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Karen M. Richards
1965 - 2019
Karen M. Richards
1965 - 2019
Obituary
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Karen Richards Obituary
Dr. Karen M. Richards, 53, of Glenside, PA, beloved wife of nearly thirty years of the late Lyle Lewis; cherished daughter of John C. Richards and the late Betty (nee McConnell) Richards; and loving sister of Lisa Hockett, Jeff (Kelly) Richards, Debbie (Tom McGrath) Richards-McGrath, and Jenni (Glenn) Knight; daughter in law of Donna and the late Jack Lewis; sister in law of Amy (Rich) Linville and Jared (Shawn) Lewis; and aunt of several nieces and nephews, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, August 3, 2019.
Karen had a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry from Depauw University, and a Doctorate Degree in Biochemistry from Vanderbilt. Karen worked as a Biochemist in pharmaceutical research for Merck and Bristol-Myers Squibb in her career. Karen married her best friend and high school sweetheart, Lyle, in 1989. She loved to travel, and enjoyed her yearly vacations with Lyle to Nags Head in the Outer Banks. Karen adored her family and cherished every minute that she was able to spend with them. Her four-legged friend, Buckeye, was more like her child than a dog. He went everywhere with her. Karen also enjoyed art, tennis, and gardening.
Visitation will be held at Mueller Funeral Home, 6791 Tylersville Road, Mason, Ohio, 45040 on Sunday, August 11, 2019 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
To send a condolence, or to sign the online guestbook, please visit Muellerfunerals.com
513-398-9100
39 Entries
Larry Marsh Family
October 15, 2019
John - We are saddened to learn of your loss.
If we would have known, we would have attended services.
You and your family have our deepest sympathies.
Melissa Missy Cox
August 17, 2019
Sending love to Mr Richards, Karen's sisters and Kelly & Jeff. Karen was an outstanding person, who was just so unique and driven yet so sweet. She offered career advice to my daughter Megan, who went on to attend DePauw University based on Karen's recommendation. Karen was a great teammate to a small group of us girls who formed the first ever cross country team at Mason High School in the early 80's. After college we both had tiny apartments in Hyde Park & that's when she shared with me her plans to marry Lyle and get her PhD. Karen & Lyle both we're shining stars in our little Comet world of Mason.
J. Smith
August 14, 2019
The Biochemistry Department of Vanderbilt University extends most heartfelt condolences to the family.
Ruthann Carr
August 13, 2019
So saddened to hear of Karens passing At such a young age. I have fond memories of her from Girl Scouts. Such a wonderful family she came from. I am truly sorry for your loss and thinking of you.
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Michael McInerney
August 13, 2019
My sincere condolences to Karen's family. May she rest in peace.
Philip Burcham
August 13, 2019
I had the pleasure of working with Karen while she was a grad student at Vanderbilt in the early Nineties. One couldn't help but be impressed by her kind personality, dedication to her studies, laboratory competence and high level intelligence. I remember that during the time I worked at Vanderbilt her husband was away on active duty in the Middle East during the Desert Storm deployment, and Karen handled that stressful time with much poise and grace. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing Karen in the years since I left the US and am deeply sorry to hear of her very premature passing, but I will never forget this kind and considerate human being. Heart felt sympathy and prayers to her family and friends who must be missing her terribly.
amy kraft (manthey)
August 12, 2019
What a sad day when I learned of Karen's passing. She was the entire package. She had it all...brains, beauty and kindness. Such grace has never been bestowed on another person. Sending love to her entire family. I know Lyle must be resting better now that they are together again. Much love, Amy
Tina Clark-Kenney
August 11, 2019
Karen was a beautiful person inside and out. Always so kind, always a beautiful smile when we were In high school together.
Her untimely passing is such a shock. Many prayers and love to her family during this difficult time.
M
Denise Muennich Gilhart
August 11, 2019
I had lunch with Karen over Christmas when she was in town. I am so grateful to have seen her. She was still as wonderful and lovely as she had been in high school. I am deeply saddened and send my love to her family.
Punam Sandhu
August 11, 2019
With Deepest Sympathy to Karens Family, Friends and Loved Ones,
We are deeply sorry and saddened by the sudden and untimely loss of Karen. In the thirty years that we had known Karen, since our Vanderbilt days and subsequently at Merck, she always came across as a warrior, someone truly with a brave soul, and a very classy person. Karen was a true friend and we always enjoyed spending time with her. We know from spending time with Karen lately how devastated she was at the loss of her beloved Lyle. She would remember Lyle so fondly during our conversations. Karen, we hope you are resting peacefully side-by-side with your soulmate. You will be dearly missed.
We sincerely hope that God gives Karens loved ones the strength to bear this deep loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
With much love,
Punam and Suresh.
Patty (Buchanan) Smith
August 10, 2019
Karen was truly an angel. A sweet friend that will be remembered and thought of fondly. I remember when we were kids, she tried to show me how to do a cartwheel. I never could do one, but she never made me feel bad about it. She was always so beautiful and kind. My heart is heavy today, thinking of Karen and all of her family and loved ones she left behind. My prayers for all of you.
Elizabeth Gillam
August 10, 2019
I had the privilege to know Karen when she was in graduate school at Vanderbilt - such a brave, gentle, kind and sensitive soul. Her beauty of character was evident to all who knew her.
Laura Guengerich
August 10, 2019
Karen was my mentor during a summer internship at Merck. I will remember Karen as intelligent, funny, and well-respected by all her colleagues. Karen was a patient and caring mentor, and a peaceful person to be around. Her family will be in my prayers at this difficult time.
Fred Guengerich
August 10, 2019
I remember Karen from graduate school--I was on her committee. My daughter Laura worked with her one summer at Merck while in college. I have not seen her for a while, but I remember her as a nice, caring & productive person.
Steve Clark
August 10, 2019
Karen and I were in high school together. I never told her the crush I had on her. We did talk a few times into her first year in college. I am back in Mason for a short period and have been driving past our old houses before I heard the news. Even though it's been so many years, her passing really hurt me.
August 10, 2019
I really enjoyed working with Karen and will miss her. My thoughts are prayers are with you and my deepest condolences to Karen's family.
Carol Strom Currie
August 9, 2019
I will remember Karen (an AOTT sister) as a lovely person with a beautiful soul. She always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. I am so sad that she is gone from this world. Prayers to your family in this very difficult time.
Amy Vearrier (Longnecker)
August 9, 2019
In loving memory of a wonderful person. Karen was a former classmate and sorority sister at DePauw. She was a lot of fun! She will be missed. Prayers and fond memories are what we have to remember Karen. My most heartfelt condolences.
Sara Everding
August 8, 2019
My dad is a Depauw graduate from 1958. He sends his condolences to the family a fellow Depauw graduate.
Bill & Sherri Federle
August 8, 2019
May the love of friends and family carry you through your grief.
Dennis Wysocki
August 8, 2019
Our condolences to Karen's family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Wanda Moore
August 8, 2019
A lovely, intelligent woman. Very sorry for your loss - so sad for her family. Rest in peace Karen.
Wanda and Mike Moore
Tammy Fields
August 8, 2019
I pray God guides the family with peace comfort & strength during this time. My deepest condolences to the family.
Larry Marnett
August 7, 2019
I was shocked and deeply saddened to learn of Karen's death. Karen worked in my laboratory at Vanderbilt from 1990 to 1996. She was a technician for one year then entered our graduate program and earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry under my direction. She was smart and hardworking and got along well with everyone in the lab. Karen was a pleasure to be around.
Shortly after she joined the group, Lyle was deployed to Iraq in Desert Storm, which added tremendous stress to the normal challenges of getting a doctorate in a laboratory-based program. She dealt with it by focusing on her research project and did an outstanding job purifying an important enzyme for the first time and showing how a drug to inhibit it worked. She conducted really fine experiments and showed great determination.
Karen got a job at Merck right out of graduate school without doing any postdoctoral work. This was remarkable at the time because most newly minted Ph.D.s were doing 2-4 years of postdoctoral research before they got a permanent job. Karen had great scientific skills and they were complemented by her excellent people skills.
My heart goes out to her family for this terrible loss. Karen was a wonderful person. She will be missed here in Nashville and everywhere that she has former colleagues.
Cliff Migal
August 7, 2019
Thoughts and prayers for you John and your family. Sorry for your loss.
Patty McDonnell
August 7, 2019
With deepest sympathy. My interactions with her were wonderful. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Sabrina Govan
August 7, 2019
I was heartbroken when I heard about Karen's sudden passing. I was Karen's administrative assistant for 7+ years at BMS. We worked closely together as I helped her with her day to day work and all of her travel arrangements. She was a kind, thoughtful, gentle person. We shared stories about our dogs and she always asked about my kids. She was one of the most genuine people I have ever met. May she Rest in Peace with her beloved. I will never forget you Karen....until we meet again.
Nancy Forrest
August 7, 2019
So sorry for your loss - a very kind and thoughtful person. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Michael Elliott
August 7, 2019
We used sit next to each other during band in middle school and play saxophone. She was a prom queen in 1983 and so many other things. Beautiful, smart and accomplished. I performed in the band at her high school graduation and it was obvious during school that she was quite the leader. I was very impressed that she had become a doctor. So many will miss her.
Jean Hurd
August 7, 2019
I am so sorry to hear of Karens death. She and Lyle were part of our dog park group for years, and more recently Karen and I enjoyed walks around the neighborhood together with our dogs. She was just getting her feet on the ground after the loss of Lyle. My heart breaks for her family. The neighborhood feels this very sad loss.
Karen Yost
August 7, 2019
So very sorry to hear. Such a beautiful woman. My thoughts and prayers go deep for the family. God Bless.
Vicki and Garry McGillivary
August 7, 2019
I am so very sorry for your loss. Lifting your family in prayer.
Denise Dawson
August 7, 2019
My prayers and thoughts are with Karen's family. Denise Dawson, classmate
Roger and Olive McConnell
August 6, 2019
Wat the are so sorry for the loss of Karen. She was so special in many ways. No way to express our sympathy. I am so sorry we will not be able to attend the memorial as we will be in Massachusetts on Sunday.
Karen Martell
August 6, 2019
I greatly miss Karen. At Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), Karen and I had overlapping job functions. Sometimes people werent sure which one of us to contact so theyd simply write an email to both of us with the greeting: Dear Karens and wed always laugh about it. We had been planning a day trip together to visit the BMS site in Cambridge, MA next week. Although I will go alone, I will bring Karen along in memory. Please know that Karens BMS family valued her and we miss her.
Mary Walker
August 6, 2019
All my thoughts and prayers go out to each of the members of this lovely family. I remember Karen as a little girl and teenager when in the beautiful days of our youth, Debbie and I were the best of friends like we all our at that time. I always loved the closeness of the Richards family and since I met Debbie at 5, she was 4 in Kindergarten, she has always been there no matter what. We have had times apart, but she was with me all the time. Many, many times. Love all of you and am so happy to say I have you in my life. Karen lived an interesting life and cherish all your memories. She is with her husband now. On another beautiful journey.
Jeni and Doug Vinson
August 6, 2019
Karen will be missed by many. I will always remember her smiling face running around Countryside YMCA with the Wolfe twins.
Michael Wimmer
August 6, 2019
I so remember Karens love and kindness, especially when we moved here from New York. I will cherish memories of working out at Countryside on the swim team, and laughing as we traveled to invitationals. We regarded her as a hard worker, an over-achiever, an inspiration, and a champion. She was a woman of grace. I regret not staying closer over the years. May God be with your family ! - Mike Wimmer
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6791 Tylersville Rd., Mason, OH 45040
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