The family of Karen O’Hara, age 72, is heartbroken that Karen, of Big Island, passed away in the Aberdeen Palliative Care Unit on Feb. 2 due to a stroke.
Karen was born in Cleveland, Ohio on Aug. 5, 1949, the eldest daughter of Joseph and Jacqueline O’Hara.
She is survived by two sons, Oak O’Hara (Olivia), and their sons, Wyatt and William of Melbourne, Florida and Aaron O’Hara (Alesha) and their daughters, Charlie and Ayla of Vancouver, Canada and by her three sisters, Sheila "Casey" Gray, Eileen Mary Winkle, and Rita Ann O’Hara, nieces, nephews, her "little sister" Leah, and many cousins, colleagues and devoted friends. She is also survived by Jon Fisher of Moose River. She and Jon emigrated to Nova Scotia in 1975.
Karen attended Ohio State University and graduated from Dalhousie University with a degree in Social Work. Karen was a strong, determined, fiercely independent feminist who cared deeply for Women’s causes. She was a founder and the executive director of Tearmann Society for almost 30 years. Please see Tearmann’s lovely statement below, outlining her work in this community.
Karen was a compassionate, loving, caring and kind woman who loved life and a good laugh and tried to live every day to the fullest. She was always active, walking, swimming in the Strait, gardening, canning, kayaking, karaoke, reading, dancing, cooking, doing yoga and hosting dinners and parties for her many, many devoted friends. She loved traveling, trivia and new adventures. She was cross-country skiing on the bay, the morning of her stroke. Active to the very end!
She volunteered with the Museum of Industry and Big Sisters which she loved, but most of all she deeply loved and doted on her four grandchildren.
A celebration of her life will be held in mid-July, date to be arranged.
Special thanks to the wonderful nurses at Aberdeen Palliative Care Unit and to Dr Jeans and Dr Winston Makhan.
Donations in honor of Karen‘s life and work may be given to Tearmann Society.
" She was truly one of a kind and we will miss her radiant smile every day."
Statement from Tearmann Society:
It is with profound sadness that the Staff and Board of Tearmann Society announces the passing of Karen O’Hara. Karen was a founding mother and served as Tearmann’s Executive Director for 29 years. As a young woman, Karen became involved with the Pictou County Women’s Center and made many beautiful friendships and began a journey of trailblazing alongside these women.
Before there was a transition house in Pictou County, Karen volunteered for the Battered Women’s Information Line. She volunteered to answer the phones and support women experiencing intimate partner violence- helping to find safe locations for women and children to stay until women could be transferred to a transition house in Halifax, and then later Cape Breton. It was obvious to the women doing this work that a Transition House was needed in Pictou County and in 1983 the work began. Tearmann House opened its doors on October 15, 1984 with Karen at the helm. She held the position of Executive Director until 2013.
Karen made many significant contributions to the Transition House movement in Nova Scotia and represented Tearmann at the Transition House Association of Nova Scotia (THANS). Alongside her sisters at THANS, she was involved in many changes and advancements including the creation of Emergency Protection Orders, High Risk Protocols, protocols for working with Children’s Aid/Child Welfare, and partnerships with local police departments. Karen was the first in Pictou County to enter the schools to help educate students about domestic violence. She later partnered with New Leaf so Tearmann could enhance and continue this educational program for several years. Karen worked diligently with other Transition Houses to create Outreach positions and Child and Youth Programs and to extend services to those who did not stay in the shelters. She also joined the Pictou County Second Stage Society to help provide families with longer term transitional housing in the area where women could continue to live safely and receive support. The list of achievements and contributions that Karen made are truly endless. Karen was a true trailblazer and an unsung hero in Nova Scotia.
Throughout her career with Tearmann Society for Abused Women, Karen worked with and "femtored" (mentored) many women in the work. She taught and modelled practical, grass roots feminist perspectives. Karen cared deeply about Tearmann, the staff and especially the women and children who accessed the services. Karen modelled that Tearmann was a place where clients could come and be empowered to make choices and be supported in those choices. She taught that Tearmann House was not just a shelter but a Home. It is a place where women and children can find care, refuge and healing. Many lives have been touched because of Karen’s dedication, her love of Tearmann Society and the work we do. There will never be enough space to adequately describe the impact that Karen has had in our communities.
Karen loved to travel, garden, dance, sing and enjoy the simple things in life. We are so blessed and thankful for Karen O’Hara and the significance of her influence in our lives.
We extend our deepest condolences to Oak, Aaron, her grandchildren, as well as her sisters, Sheila, Rita and Eileen. Thank you for sharing the best of your beloved Karen with us. We know how much she loved you all.
Dearest Karen, we miss you and honor you. We will cherish our time and memories with you and are forever grateful to you for touching our lives.