Karen Beatrice Sinsheimer

A generous, intelligent, charming, glamorous and artistic leader, died from pancreatic cancer on July 28th, 2015 in Santa Barbara, CA at the age of 73.

Karen was born on April 23, 1942 in Denver, CO. Karen graduated from University of Redlands with a B.A. in Art History. She served in the Peace Corps in Thailand, and continued global travel and humanitarian activities all of her life. Karen moved to Pasadena, CA and worked as an executive secretary for the President of Caltech and later the President of Twentieth Century Fox. During this time, she published two photography books with her first husband, photographer William Current.

On August 1, 1981, Karen married Robert (Bob) Sinsheimer, then Chancellor at UC Santa Cruz. In short order Karen transformed a staid University House to a place of warmth and beauty that welcomed all members of the campus and Santa Cruz communities. Social gatherings and parties became memorable events. Karen fostered community by introducing a series of round table luncheons where professors from different disciplines would dine and talk with people from town. A student protest group that marched on University House one evening was met with Karen's famously effervescent smile and an invitation to enjoy cookies and milk. Karen's introduction of Himalayan cats further enriched University House life. Karen served as founding board president for Shakespeare Santa Cruz and remained a lifelong supporter. She loved that the outdoor Stanley- Sinsheimer Glen was a magical spot welcoming all generations of theater attendees.

Following Bob's retirement in 1988, Karen and Bob moved to Santa Barbara. Here Karen resumed her interest in photography collections and, in 1990, joined the Santa Barbara Museum of the Arts to serve as the photography curator for 25 years. With remarkable dedication Karen organized over 120 exhibits and grew the collection to 7500 works. Karen's collections spanned some of the world's earliest photos to today's emerging artists. Her exhibition introductions were superb. It was an absolute treat to hear Karen describe a photographic collection. Her descriptions of the works, the artists, and connections between the pieces brought them to life.

Karen was an avid traveler and visited museums, monuments, and villages all over the world. She made several repeat visits to Hawaii. She found beauty in the arts, buildings, fashion, and humanity around the world. She was active in many programs including particularly the Human Rights Watch where she was on the Board of the Santa Barbara chapter. Karen formed personal connections with all five of Bob's granddaughters full of giggling, shopping, and good advice.Karen had a fierce and contagious sense of humor. She could find joy in the every day and turn around a challenging situation with keen insights that led to much laughter.

Karen is survived by her husband, Robert (Bob) Sinsheimer, sister Kathryn Reimann, and a great many loving family members and friends.

A memorial service will take place in Santa Barbara on August 30th. If you would like to make a donation in Karen's memory, please consider the Lorna Spencer Hedges Annual Photography Lecture, the Karen Sinsheimer Acquisition Fund for Photography at the SBMA, or Santa Cruz Shakespeare.