Karen J. Friedland

Karen J. Friedland of West Roxbury, passed away peacefully on April 14 after a 2½ year battle with ovarian cancer. She was 60 years old.

Karen will be sorely missed by friends, family and neighbors, her mother Linda and sister Susan, her dogs Layla and Cookie and cat Henry, and her beloved husband of 25 years, Rich. She loved nothing more than traveling the vast expanses of her own small neighborhood, chatting with neighbors, admiring their gardens, and watching the seasons change. She tended lovingly to her plentiful houseplants and loved watching her outdoor garden thrive, with the help of carefully directed hole-digging by her husband. The small “teacup palace” 1930 home she shared with husband Rich was carefully and beautifully curated with Karen’s inspired vision and a comforting mixture of houseplants in every room, rescued antiques, and unique artwork from open studios and eBay, covering every wall. Karen will be missed by thousands of friends far and wide, “IRL” and online.

She leaves behind two volumes of poetry, Places That Are Gone (Nixes Mate Books), Tales from the Teacup Palace (Cervena Barva Press), and a posthumous third collection, as well as millions of dollars in grants raised for small nonprofits (Karen’s “day job” for over 20 years).

Her myriad posts on Facebook expressed her generous spirit, with a focus on peace, nature, art, beauty, ethical values, humor and kindness. Karen was battling pain for 15 years, it seemed, through two knee surgeries, fibroid surgery, painful adhesions, and ultimately cancer, but her spirit barely dimmed, and in her typical fashion, she turned it into art. Even through her suffering she remained strong and openhearted, sharing her experience so that others could learn from her example of grace in the face of existential challenge. Not surprisingly, Karen responded to her cancer diagnosis in 2021 with a deep dive into dozens of books about disease, treatments, natural cures, spirituality, coping, and acceptance.

Karen was one of the most empathetic persons one could ever hope to meet. She felt deeply the pain of every felled tree, every abused animal, every sick acquaintance. She was clever, caring, witty and wise. She was an exceptional human being, and the world is a lesser place with her passing. “Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything.” – C.S. Lewis

Karen wanted to express her gratitude to her devoted care team at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, her beloved nurses, oncologists, therapists and hospice teams, too numerous to be mentioned individually, but truly appreciated.

Friends are welcome to attend a celebration of Karen’s life on Sunday, April 21 at 2:30pm, at The Gardens at Gethsemane Cemetery in West Roxbury, MA. Casual attire is encouraged. We’ll gather at the Visitor Center and proceed from there. As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be made to Cats Rule Feline Rescue, or Angelitos Sanctuario animal rescue.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Karen J. Friedland, please visit our floral store.