Karen Kay (Krebsbach) McAllister from Medway, Massachusetts passed on August 9th, 2018 at the age of 74 after an extended illness. She was the beloved wife of Charles Bruce McAllister, a caring mother, and a devoted grandmother. She spent many years working in Human Resources and Management at several companies. Karen was a mother and grandmother to all, often accepting friends of family members as if they were her own children or grandchildren no matter the situation. She was the Matriarch and Center of the McAllister family and often put others’ needs above her own. Even in her working positions, she always put others first and often times acted as the glue that would keep normally large and diverse groups together and close. She was looking forward to retirement with her husband and the relaxation that came with it when she fell ill, but that never stopped a smile from crossing her face. She was a bright beckon of light even in the darkest of times for those around her.
Karen was a stubborn Taurus who refused to give nothing except one hundred percent in every situation, including her marriage. A line from a poem she gave to her husband for their 25th Anniversary sums up their relationship perfectly: “Real romance comes from surviving life’s experiences, egos intact, hearts entwined. Real romance lasts after the words on the page have faded away.” They celebrated a total of 54 years of marriage together before her passing.
She was born in Nebraska in 1944. She later married her highschool sweetheart, Bruce, on March 28th, 1964. She had three children Kristin Kay McAllister, Michael Sean McAllister, and Kimberly Jane Stubbs - and had a total of six grandchildren. Four of her grandchildren are the offspring of her eldest daughter, Kristin, and they are Corey Scott Gray, Devin Michael Gray, Haley Victoria McAllister, and Kaylin Kristine McAllister. Her other two grandchildren are the offspring of her youngest daughter, Kimberly, and they are Courtney Danielle Stubbs and Victoria Elizabeth Stubbs. She also leaves behind one younger sister, Sandra Lee Krebsbach, and her precious chihuahua, Gingerbread Marie.
The McAllister family is asking to have a more private memorial for Karen and that those who wish to attend the memorial service reach out to the family. They also wished to send the utmost gratitude to the staff at both Milford Regional Medical Center and UMass Medical Center for all of their wonderful work and care for Karen when she fell ill. A special thank you to Moses, Orlando, Ellen, and several others for being such excellent caregivers in her times of need and going above and beyond in caring for her.
The family would like to share a beloved picture of Karen and her husband Bruce.
