Karen Sue (Smed) Blaha

life story

Loving Healer

Karen's greatest joy was placing her gifted hands and intuition in service to soothing and healing others for their best life.

Karen's Life

Karen was born January 22, 1940, in Fairmont, MN. After her year of college at St. Teresa's in Winona, MN, she married and had six children over the following ten years. After moving in 1968 from Fort Dodge, IA, to Stillwater, MN, a new life began with friends who worked for a peace parade and who founded a progressive counseling center called The Olive House. She studied Carl Jung, R. D. Laing, Carl Rogers, and many others before returning to school. No longer the half-hearted student of her youth, she achieved a 3.94 GPA in her B.A. in Anthropology from the University of MN in 1977. Over these same years, she found a love for ethnic dancing. In 1983, she discovered her healing energy bodywork teacher Ethel Lombardy. Karen worked with many beloved clients from 1983 through 2019, combining psychology, spirituality, deep bodywork and the I Ching in her healing. Karen was cared for by wonderful hospice nurses in her last months at Our Lady of Peace, St. Paul. She passed on March 6, 2021, with her children present, in great love and peace. Her descendants are Dionne, Escondido, CA; David (Julie), Los Altos, CA; Stephen, Chippewa Falls, WI; Jeannie (BJ), MT; Therese Sinz (Len), Bloomer, WI; Eric, Stillwater, MN. Grandsons are Matthew Sinz, Benjamin Sinz, and Brock Blaha. She is survived by sisters Mary Beth Snyder, Rita (Gary) Larson, brother Roger (Jan) Smed, and many nieces and nephews. Gary Johnson was a long-time household partner. Shanti, shanti, shanti. Peace to all that surpasses all understanding.

In addition to Mom's personal summary above, her kids wish to say that we know the beloved Mother Mary welcomed her with open arms. Mom showed a generosity of heart toward understanding the unique personalities of the six children she brought into the world. She had a penchant for helping people grow into their gifts, even into her last days. We will carry her always in our hearts.

memorial service

Virtual Honoring of Karen's Life and Spirit - for Zoom link, contact Dionne or Eric Blaha

March 13, 2021

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services