Karen Denese Wassum Bone

TOANO - Karen Denese Wassum Bone, 49, passed away quietly and peacefully Friday, Feb. 13, 2004, at Medical College of Virginia in Richmond with her loving family at her side. Karen battled with a rare blood disease that took its toll on her vital organs for approximately twenty years. She finally was forced to give up the fight with the complete failure of lungs, kidney and liver. Karen graduated from Kecoughtan High School in 1972 and earned her degree as a Registered Nurse from Shenandoah College in 1974. She worked as a school nurse at Wythe Elementary and Syms Middle School. She also worked for Sentara in Hampton, Busch Gardens and finally Williamsburg Community Hospital as Labor and Delivery Nurse. What do you say about a person who has done so much for so many people? It's as if God whispered in her ear that glorious day when she gave her life to Christ: 'Love and give your life to care for your husband and children and do what you can for relations and friends. Do this for me Karen while I prepare your room in heaven. When your work is done here, I'll call you home. For in you Karen I am very pleased!' I never met a person who had the pleasure of knowing her that did not fall in love with her. I had the good fortune to do just that when we were still kids at Benjamin Syms Junior High School, some thirty years ago. We tied the knot at Hampton Baptist Church and resided in Hampton for most of her short life. Karen loved to be involved and had many interests and hobbies. She spent several years as a volunteer for Hampton Bay Days and whenever there was a family function to be planned or a friend, or family member to be cared for, Karen was there. Karen took great pleasure in the planning of our son's recent wedding and the planning of our daughter's upcoming wedding in July. If I know Karen she's already organizing a chorus of angels to rejoice in the celebration on that upcoming glorious day in July. For all of us who knew and loved her we can agree that our lives have become fuller because we knew her and the world is a better place because she lived. Thank you Lord, Donald Bone (beloved Husband). Karen's memories will be cherished by her husband, Donald Bone of Toano; a daughter, Tabitha Bone and her fiancé, James Kipper, of Newport News; a son, Donald (Greg) Bone Jr. and his wife, Falon, of Blacksburg; parents, Don and Delores Wassum of Lake Placid, Fla.; two sisters, Robin Gaddis of Camden, N.C., Daralee Neisess of Fairfield, Wash.; one aunt, Marie Mottern and her husband, Tom, of New Tazwell, Tenn.; one uncle, Douglas Wassum and his wife, June, of Henderson, N.C.; loving extended family of her father and mother-in-law, Bill Bone and his wife, Luine, of Hampton; sister-in-law, Cynthia Munn and her husband, Michael, of Gloucester; brothers-in-law, Eddie Bone and his wife, Linda, of Fayetteville, N.C., Michael Bone and his wife, Rose, of Hampton, Kenny Bone and his wife, Deborah, of Gloucester, many nieces and nephews, a special love of Karen's is her grandson, Damien Bone of Newport News. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. tonight at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church located at 250 Fox Hill Road in Hampton. A life celebration service for Karen will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. Pastor L. Douglas Stowe will officiate. Burial will follow in Parklawn Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be made to the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, a charity Karen supported for many years. Friends are encouraged to visit www.mem.com to share words of comfort to the family. Arrangements are under the care of Parklawn-Wood Funeral Home, 2551 N. Armistead Ave., Hampton.