Born on December 9, 1959, in Tucson, Arizona, Karen Storek died on January 21, 2024, in Chandler, Arizona, after battling ALS for over 20 years. A loving and beloved mother, daughter, sister, and friend, Karen grew up in the sunshine of her cherished Tucson desert and spent idyllic summers on Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts, where her mother’s family had roots. She also made many trips to the Czech Republic with her father to visit his homeland and relatives.

Karen graduated from Catalina High School (’77) and Boston University (’81), where she earned a B.A. in Hispanic Languages, Linguistics and Literature. Becoming a mother inspired her to start New Parents Network, a nonprofit organization, in 1988. It became her life’s work to help others looking for information about pregnancy, childbirth and the care of young children. A true visionary, Karen led NPN into the digital age, growing it into a corporate- and grant-funded website in English and Spanish with over 30,000 monthly US and global visitors, with plans for informational kiosks at medical clinics.

Karen loved life and embraced it fully.  A deeply spiritual woman, her meditation practice was a source of strength and peace. Karen was predeceased by her parents, Catharine Munds Storek and Ben Storek. She’s survived by her sons Sean Lange (Jessica), of Phoenix, who lovingly oversaw her care for the last 12 years of her life, and Tyler Lange, of San Francisco; brother Mark Storek; and close friends who will always remember her beauty, sparkling eyes, joyous laugh, compassion, tenacity, and keen intellect. 

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