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KAREN DIANE LYNCH
Jan. 29, 1958 – June 1, 2022
JL pix

Karen stepped into Heaven on June 1, 2022 after a long battle with cancer. To say she lost her battle wouldn’t be right because she never stopped fighting. No matter how sick she was, she never stopped fighting – she was fierce. When anyone else would have broken, Karen stayed strong. She was brave and courageous; through her we know what resilience and perseverance truly look like. There was no quit in Karen. Just because she is not here any longer doesn’t mean she lost her fight. Her fight will live on in the lives of her children and grandchildren.

Karen was born in Oakland, CA to Arnold Schwab and Joan Hays. She moved to Oakdale after living in Livermore, CA through the eighth grade. She graduated Oakdale High School in 1976. Karen changed career paths and started college with her daughter Tamberly in 1998. She became a teacher in 2004. Teaching brought her so much joy. She taught at Capistrano Elementary for many years, she loved teaching kindergarten. Her students brought her so much joy. She was an amazing teacher and she missed being in her classroom so much. Her other love was gardening. Even in her last months she gardened at Tamberly’s house. Her garden was always so beautiful.

Karen is survived by her children, Tamberly (Brian), Miranda, Morgan and her two grandchildren, Haleigh and Hunter. The care Karen received at UCSF is what gave us so many years with her. The work her amazing oncologist Dr. Collin Blakely is doing for Lung Cancer is a gift. If you would like to make a donation to Dr. Collin Blakely at UCSF in Karen’s honor please send it to UCSF Foundation Research of Collin Blakely, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Fund No. B3356, PO Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145-0339. You can also make donations to Center for Human Services-Oakdale Family Resource and Counseling Center where Tamberly is a Program Manager. Karen loved CHS and all of the work being done in our community.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the home of Oly, Karen’s best friend, 13191 Orange Blossom Road on Saturday, June 11 at 11a.m.

The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader

The Riverbank (Calif.) News

June 8, 2022