENT TO THE OCEAN LOOKING FOR ANSWERS
WAVES DANCED AROUND MY TOES
NO SOLUTIONS IN THE FOAMY SURF
JUST CONTENTMENT IN THE ROAR
Note: An excerpt from one of Karen's poems - Finding Peace
