In Memory of Karen George - Our Member, Our Friend
One year ago today, we lost Karen George to Cancer. Karen was a member of ActiveRain that always gave of her time, and shared her knowledge and experience with others selflessly. She contributed so much to this network. Those that knew her would agree that she was always giving without any expectations of anything in return. Many of us followed her Blog and posts as she shared wonderful information, stories, life experiences, and humor. Even in her last days, she never complained or asked for anything.
This post is In honor and dedication of our member, our friend, and a big part of our ActiveRain Family. Karen touched so many lives here including myself. She was a very caring, sharing, wonderful person who we all miss very much.
If you haven't read Karen's Blog, I recommend you do. Her husband Michael is keeping her Blog up and running, and is now making some contributions of his own. Please take a moment to say hi and share some AR love with him, it has been a very tough year no doubt.
Michael - We are, and will always be here for you my friend.
"Karen will always be loved and remembered by our community and those that benefited so greatly from her contributions and her giving spirit. Karen's heart, spirit, generosity, and her love and zest for life will live on in our community forever.
Thank you Karen for sharing a piece of your life with us, and for teaching us the meaning of how special life really is. The greatest gift we can ever give to another is our time in which you were the master teacher. Karen George and her family will forever be in our hearts, our thoughts, and our prayers. May we all be grateful today for the one thing that can't be taught, bought, or sold... Precious LIFE!"
Please take just a moment of silence to honor Karen now. I know she's listening...
Thank you for remembering and honoring your friend. Even though I didn't know Karen I'm glad to be able to have the opportunity to read her blog. Michael sharing about Karen's "old soul" in a recent post was very touching.
I remember Karen every time I tag a post. (that might sound creepy but she did teach a lot in regards to tagging!) I will never forget her post that I stumbled upon when I met her - it was about cold calling and prospecting.
When my sister-in-law (same age as me went to my high school, known her since) was diagnosed with breast cancer in February, my family found much solice in her breast cancer blog - which is written with Karen's candor and actually quite funny at times.
Brad, I didn't know Karen and happened upon her blog after she had already passed on and just from that fell in love with her, her knowledge, her spirit and her generosity. What a loss to all of us and most especially to her family and those that knew her well. Michael, thanks for keeping her alive for all of us.
Wow, a year has gone by......thank you Brad for this post. It is important for us to remember our friends here on AR. I can't imagine what the year has been like for Michael and I respect his decision to keep Karens' writings alive for all of us. Thoughts and prayers.
Karen was beloved by many of us on Activerain. She was an inspiration for her knowledge and sharing and for the way she handled the terrible disease which took her from us. I'm glad to see her husband picking up her blog on Activerain recently.
I encourage anyone who may have joined Activerain during the past year and didn't know her to please read her blog... you won't want to stop reading because it is THAT good!
Brad: I remember as a newbie how Karen's blog captivated me. She was a mortgage person like me, and just seemed to naturally know so much about blogging, technology, and of course, mortgages. I read everything she wrote.
To lose such a young person who had so much to give was a true tragedy.
To you Karen: We miss you, we love you, you were truly one of the ActiveRain pioneers that shaped this site into what it is today!
You all know me and my widgets, Karen's widget (geozoodle) was one of the first widgets I EVER added to my AR Blog, and the rest is history. Before Karen, I don't recall knowing what a widget was, and I had so many on my Blog after that, many members could no longer even load my posts. LOL~ So I created Widget World so that her widget and the many others I discovered could be shared with the rest of the world.
The 7 posts she wrote about SEO is where I also started to learn about "Search Engine Optimization" and started to experience the power and one of the great benefits and values of ActiveRain.
Thanks for stopping by and remembering Karen with me today. Even if you didn't know her, you still can by reading her AR Blog. :-)
What a touching gesture Brad to remember her like this! I too have loved and enjoyed Karen's humor and willingness to share so openly with all of us. So glad you posted the links for those who haven't had the privlege of reading her blog before today.
Karen is a legend - she was so far ahead of everyone else - her advice helped shape my blog and websites and created questions in my mind - a gifted writer and teacher who gave so much.
Brad - very touching post, and my heart just smiled knowing that AR cares enough to create a group to remember members that we have lost. Thinking of Karen today.
Brad - Lisa knew Karen better than I did. She had spoken on the phone many times w/Karen back in the early days of A/R. Amazing how fast time can go by. We will all miss her sense of humor and her ever giving knowledge that she shared so unselfishly. Thanks for the reminder and so sad when this happens to a wonderful person like Karen. Thanks Brad.
I'm still a subscriber to her blog. She had so many great ideas. Brad, I'm glad you're honoring her memory. I think of Karen when I think of those widgets.
We have all lost too many good people to cancer... thank you for sharing Lisa and her blogs with us...it is important to remember the people we love and then we do not lose them all together... they remain in our hearts and our mind...
I honestly don't know what to say. I mean, I cannot properly articulate my gratitude to you Brad for writing this post. I cannot properly thank everyone for their comments, because words aren't enough. But I'll try.
Thank you all so very much!
I don't even know how you would have had this on your mind Brad. I don't know how you remembered it. Obviously, you are a very thoughtful and caring person. Thank you again. We didn't have kids, so I was sitting here by myself, staring at the walls. It's a lonely feeling...and then I turned on the computer and found this. How great!
There is nothing quite like the legacy and memories that others leave behind in their absence. It is not like having them here to hold and talk to, but it certainly helps remember and smile once in awhile. Sorry I didn't get to know Karen, she sounds amazing!
May the Lord bless and keep her always in His hands. My prayers for you Michael. May she always be a righteous and loving memory to you, brother Michael.
Thank you, Brad, for your lovingkindeness for Michael and Karen.
Brad - Karen was a very cool lady, and Michael has done an awesome job keeping that blog up and running. The other day, I came across Christina Williams' profile on Twitter, then remembered that she had passed away. I actually have another AR friend who is in very bad shape right now, but I am not yet at liberty to write about it.
I have been thinking about her alot lately knowing the anniversary was soon upon us. I read her husband's blog a couple of weeks ago & started thinking about his loss.
I have been thinking about her alot lately knowing the anniversary was soon upon us. I read her husband's blog a couple of weeks ago & started thinking about his loss.
they say that sunrays are people rising to heavan, I think Karen rode on a rainbow.... ((((((MICHAEL)))))) you have a TON of friends here who love Karen and Love YOU!
Brad - What an incredible tribute. I stumbled upon Karen's blog shortly after joining Active Rain. I was searching for information on SEO and came upon the posts you referred to above. They were well written and full of such helpful information. I liked Karen's style, her knowledge and personality so much that I immediately subscribed to her blog. I was very sad to learn that Karen had passed only a few short months before I found her on Active Rain.
I have seen several of Michael's posts and have been touched by his writing. My thoughts and prayers go out to Micheal and Karen's family during this very difficult time. - Judy
Thank so much for this tribute to Karen..not only was she an amazing contributor here on AR...what a courageous and inspirational human being..and such humor! I have gone back and read blog posts here and on her Fighting Breast Cancer blog quite frequently since her passing..she is one woman you can't forget. Her written words are so full of life, and Michael I sure do hope she gets published!! She has touched so many already...
Clearly this was one fine AR member who touched the lives of many. What a beautiful tribute - and a much appreciated "big hug" to the grieving widower.
Hi Brad, thank you for making AR about it's most important element, the members and keeping Karen's memory as well as her contribution to us and real estate as a whole, alive. We ( ACTIVERAIN )are bigger than our sum of our members and you and the staff have really helped make that so. Karen's spirit will always be a part of this network and we all thank you and the network for that. It should be as she would no doubt want, helping all of us be assured that that we can remain a part of this group even after we have physically passed on. So our membership here can also be a lasting legacy beyond our physical life. Just one more incredible reason that we should all work to keep this company and this network active. We owe it to ourselves and to Karen. When you think about this, isn't this idea just extraordinary ! To Karen, may your spirit live on forever. May your smile be contagious and your dreams become our shared goal. May your family live in the knowledge and comfort that your spirit and your influence will live here always!
Brad, Karen taught me about GoDaddy and my business has never been the same. As you know, my techniclal skills are still growing. Karen always found the time to email me with any help that I may have needed. She is missed for her help, her humor, her friendship and she was so smart at all these things that others struggle with. Though she was miles away in distance, Karen made you feel like she was right next door. She was a gift to our community on the rain. This is a lovely tribute to her and so good for her husband, too. I am pleased that he has continued on with her blog.
What a great post! I enjoy reading Karen's blog with Michael's contributions. He is a very good writer. It's a sad story, but we know she's in a better place now watching over her loved ones.
Great post, Brad. Karen sounds wonderful. I will be getting to know her posthumously through her blogs from this point forward. Thanks for your thoughtfulness.
Karen was one of the most enjoyable reads. I looked forward to reading her blog every time she made a new post. She was so helpful when it came to SEO.
Though I didn't get to know Karen in life, after reading her intimate story of courage and humor in the worst of life's challenges, I feel as if I know her now. One evening, after reading Michael's post, I took Karen's long journey into her battle with breast cancer with her, step by step, day by day, wishing for a different outcome.
I'm sure she's smiling at the thought of finally being published and I have no doubt her arms are wrapped lovingly around Michael during his struggle to cope with the aftermath of this nightmare. Michael, don't forget she worried about you to the end, so do her proud by taking care of yourself.
My thoughts go out to her family as well. There is no loss harder to bear than the loss of a child. God bless them all.
Brad, thank you so much for writing this post. Indeed, one year ago we all lost a very dear friend and member of AR. She was one of the bravest women I have ever known. Here's to Karen!
I knew Karen but not very well....At the end of her life Karen and I emailed each other a few times for a few weeks. Believe it or not we didn't talk about blogging.....we talked about Baseball. I didn't really discuss much about blogging with her other than once when she gave me the welcome mat. But I know she seemed to really like the Arizona Diamond Backs.
I never really got to know Karen very well. She and I traveled in different Rain Circles. After all I've read, I wish I had gotten to know her better. I've taken the moment of silence as per your request. I wish I had more to say but these things always leave me at a loss for words :(
Wow...I never knew Karen, but just by reading about her, I wish I did. She was a mentor to many, it seems. Makes me think about the poem The Dash by Linda Ellis. Thank you, Brad, for sharing your memories of Karen with us.
As a cancer survivor reading Michael's tribute to Karen, I felt her presence, and the loss Michael had is one that will never be replaced. I am one of the lucky ones, but speaking for my caregiver, my lifes partner Charlene, she still feels the emotion of what would of happened if i didn't make it. We should all feel the loss of someone to such a terrible disease, but remember how hard this still is for Michael and Karen's family. Say a prayer tonight for them.
Karen's passion, expertise and ability to share made her one of the earliest blog subscriptions for us. I know our world is better from her contributions. Thanks Karen!
I never had a chance to get to known Karen before, but have learned much about what a wonderful person she must have been from her husband her friends here in the Rain.
I came to learn bout Karen in the end... I have read some of her stuff.and the heart wrenching post by her husband .... we were all touched by their story...
What a nice remembrance, and this is just like you to do this for her.
As others have said, she contributed so much to so many of us, she contacted me once about the cancer in my own family, she was a very caring person. And no doubt she left her mark in the Rain.
This is a wonderful tribute to Karen, Brad! I remember reading about Karen last year when she passed away, from all of the members who knew and loved her that wrote wonderful tributes about her. It is wonderful to see so many members her who still care and miss her stop by and leave their comments!
I was or still am a subsciber to Karen's blog. We exchanged a few words and I found her blogs heartfelt and very informative. I am sad I didn't get a chance to know her better. Just through her words you can tell she is truely genuine. The day Karen passed was very very sad. She was taken on a long journey and always held on to hope. She is an inspiration to many people.
Tonight is our last show in Nevada, our last performance, and our last song which is appropriately "FreeBird!" Tonight, I dedicate the entire concert and specifically our very last song to Karen. The "FreeBird" of ActiveRain, and of this earth. So in the spirit of friendship and love, here's to you Karen, and to you Michael who have... and will continue to make a difference in this world. God Bless you both!
Though you are missed by so many, you will always be loved and never forgotten. :-)
Brad, what a wonderful tribute to Karen and all that she stood for here at A/R. I have a handwritten note from Karen that I'll always treasure. She really was one in a million.
Karen was the first person that I noticed talked about SEO way back then. Through her fight with cancer, I've always wished she was healed and she now is. It's easy for the rest of us to say, Wow - it's been a year. I cannot imagine what Michael went through today. God be with him and bring him PEACE.
What a wonderful tribute to Karen! I just found her today through your tribute. I will read her blog and regret never having met her while she was here. Thank you.
Brad, as a fairly new member of ActiveRain I didn't have the chance to know Karen, though today I have read some of the posts that she and Michael wrote. She must have been a wonderful, giving person.
I am so struck that you wrote this tribute not when she passed, though perhaps you wrote about her then as well, but a year after her death. Your post and the responses emphasize to me not only what a caring person you must be, Brad, but that the members of ActiveRain are indeed a community in the truest and best sense of the word. I am glad to be a member.
Michael, having read some of the posts anyone can see that Karen had a wonderful champion in you. I hope you find comfort in all that has been written today. In Greek we would say, "May her memory be eternal." I'm sure her's will be.
This is a wonderful and thoughtful memory of a friend - as time goes by those not so close often forget, while those closest still feel the hurt. It is nice to let them know their loved one is not forgotten, and that you are still there for them all the same.
Brad- your post reminds me how blessed we all are to be alive... thank you. My prayers go out to Michael on this day. As a two-time cancer survivor, all I can say is that I am thankful to be alive.
What a thoughtful post in Karen's memory, she is truly missed by so many members here. She was an intelligent lady who was willing to share her knowledge with others on AR. I learned so much from her, she made such an impact here.
Brad this is why I think was drawn to you. You are a caring person. Thanks for this memory of Karen. I don't know about anyone else but it brought back memories of how much we can miss someone that is gone on to better grounds. It made me remember my brother. I love you for this. And I too was touched by Karen's knowledge and her willingness to share.
To Michael, whether you know it or not - just being able to have those "quiet moments of good memories" is a blessings. My heart goes out to you and I feel some of your pain. It will get better and better with time and time.
Karen was a special lady, for sure. She is missed by her AR family. May we all be richer for having had her influence in our lives and the honor of knowledge.
This is a fitting and touching tribute, Brad. Thanks for sharing.
I was only introduced to Karen with the beautiful write-up you did for her a year ago, Brad, and I'm so moved by your very touching tribute here, honoring her memory. My heart goes out to Michael, and to the friends she had here on AR. It's obvious that the legacy she left---as a mentor, a forward thinker, a selfless inspiration, a friend--- continues to live on. We have so much to be grateful for, and your tribute to Karen is a beautiful THANK YOU for such GOODNESS in our lives.
Brad, what a wonderful tribute, we may never see or speak with friends we meet along the way here on A/R however sometimes those friendly comments remind us are never alone.
Though I was not fortunatae enough to know Karen as I am a newbie to AR, I read the blog and I felt like I was right there with her during her ordeal. She was an excellent writer and such a strong individual! Thanks for sharing, Brad!
Brad, thank you for such a heartfelt tribute to Karen. I have to go back and check out the latest on her Blog. May her memory live on through her Family and Friends. God Bless.
Brad, this is the essence of Active Rain. It goes beyond the issues of real estate - people here really care about each other. I came onto the scene just before Karen left us, so I do remember her, and it has been great to see Michael writing again.
Michael and Family - it's pretty clear how much you and Karen mean to us all, thanks for taking the time to comment and share this with family. I'm grateful that little rays of sunshine here and there can brighten your days.
Brad, I wish I knew Karen, I have read both of her blogs and few times over and you can just tell that was such a wonderful person with a great sense of humor. She was so giving and always willing to help never wanting anything in return. You can tell that she loved life and her Michael. I know this from reading her blogs and from talking to people here that knew Karen. I am praying for her family during this difficult time. Thanks so much for this tribute, I am sure it means a lot to Michael and her parents. Kate
Brad, Thanks for sharing all this wonderful information about Karen. How sad to loose such a wonderul person. My prayers are with her family and friends.
Brad - Great job reminding us of how Karen took the time to help anyone who would listen. She was the SEO master as far as I was concerned. We really miss her wisdom.
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Brad, It never gets any easier when we lose friends and co-workers we respect. Karen left her mark with many of us...
Enjoy the memories,
Paul