Patricia "Van Wormer" Karpe

Patricia (Van Wormer) Karpe, 93, of Avon, beloved wife of the late Donald E. Karpe, passed away Saturday, September 6, 2025. Raised in Delmar, NY, daughter of the late G. Stanley and Mabel (Lewis) Van Wormer, she earned her BS in Nursing from UCONN and started her career with the Hartford VNA, served as a surgical nurse at UCONN/John Dempsey Hospital, and then became the school nurse at Tootin' Hills Elementary School, Simsbury for 20 years before retiring in 1993. She and her husband lived in Simsbury for over 40 years and then moved to Avon 25 years ago. Spending time with her family and friends gave her the most joy as well as spending summers at their home on Cape Cod and traveling the world with her husband, Donald. Together they enjoyed ballroom dancing as well as swimming and skiing. She leaves her children: Elizabeth "Lisa" Hugel and her husband, Craig, of Yarmouth, ME; Brian S. Karpe and his partner, Beth, of Simsbury; and Susan K. Cruise and her husband, Mark, of East Greenwich, RI. She also leaves the grandchildren that she adored: David Hugel and his wife, Zahra, Stephen Hugel and his wife, Hanna, Laura Colby and her husband, Elliott; Amanda and Marybeth Karpe; James Cruise and his wife, Michelle, M. Kenneth Cruise and his fiancée, Jordan, Matthew and Carolyn Cruise; great-grandchildren Nora Hugel, Drevet Colby, Maxwell and Grace Cruise; and niece, Paula, and nephew, Robert Karpe. The family also wants to recognize Victorine Eugene for the gentle and compassionate care she provided our mother. Family and friends are invited to a Memorial Service on Saturday, September 20, 2025, 11 AM at Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, 224 Lovely Street, Avon. Burial will be private in Evergreen Cemetery, Avon. Contributions may be made to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, donationsupport@t2t.org, Shriner's Children's Hospital, 516 Carew St. Springfield, MA 01104, or Cape Abilities, Inc. 895 Mary Dunn Rd. Hyannis, MA 02601. For directions or condolences please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.