Eulogy at cremation ceremony on 16 February 2024 You will not be surprised to hear that as Karen's husband I loved and admired her more than anything else. To our children, her brothers and me it has been a great help to learn from all the letters, cards and messages we have received since the day of her sudden death. We realised that many others also loved and admired her dearly for her personality and work. We are deeply grateful for all the good things we have heard about her from colleagues, survivors, school children and members of the various communities in the region where Karen was actively involved. Karen was rooted in a beautiful part of upstate New York - the homeland of the pioneer spirit and, more importantly, women's liberation and empowerment. Her background and education made it self-evident to her that as a representative of humankind and Christianity one has an opportunity and obligation to work for improvement of life where we can influence it -- with humility and persistence, each of us in our own way. Karen worked at the National Holocaust Centre and Museum here in Laxton for almost ten years, first as a volunteer and then employed in various educational and outreach roles. It was a natural fit. Inspired by a former child refugee who was her German teacher, she had graduated in European History at an American women's college, followed by a year of study in Germany and 36 years of our marriage with three wonderful children. At the Centre, she devoted herself caringly to the Beth Shalom family of Holocaust survivors. Her sense of human dignity, honesty and justice, her passion, knowledge, skills and bravery were put to good use at the Centre against the evils that keep trying to consume the human mind: hate, deceit, simplification and exploitation. In the age of social media, this four-horned devil looks dangerously close to taking control again. Holocaust education remains one of the best ways to prevent that, for it is based on thoroughly documented hard facts and manifold testimony of the most outrageous of evils. Karen gave it her all – sadly more than her gentle heart was able to bear. What one of us mortals can do alone, or together in groups, will always be very little as we come and go. However, testimony of survivors shows that even small acts of decency and courage can sometimes make the big difference between life and death. For today and the long term, our society can achieve change to the better above all by building and cultivating effective, capable institutions in a civilised, inclusive cultural framework of respect for the dignity of every human. I pray to the Lord: Give us feeble humans strength for mustering the courage to resist evil. Lord, take up our beloved Karen in your eternal heaven, along with all others whose lives are lost to illness, disease, exhaustion, neglect, despair, disasters, accidents and violence in these challenging days. I pledge to do what is in my power and abilities to carry on where Karen left, with her guiding spirit always by my side. Please join me in a few minutes of quiet reflection and prayer while we hear one of Karen's favourite pieces of music, "Give It All You Got" by Chuck Mangione. He is from Rochester NY, only a few miles from Karen's home. Karen's eldest brother Paul, who died last year, played the trombone with Chuck Mangione in his own musical career. You may recall this piece of jazz music as the theme tune for the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid NY. It illustrates the joyful energy and compassion that was so characteristic of what Karen was all about. Her cremated remains will return to the beautiful place of her birth that is known as The Chosen Spot in the Iroquois language. Our family considers it as our home. May her soul rest in eternal peace and her spirit guide us on our ways.

Messages Received by the Family - Words from Survivors: "Karen was a wonderful educator, knowledgeable and so sympathetic with everyone with whom she came in contact" "I am deeply shocked and mourn a life well lived that should have continued for a long time" "Karen's earnestness and deep commitment to what we are doing will remain, as will her friendship" "She was such a warm and friendly person and I always enjoyed seeing her" "Only recently I gave a talk at the Centre, Karen introduced me to 60+ Year 9 pupils and made me feel I was the most important person in the world; and she checked at the end that I finished with my usual warning: 'Don't pick on others because they are different ...'" "God bless and, who knows Karen, maybe we will meet again" Messages Received by the Family - Words from School Children: "Karen has listened and respected us, and I respect her and care for her. I would never forget her or the time we visited the Holocaust Centre" "She was nice and kind and she was always patient when we had a question"

Messages Received by the Family - Words from Karen's Colleagues and Friends: "Karen was an inspiring lead of our Education Team. She was a highly competent administrator and organiser. However her greatest skills lay in her wonderful character. She was always supportive and guided us with empathy, always ready to listen to others' point of view" "Her thoughtful and affectionate approach has enhanced the lives of thousands of people – from the schoolchildren she educated to the hate crime perpetrators she helped to rehabilitate" "We loved Karen so deeply and admired her for her passion, values and ethics. She has left an absolutely immense legacy to the museum. She will always be in our hearts." "She is deeply revered by all of us at the museum, the glue holding the education team together and the absolute essence of the museum as a whole" "I had such admiration for how she never stopped being curious and learning everything she could" "She set up the groundbreaking 'Breaking the Cycle' programme with the Nottinghamshire Police, turning hate into hope" "Whomever Karen met – Holocaust survivors, school children, adult visitors – she treated them with the same genuine interest, respect and warmth" "She gave me a voice, and in doing so enabled my life to mean something" "Thousands of school children will be better people in the future because of her" "She was passionate about her work and took great pride in her involvement with multi-faith groups encouraging them to have a voice" "Karen made me feel so welcome and included. She gave me advice and shared her knowledge and experience, as well as made me laugh! Her humour and her passion were infectuous" "Nobody who met her could fail to be moved by her sincerity and passion for our cause. She was motivated by a deep desire to combat the hatreds which led to the Holocaust and which circulate today" "Someone who listened, spoke gently and used wise words to show she understood the lives of other" "Her life and her love of learning and knowledge were so inspiring to me" "Karen was able to really engage on a deep level with some very challenging people. She applied the lessons of the holocaust, and of the enduring compassion and determination of survivors she worked with, to really change hearts and minds." "One could write books about Karen. A woman who was at home in the world, for whom family came first but professional work was highly important. Her understanding of German history was much deeper than commonly found in the UK" "She was strong enough to stand her ground for herself but especially for others" "She was a natural educator – connecting with all of our visitors" "Her memory of courage, empathy, respect and understanding will live on in my heart" "She never wavered in demonstrating the core values of the Centre, whether to survivors, school children, educators or operational staff – at all levels" "I will always hear Karen's voice in my work at the Centre and elsewhere. It will always be soft, always wise and always kind. And I will hear her laughter too" "How greatly I am already missing her presence at the Centre, as well as our conversations, her warmth and her humanity, and that certain look in her eye when a moment of humour passed between us" "Karen always took time to stop and say a cheery word or have a long chat with me. She made me giggle, offered words of wisdom and was the kindest, most caring lady" "Whichever project or activity Karen performed, she carried them out with the highest degree of professionalism, competence and efficiency. Most notably she was a welcome calming, caring force who extended her kindness throughout the daily interactions with students, staff and parents" "Her impactful ways and demeanor is etched into my memory where it will remain forever" "Karen was a wonderful and passionate colleague with a great sense of humour" "Karen was an engaging and inspirational educator who wanted to break prejudice" "She was a wonderful, kind, gentle soul and she will always be in my heart" "Words simply cannot express her brilliance, her integrity, her commitment, her talent" Messages Received by the Family - Words from Karen's Partners in Organisations and Communities: "Her dedication to help make people understand each other was ongoing. She was gifted being able to change hearts and minds in her gentle and direct conversation" "A fountain of knowledge" "She spoke fluent German, which was so useful in researching and teaching about the Holocaust" "She had a gentle way of sharing her message without judgment or the need for harsh words" "A lot of students (and staff) will continue her work against hatred for many years to come because of her dedication and enthusiasm" "I had the highest regard for Karen who was not only a wonderfully diligent professional and valued partner but the nicest, kindest, sweetest person you could ever hope to meet" "Karen's legacy is secure and we will continue to build on all she achieved" "Her passion and sincerity in combating the hatred that led to Holocaust was deeply felt by all and I know she will be missed by the Jewish community and by all whose lives she touched" "Karen treated Holocaust education like the vocation it is. Sensitive, understanding and wise. We have lost an outstanding colleague long before her time" "Karen made a real difference to peoples' lives" "Karen was a valued partner to Nottinghamshire Police and to our Hate Crime team in particular" "People like Karen don't come around often but she certainly made an impact" "She was always kind, smiling, full of ideas, and dedicated to make people understand each other better" "As a colleague, she will be sorely missed. As a friend, she leaves a gap where her wisdom, friendliness, her warmth, her compassion and thoughtfulness should be" "Karen will leave a massive hole to all who had the honour of loving, working, meeting and being inspired by her warm, caring nature" "She was extremely kind and always had the time for you"