Karen MacWilliam
Karen MacWilliam passed away on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, following a brief illness, the details of which she chose to keep private.
A fifth generation Vancouverite, Karen found her true home and life partner, Glenn Howe, in Nova Scotia.
She was pre-deceased by her parents, Anne MacWilliam (née Clements) in 2019 and Bruce MacWilliam in 2001; and her elder sister, Heather in 2020.
Karen was a subject matter expert in the fields of risk management and insurance. She literally wrote the book on it, authoring seven reference books, and over the course of 30 years, she taught at Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre, the University of Northern B.C. and Dalhousie University. Karen operated a successful consulting practice for 25 years. She had an impressive list of clients from across the country. She was a sought-after speaker and appeared as an expert witness before regulatory bodies and the courts of Alberta, British Columbia and Nova Scotia.
Karen was a graduate of Eric Hamber Secondary School, where she won the Alden Hamber Scholarship and was the top music student. She earned a B.A. in Economics from UBC, and her CIP and FCIP designations from the Insurance Institute of Canada and her Canadian Risk Management Certificate.
Karen served on the boards of EDC and FinDev Canada and was astonished to be considered in the same company as her esteemed colleagues. She was also on the board of NS CUDIC. One of her mantras was to find a job you like and be good at it. She was very good at hers, and her work brought her joy every single day.
Karen loved to watch and play sports. She considered herself a good golfer, and shot a low score of 81 in 2020, at the age of 55.
Karen was known for her crayon-factory-explosion fashion style and love of bright colours. She steadfastly refused to wear black. Her collection of dress shoes was legendary, with some 125 pairs. Having matching shoes and outfits made her happy.
Karen loved all things cat-related and was often greeted by cats anywhere. Karen’s friends will remember elaborate dinners with recipes of Karen’s creation. She considered herself a good cook.
Karen loved the cinema and attended more than 50 movies a year. She travelled extensively for business and pleasure, visiting all 13 provinces and territories, 48 U.S. states, and more than 35 foreign countries including Antarctica in 2023. Karen was able to visit some of the great opera houses: the Met., La Scala, Vienna, Boston, San Francisco, Paris, and others. She loved planning trips.
In her high school and university times, Karen played saxophone, piano, flute, and composed and arranged music. She had an encyclopedic recall of pop-music lyrics and would often break into song.
Karen was so fortunate to have completed most of her "bucket list" in her lifetime. One regret is that she and Glenn still have some NHL rinks left to visit as part of their tour of all NHL hockey rinks.
Although she kept the details private, Karen survived breast cancer diagnosed in 2003. She enjoyed the most amazing 18 years of "overtime’ continuing all of her passions and pursuits.
Karen had a keen wit and great sense of humour and was known for her direct style. She often said that no one left the room wondering what she was thinking. She spoke her mind and did things her way, while maintaining her compassion and generosity.
Karen is survived by her partner, Glenn and his family; her niece, Jennifer Peverelle (Greg) and her nephew, Scott Peverelle, many friends, and colleagues.
As per her wish, there will be no service. If the mood strikes you, don a bright item of clothing and raise a glass to Karen, who lived her full life as she wished, with no regrets. If you wish, donate to a cause about which you are passionate.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville. On-line condolences and inquiries may be directed to www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com.