Karen Rose Mirski, daughter of A.J. and Louise Albert, of Detroit, Michigan, died April 16, 2019, in Fort Meyers, Florida, following a courageous 17 year battle with leukemia.
Beautiful, feisty, and resolute to the end, she is survived by her husband of 53 years, Paul, two children, Christian and Sara, their respective spouses, Emily Mirski and Peter Spencer, and her four grandchildren, Louise and Iris Mirski, and Benjamin and Thomas Spencer, who, if you were to ask, will all tell you that she was the best grandmother, the best story-teller, and the best cook ever.
She leaves David Albert, Mona (Albert) Chin, Anne Goin, Kathleen Socket, and many more beloved nieces and nephews across the country.
She leaves many friends in Enfield, Canaan, Grafton and Orange, NH, and the memorable stories nurtured from those friendships.
And, of course, she leaves her longest and most intimate friend, Diane Grech, of Livonia, Michigan, Maid of Honor at her wedding. They were reciprocal Godmothers. Not a single cross word passed between the two in 66 years of friendship.
Kaye was a graduate of the University of Detroit and of the Masters of Liberal Studies program at Dartmouth College.
She loved Dance and theater and had danced professionally in Detroit, before graduating from University.
She was a fabulous teacher. She taught at the Enfield Village School for thirty-two years until her illness caused her to retire early. She taught reading and special education, but primarily, she taught third and fourth grades. Mrs.’M,’ as she was affectionately known at school, often asked to have the toughest kids assigned to her classroom. She made school exciting. She made every child feel as important as every other child and adult. She encouraged an appreciation for individual self-worth, and the children in her classroom loved her for it.
For a period, she served as President of the Mascoma Valley Regional Education Association. She also served on the Executive Board, and in other capacities and she acted as a negotiator for teacher’s contracts and salaries. She was a strong advocate for teacher’s rights. She went to bat for anyone who needed help.
She was an accomplished horsewoman. She much enjoyed riding and engaging in crazy horsey deeds with her Woodland Riding and Driving Club, friends. She was successful in competing in endurance events on her favorite horse “Ginger,” a blonde sorrel, quarter horse mare. She didn’t care for Morgan horses until she found “Ebony,” a Morgan, who became her last dressage horse and whom she came to love deeply. Due to illness, she eventually could not care for Ebony, and when his time finally came, she was grateful for the help of terrific friends to see to his easy exit, at a very ripe old age, from this earth.
Most importantly, Kaye was a devout Roman Catholic. She was a communicant at LaSallete Shrine, and at St. Helena’s Catholic Church, both in Enfield, NH. She appreciated time spent in prayer with others asking for divine intercession concerning the ailments and difficulties of others, more than for her own.
She remained full of humor, fearless, independent, and determined to the end. She was not afraid of death, but in typical fashion, not prepared to give up without a fight. She will be deeply missed.
A memorial service will be held at The Shrine of Our Lady of LaSalette, in Enfield New Hampshire, on August 16, 2019, at 4 o’clock PM, with a reception to follow at the Great Stone Dwelling at the adjacent Shaker Village.
Memorial donations may be made to The Shrine of Our Lady of LaSalette, P.O. Box 420, 410 NH Route 4A, Enfield, NH 03748 / Tel. 603-632-7087.