Karen Brown Burd

Karen Brown Burd, a beloved and beautiful daughter, sister, wife, mother, educator, neighbor and friend passed away peacefully on December 30th, 2025 at St. Francis Hospital with family at her side. 

Karen loved people and service, and her life was filled with activity and joy. She danced and hiked with the Mountaineers, sang in community choirs, taught and counseled in elementary schools, served as a Deacon at church, and walked picking up trash and beautifying her neighborhood. She loved sweets, and delighted in the monthly birthday cake days at church. 

Karen was born in Danville, Virginia to George Hansford Brown and Madeline Reed. When she was about two, the family moved to Martinez, Georgia where four more siblings joined the family. She was a graduate of Evans High School, and continued her education at Augusta College and Georgia State, where she received her Master’s in Education in 1974. One of her favorite memories of her college years was working for the Atlanta Braves answering Hank Aaron’s fan mail. 

Karen met her husband on a blind date during her undergrad years at Augusta College, where her future father-in-law was her undergrad advisor. Howard Burd and Karen Brown married in Atlanta in 1969. They moved around often during the early years of marriage for school and jobs. Their son Blake was born in Valdosta, Georgia, and daughter Sarah in Tacoma, Washington—a place where they loved and made a home. 

Karen was a lifelong educator and volunteer. She volunteered with Community Schools, the PTA at Browns Point Elementary, and several other organizations, and earned the Golden Acorn award for her time on the PTA. When she returned to teaching after having children, Karen became an Elementary School Counselor in the Tacoma School District and served as President of the Pierce County Counselor’s Association. She taught at Jennie Reed, Wainwright, and Franklin and Bryant Elementary Schools. After retiring, she missed teaching so much that she took on several long-term substitute jobs. 

Helping globally was one of Karen’s great loves. She and Howard spent a year in Northern, Ireland as hosts of a retreat center affiliated with Corrymeela, a peace and reconciliation organization. She participated in six Habitat for Humanity Global Village Builds in Nicaragua, Colombia, and twice in Guatemala and three times in Romania, as well as a Peace Corps Partnership Project in Paraguay. Faith was a vital part of Karen’s life, from growing up as a Southern Baptist, to adult life in both the Episcopalian and Presbyterian churches. 

Karen’s passing leaves a hole in the hearts of her family, friends and neighbors. She will be deeply missed. 

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