Karen Ann Cole, 64, of Garrett Park, Maryland passed away peacefully July 13th after a fearless and courageous 6-1/2 year battle with cancer. She was surrounded by family. Cole was a graduate of Duke University, and earned a PhD in Educational Psychology from Stanford University. She spent her entire career in education, working at the forefront of computer-based education in the 1980s, project-based learning in the 1990s, and what came to be known as the Maker space in the 2000s.

For the past 12 years, she has worked at the District of Columbia Public Schools. At DCPS, she was deeply involved in a number of innovative educational initiatives, and was a key member of the leadership team of the Office of Teaching and Learning, contributing both creative ideas and the ability to lead teams to put those ideas into practice for the district's 48,000 students. Devoted to furthering public education, particularly for students from underserved and marginalized groups, she worked throughout her cancer treatment, often participating in meetings and developing curriculum while receiving chemotherapy.

An avid musician, she played guitar and bass in a number of folk, bluegrass, and country groups over the years, including Girls With Guitars, the Cole Family Bluegrass Band, the BJC Synagogue band, and Border State. She loved jamming with friends, and was known for being able to recall nearly every lyric she had ever heard. She was also a licensed private pilot. She was a devoted mother, wife, and friend, and was beloved by all who had the opportunity to know her.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 33 years Jim, and sons Jesse, a doctor in New York City, and Elijah, a professional musician in Philadelphia, as well as her parents Ronald and Toby Agulnick, sister Cheryl and brother-in-law Ken, brother Larry and sister-in-law Denise, nieces Kristin, Katie, Gracie, and Abigail, and nephew Leo.

Karen donated her body for cancer research.

Services

July 27th, 2024, 1:00pm

Bethesda Jewish Congregation

6601 Bradley Blvd., Bethesda, MD, 20817

Informal gathering at the Garrett Park Town Hall follows the service

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