Karen Dawn Laverdiere

Karen Laverdiere, 61, of Jacksonville, FL, passed away on November 15, 2022 after a valiant battle with cancer.

Karen was born on August 22, 1961, along with her identical twin, Judie, to Dave and Bea Laverdiere in Detroit, Michigan. Together they completed their family of six, joining older siblings, David and Nancy. After a brief stint at Michigan State, Karen came to her senses and transferred to The University of Michigan, of which she was a proud alumna and avid fan of the university's sports teams, particularly football.

After graduating with a degree in accounting, she started her first job at Olde Discount Brokerage firm, proudly obtaining her Series 7 broker license before moving to Comerica Securities. She later moved into a role as a financial aid advisor at Wayne State University in Detroit, kickstarting a 30-year career in financial aid at University of California, Irvine, Kennesaw State University, and Jacksonville University, among others.

Early in her adult life, Karen lived in Royal Oak and Huntington Woods, Michigan, where she was fortunate enough to live near her siblings. It was here that she became a mother to her two children, Jennifer and Christopher. She loved being so close to her family, and being able to participate in each other's lives, particularly with her twin sister and best friend.

After moving to California, she decided to continue her education all while working at various universities and raising a family. She attended Whittier Law School and graduated in 2004 with a Juris Doctorate in Law, an accomplishment of which she was extremely proud. She later moved to Georgia for additional career opportunities and then on to Florida after meeting her husband, Derek, while visiting on a work trip. They were married in 2020 and had a loving and happy marriage.

In 2020, Karen retired after devoting her life to supporting students' access to higher education - both at universities and technical schools. She spent her time in retirement cruising the Caribbean and spending time with family and her dog, Baxter.

Karen was predeceased by her brother, David Laverdiere, as well as her parents, Dave and Bea Laverdiere. She is survived by her husband, Derek; her children, Jennifer (Trevor) and Chris (Rebecca); her grandson, Charles; her sisters, Judie, Nancy (Mike) and Grace; her nieces and nephews, Emily (Eric), Amy, Samantha, and Zachary; and her great niece and nephew, Alison and Matthew. She is also survived by her faithful companion, Baxter.

Services will be held both in Michigan and in Florida. The Michigan services will be held at Royal Oak First United Methodist Church on Saturday, December 10th. Visitation will begin at 10 am and services immediately following at 11 am. Florida services will be held at Beaches Chapel by Hardage-Giddens in Jacksonville Beach on Monday, December 5th. Visitation will begin at 10:30 am and services at 11 am with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The American Cancer Foundation or the University of Michigan Annual Fund.