Karyn Adler Fasel
May 3rd, 1961 - January 11th, 2024
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Karyn's Obituary
Karyn Adler Fasel was born in Chicago May 3, 1961 but moved with her family to South Haven at a very young age and was a life long resident of South Haven and her beloved 'Pink House.'
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at the Filbrandt Chapel in South Haven from 11:00am to 12:30pm with Burial to follow at the 1st Hebrew Congregation in South Haven.
Karyn attended school in South Haven and graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Criminal Justice. For several years she worked in Lansing as an Administrative Aid to Senator Edgar Fredericks before meeting her future husband, Jim Fasel, who succeeded in dragging her off to Pennsylvania where she lived a few months every year before returning to South Haven and her family home, the Pink House, every summer and as often as possible during the rest of the year. She was thrilled to return to South Haven as a full time resident several years ago.
When she wasn't making road trips to and from Pennsylvania to South Haven, Karyn spent her time caring for her family and friends as well as giving to the world by way of her deep involvement with Social Service agencies and organizations. Karyn was a rarity in the Social Service world, a professional Volunteer Coordinator who was skilled at bringing people together and motivating them to give of the hearts and time to the causes she cared deeply about.
Karyn was the Volunteer Coordinator that helped get Berks Talkline, a crisis and help line for children and teens, off the ground. She developed an interest in learning American Sign Language and from the ASL classes she took she became involved with a Deaf and Hard of Hearing social service agency, the Center on Hearing and Deafness. She began working for CHAD, part time at first then full time, as the Volunteer Coordinator. She was the driving force that motivated scores and scores of volunteers to give thousands of hours of their time to work with Deaf and HOH individuals and their families for well over a decade. After leaving CHAD she developed her interest in crochet and connected with a small group of online volunteers that made crocheted breast forms for breast cancer survivors who found the standard prosthetics available after mastectomies to be unusable or unaffordable. From this small, fledgling group Karyn helped build a robust organization of volunteers numbering in the hundreds who donated their time, material and money to making tens of thousands of crocheted and knitted breast forms that are sent to women all over the world. Karyn was working with the group, Awesome Breast Forms, right up till the end.
In addition to her crocheting, Karyn was an amazing cook who delighted in her kitchen and making new things for her family and to share with friends. A life long animal lover, Karyn always had dogs and cats as part of her family, including her devoted collie, Percy, who was Karyn's much loved 'Boyfriend.'
Although born and raised an only child, Karyn was thrilled to discover that she did in fact have a French half-brother through her father, a veteran of the European Theater in WWII! Karyn connected immediately with her brother, Patrick Borquet and his wife Joelle and their children and was excited to become an Aunt and Great Aunt to her French family.
Karyn was preceded in death by her parents, Earnst and Barbara Adler and is survived by her husband, Jim, her son Zane, her brother Patrick and his wife, her niece Barbara and nephew, Ludo and their children, Cammile and Rapheal. As well as a bewildering array of cousins, first and second, from her mother and father's sides of the family. And, adopted in all but name, Joe Swank.
Karyn was the kind of person who brought light, laughter and love wherever she went, and gathered friends that she loved and cherished and who shared their love with her. The list of those who will miss her dearly is far too long to be properly addressed here.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Al-Van Humane Society. To view Karyn’s personal webpage please visit: starksfamilyfh.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Filbrandt Chapel - Starks Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Services. 269-637-0333
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at the Filbrandt Chapel in South Haven from 11:00am to 12:30pm with Burial to follow at the 1st Hebrew Congregation in South Haven.
Karyn attended school in South Haven and graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Criminal Justice. For several years she worked in Lansing as an Administrative Aid to Senator Edgar Fredericks before meeting her future husband, Jim Fasel, who succeeded in dragging her off to Pennsylvania where she lived a few months every year before returning to South Haven and her family home, the Pink House, every summer and as often as possible during the rest of the year. She was thrilled to return to South Haven as a full time resident several years ago.
When she wasn't making road trips to and from Pennsylvania to South Haven, Karyn spent her time caring for her family and friends as well as giving to the world by way of her deep involvement with Social Service agencies and organizations. Karyn was a rarity in the Social Service world, a professional Volunteer Coordinator who was skilled at bringing people together and motivating them to give of the hearts and time to the causes she cared deeply about.
Karyn was the Volunteer Coordinator that helped get Berks Talkline, a crisis and help line for children and teens, off the ground. She developed an interest in learning American Sign Language and from the ASL classes she took she became involved with a Deaf and Hard of Hearing social service agency, the Center on Hearing and Deafness. She began working for CHAD, part time at first then full time, as the Volunteer Coordinator. She was the driving force that motivated scores and scores of volunteers to give thousands of hours of their time to work with Deaf and HOH individuals and their families for well over a decade. After leaving CHAD she developed her interest in crochet and connected with a small group of online volunteers that made crocheted breast forms for breast cancer survivors who found the standard prosthetics available after mastectomies to be unusable or unaffordable. From this small, fledgling group Karyn helped build a robust organization of volunteers numbering in the hundreds who donated their time, material and money to making tens of thousands of crocheted and knitted breast forms that are sent to women all over the world. Karyn was working with the group, Awesome Breast Forms, right up till the end.
In addition to her crocheting, Karyn was an amazing cook who delighted in her kitchen and making new things for her family and to share with friends. A life long animal lover, Karyn always had dogs and cats as part of her family, including her devoted collie, Percy, who was Karyn's much loved 'Boyfriend.'
Although born and raised an only child, Karyn was thrilled to discover that she did in fact have a French half-brother through her father, a veteran of the European Theater in WWII! Karyn connected immediately with her brother, Patrick Borquet and his wife Joelle and their children and was excited to become an Aunt and Great Aunt to her French family.
Karyn was preceded in death by her parents, Earnst and Barbara Adler and is survived by her husband, Jim, her son Zane, her brother Patrick and his wife, her niece Barbara and nephew, Ludo and their children, Cammile and Rapheal. As well as a bewildering array of cousins, first and second, from her mother and father's sides of the family. And, adopted in all but name, Joe Swank.
Karyn was the kind of person who brought light, laughter and love wherever she went, and gathered friends that she loved and cherished and who shared their love with her. The list of those who will miss her dearly is far too long to be properly addressed here.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Al-Van Humane Society. To view Karyn’s personal webpage please visit: starksfamilyfh.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Filbrandt Chapel - Starks Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Services. 269-637-0333
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