Karen B. O'Hara Obituary
Karen "Chenga" O'Hara, longtime resident of Gloucester, MA., passed away on Monday morning, April 1st, 2024, surrounded by her family after a long and inspiring battle with cancer. Karen was the loving wife of Michael to whom she was married for 44 years. She was the proud mother to three children, Kerri, Katie, and Sean and "Mimi" to Fisher, Tessa Kate, Ilan, and Neev. She is additionally survived by her siblings and dear family Liisa and Kevin O'Maley, Beth White, and all close in-laws, nieces and nephews.
Karen was born on September 28th, 1956, in Beverly, MA., and was the daughter of Russell and Lila O'Maley of Gloucester, MA. She was raised on Rust Island, tucked away on the shore of the Annisquam River. It is no surprise that she would love the sea and the sun throughout her life, becoming an eventual board member of the Magnolia Beach Corporation and the unofficial mayor of Kettle Cove. On most summers, you could find her on the beach surrounded by a circle of friends and family, her skin tanned, a smile on her face, and an endless flow of chatter coming from her. If you knew Karen, you knew that she was a true social butterfly who would always give you her full attention and make you feel welcome. She possessed a "gift of the gab" passed down to her from her father, the beloved, "Papa".
Karen's creative and professional life spanned two primary disciplines: knitting and elementary education. At one point, an entrepreneurial craftswomen of the fiber arts, her children can still hear the sound of the knitting machine she would work her magic on. Throughout her life she was known for her never ending production of skillfully hand knit hats, gloves, sweaters, and blankets that she graciously gifted to those she cared for. Her needles moved as fast as she talked. Karen was also a beloved 2nd grade teacher at St. John the Evangelist in Beverly and a grade school substitute in Boise, Idaho where she lived for the last decade of her life.
In her final act, her courageous and strong heart was on show as she squeezed out every last bit. She will be forever remembered by her family as a devoted mother and wife, a spirited soul, and a damn good time. Karen was 67 years old.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend Karen's Funeral Mass on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at 10 A.M. at Our Lady of Good Voyage, 142 Prospect St. Gloucester, MA. In lieu of flowers, kindly make a memorial donation in Karen's name to The Center for Thoracic Cancers at MGH. Arrangements by the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington Street, Gloucester.
