Karen DION

Karen was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to William Kisiel, an orthopedic surgeon, and Mary Kisiel, a schoolteacher. She met and married Kenneth Dion in graduate school in Minneapolis, and the two took up parallel teaching positions in Psychology at the University of Toronto, Karen at the Scarborough campus. A distinguished and much-published scholar in her own right and a collaborator with Ken until his untimely death, her studies focused on both social issues (intergroup relations, interpersonal relationships, and love) and developmental issues (early life, identity, gender, and culture). Throughout her career, she guided and mentored both colleagues and students. Karen's love of choral singing expressed itself though her church choir, in several of Toronto's auditioned choirs, and in European workshops and concerts organised by Britain's RunBySingers. Karen opened a new chapter in her life with her marriage to Michael Collins, gaining new family connections and especially a much-loved granddaughter. She and Michael travelled extensively in Ontario, in Canada, and around the world whilst somehow holding down full-time jobs, with a treasure trove of experiences, photographs, and stories as a legacy. A life fully lived and enduring friendships built.