Karen REED

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Karen Lynn Reed on March 21, 2026 at the Elk Valley Hospital, at the age of seventy-two, after a brief but courageous battle with cancer. 

Karen was born on January 8, 1954, in Trail British Columbia, to parents, Albert and Lorena Hesketh. At the age of two, she moved with her family to Fernie, British Columbia, where she grew up and raised her own family. 

Karen was a loving mother to her 3 sons: Jeremy (Andrea), Blaine, and Paul (MJ). She was also a devoted grandmother to: Haylie (Tyler), Taylor, Ashlyn, Sophie, Everly, and Hudson, and a great-grandmother to RaeLynn and Boden. Karen is also survived by her brother, Allan (Wendy) Hesketh, and several cousins to whom she remained close throughout her life. 

During her working career, Karen developed many close relationships with coworkers and community members, including her best friends Sue and Kathy, with whom she stayed close with until her final days. She loved playing bingo, and as she called it, going to “church” at the Bull River Inn on Sundays, where she would gather, have a laugh, and spend time with friends. Karen loved nature, the outdoors, and animals, especially her dog Dexter; she enjoyed gardening and spending time by a lake, either reading a book or enjoying a "cerveza," as she called them, all while spending time with family and friends.

The family would like to thank all the staff, doctors, and nurses at Elk Valley Hospital and the Home Support Team for their kind support and compassion shown to Karen in her final weeks. 

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