Saturday 22 August 2020

Sad news

 

It is my sad duty to inform readers of this blog that the author, Karen Crossley (pawprint), passed away on 28 July 2020 at her home. Posted by her brother Gord Crossley.

Obituary for Karen Louise Crossley

A talented and prolific writer, she had recently retired, due to increasing health issues, from her position of Communications Ocer at Canada Revenue Agency, where she was employed since 2002.

Karen was a lifelong learner, achieving her BA in English and History from the University of Winnipeg, a Creative Communications diploma in Journalism from Red River Community College, and her master's degree in English Literature from the University of Manitoba, beginning studies toward a PhD shortly thereafter.

She loved both drama and travel from an early age; interests that she pursued for her own enjoyment, and professionally, as a freelance journalist and features writer for The Winnipeg Sun, and a freelance writer for numerous arts and entertainment programs and publications. 

She had an abiding passion for horses, in the flesh, in literature and as collectible models and figurines. She volunteered with the Manitoba Riding for the Disabled Association; was an avid fan of equestrian events, competitions, and novels; wrote her master's thesis on the children's literature classic, Black Beauty; was well regarded in the horse collecting world, known throughout Canada and the US; and most recently, created a blog, Dust Ponies, for fellow aficionados of Breyer Club model horses and other related collectibles.

Karen was pre-deceased by her father, Robert Crossley, in 2009, and is mourned by her mother, June, brother, Gordon, and sister, Kim, as well as aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Manitoba Riding for the Disabled Association, or the Winnipeg Humane Society.

4 comments:

  1. Gordon, thank you for this. Karen was loved in the model horse hobby, so much so that myself and two other bloggers, Jennifer Buxton and Anne Field, are honoring her memory by completing the alphabet project she was doing on her blog. We are taking turns on ours and will finish the alphabet for her. The links to our blogs are on this page to the right. I am Horsie Mama, Jennifer is Braymere, and Anne is Field of Dolls. We are so sorry for your loss, and have grieved with you. Our hearts are with you and your family. Best wishes.

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  2. The model horse blogging community is small, and Karen's death hit us hard. We miss her tremendously. Love and best wishes to you and the rest of her family. Thank you for this final post.

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  3. Karen's model horse blog was a bright cheery note in a field rather short on newcomers. She honored my blog with several thoughtful comments; once we emailed. I loved her point of view and relished the thought she'd be around for a long time. I was stunned when she left us.

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  4. This was one of my favorite blogs. She was an excellent writer with a clear perspective. Thank you for posting her obituary. I hope she got to enjoy her Breyerfest horses before she passed, and I'm sorry she didn't have more time to play with her new doll. Please reach out to the model community for help with her collection; we'd all like to see them find homes where they will be cherished.

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