Karen Alina Beaudoin

WORCESTER- Karen Alina Beaudoin, 76, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 6, 2023, surrounded by her children.

Karen was born in Worcester on January 13, 1947, daughter of devoted parents Melvin Håkans Mickelson and Shirley Louise (Jones) Mickelson. Karen attended local schools and earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Worcester State College. She taught kindergarten at Middlesex Avenue School in Worcester until 1977. In the early 1990s, she joined the Millbury Federated Nursery School staff, teaching preschool until her retirement in 2012.

As a lifelong parishioner, Karen cared deeply for the community of Saint Matthew’s Church in South Worcester, where she served as church-school teacher and superintendent, prepared young congregants for First Communion, and was a committed member of the altar guild. She was an active resident of Millbury and a longtime Camp Fire leader. Karen was generous with her time and talent, sharing creativity, kindness, and a love of nature throughout her life.

She is survived by her brother, David Mickelson and his wife, Vin; five children, Kira Beaudoin, Kathryn McDuffee and her husband Sean, Amanda Beaudoin and her partner, Andrew Kilgore, Laura Cummings and her husband Andrew, and Jonathan Beaudoin; and three grandchildren, Liam and Kahlan McDuffee and Cora Cummings. She will be greatly missed by close cousins, nieces, and nephews of the Mickelson family, godchildren, and many others who loved her.

Family and friends will celebrate Karen’s life with visiting hours on Tuesday, October 17, from 5:00pm until 7:00pm at the Callahan, Fay & Caswell Life Celebration Home, 61 Myrtle St., Worcester. A funeral service will be held at 10am on Wednesday, October 18, at Saint Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 695 Southbridge St., Worcester. Burial will follow at Old Swedish Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Saint Matthew’s Church, Friends of Acadia National Park, or the Worcester Art Museum Scholarship Fund (See Below)