Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home

CUSHING, MAINE – Karen Young Offen, 72, died at her home Tuesday, May 1, 2012.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, January 26, 1940, she was the daughter of Paul Henry Young and Ruth Jacobson Young. As a girl she lived with her family in Mobile, AL, Asheville, NC, Lufkin, TX, Rushville, IN, and Holland, MI, as well as various other locations. She graduated from Holland (Michigan) High School in 1957.

From 1957 to 1961, she attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio graduating with a BS in Sociology.

In 1963 she married John Offen, whom she met in college. First living in Mansfield, Connecticut, the couple moved to Willimantic, Connecticut where her husband taught.

Continuing her education, Karen completed her graduate work at Eastern Connecticut State University, earning an MS in Education in 1971. She later completed many additional hours of graduate work in business administration at ECSU.

She first worked as a social worker for WACAP (later PROP) a social agency in Willimantic, and for many years as director of the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program covering much of eastern Connecticut. Also she served two years as director of the Head Start Program for the same area, before returning as director of WIC.

Karen and John retired to Maine in 1997. Traveling abroad during their retirement, she especially enjoyed northern Europe, and the Scandinavian countries of her ancestors.

A docent at the Farnsworth Museum, Karen particularly loved giving tours and working with the younger visitors to the museum. She also put in many docent hours volunteering at the Olson House in Cushing, Maine.

Karen took great joy in quilting and was a member of the Georges Valley Quilt Group. Karen delighted in her quiet life in Cushing, Maine with John and her two companion Black Labrador Retrievers.

She is survived by her husband, John of Cushing; daughters, Paige Offen of Willimantic, Connecticut, Blair Offen of Belfast, Maine and three grandchildren, Madison Cook, Callie Cook and Chase Cook all of Belfast.

Private family services will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to Kno-Wal-Lin Hospice, 170 Pleasant Street, Rockland, ME 04841.

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland, Maine. To share a memory or story with Karen’s family, please visit her online guestbook at www.bchfh.com.