Obituaries

Bellmore Resident Karen Schwartz Dies at 49

Editor's Note: This obituary was submitted by Leslie Helene Hotary.

Karen (Maiselson) Schwartz, 49, beloved wife of Douglas Schwartz, passed away in her home in Bellmore on Friday, April 5.

Karen was born on May 22, 1963, in Broad Channel, NY, the daughter of Joe (who predeceased her) and Florence Maiselson. She graduated from Beach Channel HS, class of 1981 and from The New York School for Medical Technologists, class of 1985.

After numerous overtures on his part, she finally recognized that Douglas was destined to be the love of her life and they were married on October 23, 1988 at Astoria Manor in New York. Karen and Douglas have three wonderful and amazing children, Natalie Amanda (22), Andrew Thomas (18), and Gregory Alexander Schwartz (12) and they are there for each other at all times.

Karen was beautiful inside and out. She could light up a room just by entering it and then keep the brightness going with her stories and laughter. Karen was a true people person who found and gave great joy by gathering with family and friends for any of the host of reasons that bring people together.

If there was a party, celebration, achievement, milestone, vacation, school or sporting event, Karen was there.  She was luminous and genuine and could be counted on to support anyone in his/her individual endeavors.

Moreover, Karen continued to be there for us year after year, even though she was stricken with an aggressive breast cancer in the prime of her life.  She epitomized and demonstrated the meaning of physical and mental strength as well as determination.  Despite some of her most vicious battles and treatments, she joined on family trips, moved her children into college, attended weddings, and beat many of us repeatedly in Words with Friends.  

Some people stay on the physical earth for shorter times in order to be examples for others.  Karen showed us how to live life, and the best way to celebrate her is to appreciate each day to its fullest potential.

She was a giver and we were blessed to be showered with her gifts. Besides her loving husband and three children, Karen will be sadly missed and is survived by her mother, Florence, sister Pattie, and brother, Joel.  Other survivors include her nieces and nephews, Danielle and Deana (Jonathan), Monica (Terry), Hannah, and Paulette, Allison (Patrick) and Lisa, and Nicholas as well as her in-laws, Mildred Schwartz (mother-in-law), Allen and Leona, Ronald and Ellen, and Kevin and Leslie (brothers- and sisters-in-law).  .  

In addition, Karen will live on in the hearts of her many other relatives, friends, neighbors, lacrosse and baseball families, as well as limousine, restaurant, and Bellmore Chamber associates, far too numerous to name.

Visiting hours will be on Tuesday, April 9 at C.S. Bartholomew and Son Funeral Home, which is located at 302 Bedford Ave. in Bellmore.

A private graveside ceremony will be held on Wednesday, April 10, 2013.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Karen’s name may be made to Beth Israel Medical Center in NYC. https://supportbethisrael.org/support-us


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