Karen Maynard Hemmeter, born September 14, 1940, in Orange, New Jersey, passed away on February 19, 2024, in Novato, California. She was the daughter of Dorothy May Rurode of Jersey City, NJ, and Leonard William Maynard of Middlesex, Ontario, Canada.

Karen was born and raised in Chatham, New Jersey, leaving there to pursue her studies at Cornell University, where, she met her first husband, Chris Hemmeter. Her passion for travel began during a transformative summer in Europe, where Karen and Chris worked at the Beau-Rivage Palace in Switzerland while also traversing the continent by train. They were married in 1961 in her childhood home in Chatham and together embarked on a new chapter in Honolulu, Hawaii, where they raised their three children, Mark, Chris, and Katie.

Karen remained in Hawaii for 30 years, where she nurtured her passion for volunteering. Her marriage to Chris concluded in 1977, and Karen later met Cale Carson, whom she wed in 1988. They moved to Seattle, and over the years, they spent months at a time biking through the USA and Europe, covering more than 25,000 miles, sometimes camping and carrying all provisions on their bikes. Cale’s passing in 1995 eventually prompted Karen's relocation to Marin County, California, to be closer to her son, daughter, and two grandchildren.

In 2002, her adventurous spirit led her to Paris, where she lived for a year, fulfilling a lifelong dream.

In 2009, Karen met Bob Hall, her final love, with whom she shared 15 years centered around their mutual love for golf and adventure. Together, they made over 50 trips worldwide and enjoyed exploring new places and returning to old favorites. Karen's passion for golf became a cornerstone of family bonding. In addition to Bob, she also enjoyed golfing with her sons, Mark and Chris, her daughter-in-law, Lisa, her son-in-law, Cully, and her grandson, Ryan. Saturdays were reserved for golf outings at the Marin Country Club, which they fondly referred to as time with "The Wolf Pack." As a highly respected member of the Marin Country Club Women’s Association, Karen was an important contributor to numerous golf and social committees.

A steadfast commitment to service marked Karen’s life. Whether through her involvement in the Junior League, her leadership role in Hawaii Bound, giving massage to Hospice patients, as co-president of Emeritus at the College of Marin, or as a docent for San Francisco City Guides, Karen was a dedicated volunteer. She was extremely intelligent, curious, interested in others, thoughtful, kind, and inclusive. Karen loved meeting new people and learning about their life and personal adventures.

In addition to her numerous volunteer efforts, her later years were spent golfing, cooking, needlepointing, tending to her beloved roses and garden, being active in several book clubs, and doing jigsaw puzzles, a pleasure she shared with her daughter, Katie. She rarely attended a family dinner without a news article to share about something she was learning or that she thought might be of interest. Karen was always learning something new and lived her life fully.

Her spirit lives on in the hearts of Bob and her children Mark (Lisa), Chris (Lorri), and Katie (Cully); grandchildren Taylor (Gary), Maddy (Matt), Austin, Annabelle, and Ryan; great-grandchildren Finley and Harlow; brother Ted (Barbara); and all who were fortunate enough to know her.

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