Washington 1960 Karen Sue (Green) Moran

Jan. 20, 1943 - Jul. 22, 2017

SOUTH BEND, IN - Karen Sue (Green) Moran, 74, of Dale, Indiana, passed away Saturday, July 22, 2017, at Willowdale Nursing Home in Dale, after a nearly 10 year struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

Born on January 20, 1943, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to the late Raymond and Gwen Green, Karen grew up in South Bend, where she graduated from Washington High School in 1960. Thereafter, she attained a Bachelor's degree in Social Work at Indiana University, in Bloomington, before serving as Recreation Director at Children's Hospital in South Bend, where she worked with severely disabled children. She later served as a teacher and workshop director with Stonebelt Center in Bloomington, as a Q.M.R.P. in Winamac, Indiana and with the W.I.C. program in Greencastle, Indiana, as well as with the Hearty Heart program at Eastern Kentucky University. Karen's lifelong interest in working with children led her to complete a Master's degree in Elementary Education at Eastern Kentucky University, in Richmond, Kentucky, while raising two daughters, Kelly (Moran) Kavasseri, of Fremont, California, and Kristin Moran, of Dale, with her husband, Dr. Kenneth Moran, of Dale. Returning to Indiana, Karen pursued and completed a Masters in Library Science at Indiana University, in 1997, before accepting the post of Library Director of Lincoln Heritage Public Library, in Dale, Indiana. While Library Director, she instituted a variety of programs, including the monthly Undergrounds music program, and expanded various outreach, senior, children's, and Hispanic programs, as well as seeing the library through a major expansion and renovation, before her retirement in 2008.

In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by two older brothers, Ronald Green and his wife Carol of New Port Richey, Florida and James Green and his wife of Pompano Beach, Florida; and by two grandchildren, Tara and Raja Kavasseri, of Fremont, California.

Aside from her professional accomplishments, Karen enjoyed reading, music of virtually every type, outdoor activities including canoeing and whitewater rafting, wildlife, and travel. While at Indiana University as an undergraduate, Karen applied to and completed training for the Peace Corp at Indiana University and The University of Notre Dame, and was scheduled to serve in Bogota, South America, an assignment postponed but never forgotten when she chose to marry. Besides touring widely within the United States, she enjoyed vacations in Mexico, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Germany, France, Spain and Switzerland - climbing Heidi's Alp while pursuing the heroine of one of her childhood novels.

Following an autopsy performed in conjunction with the Indiana University Medical School's Alzheimer Disease Center program, Karen's remains will be cremated, with later inurnment. There will be no public visitation or services. Nass & Son Funeral Home in Huntingburg has been entrusted with the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer's research or Cancer research programs. Condolences may be shared online at: www.nassandson.com

Published in South Bend Tribune on July 26, 2017

jmc 26 july 2017