Karen M. Arnold
Karen Michele Arnold was born on August 19, 1951 and died suddenly Thursday, September 9, 2021 at Marlborough Hospital after a short fight with metastatic lung cancer.
She is deeply missed by all those she leaves behind, but especially by her loving husband Richard “Ricky” Arnold of 49 years, beloved daughter Sara Arnold and partner Bill Simon of Clinton, granddaughter Verity Arnold-Simon, and mother Ann Zucker of Coral Springs, Florida.
She is predeceased by her granddaughter, Liberty Arnold-Simon, who also died of cancer.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Karen spent her childhood there and graduated from high school in Westfield, New Jersey. She went to college at 17 at Boston University where she obtained a degree in education and met her soulmate after meeting through a mutual friend in Brighton. She later achieved a master’s degree in library science from Salem State University. She moved to Burlington in 1977 and lived there until 2013 when she moved to Stuart, Florida.
She was a teacher for many years, primarily as a media specialist in Wilmington and then at the Harrington K-8 school in Cambridge. She was also a Hebrew school teacher at Temple Shalom Emeth in Burlington and was one of the original employees at Digital in Maynard. She was also a library trustee in Burlington and was involved in the construction of the new library, where her name is on the entrance plaque.
Karen impacted so many lives in her 70 years. She was incredibly intelligent, caring, compassionate, and empathetic. She always made sure people knew she cared about them and that they mattered; she was loyal and devoted to all those that were lucky enough to be loved by her. She was overjoyed to be a parent, and a grandparent twice over.
She loved books, beaches, shopping and fashion, sunshine, lions, hamsa and the tree of life, fine art, delicious food, and high-quality cannabis. She always looked beautiful and put together, which was a point of pride for her.
Karen will be particularly remembered for her utterly hilarious sense of humor, infectious laugh, and ability to be silly and carefree.
She will be missed and remembered forever, especially by her sweet girls (forever and a day).
Donations in Karen’s memory may be made to the Love for Liberty Arnold-Simon DIPG Foundation (loveforliberty.org), of which Karen was a dedicated board member, and was created in memory of her late granddaughter.
Services will be graveside Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 1:00 pm at Beit Olam East Cemetery, 42 Concord Road, Wayland, MA. Details, including the shiva, will be available soon.