Karen Adams Montgomery Obituary (1951 - 2025)

Born Mar 06, 1951, Karen Adams Montgomery attended Boca Raton High School in Boca Raton, FL. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Karen Adams Montgomery.

Graduation Year	Class of 1969
Date of Birth	Mar 06, 1951
Date of Passing	Jul 29, 2025
About	“Like the labyrinth…life’s twists and turns are not missteps, but invitations to new joy and awareness.” Karen Hope Karen Hope Adams Montgomery died peacefully at home surrounded by her family in the early hours of July 29th, 2025, after a brief illness. She was preceded in death by her parents Bob and Peggy Adams, brother Jim Adams, and former husband Raymond Bruce Montgomery. She is survived by her beloved partner Steve Young; children Heather (Stephanie) and Ian Montgomery; sister Martha Miller (Dana); grandsons Evan Jablonsky and Benjamin Tucker; nieces Melissa Garstka (Jeff), Jamie Adams, and Samantha McDowell; nephew Erik McDowell; and great-nephew and great-niece Aiden and Jocelyn Garstka, as well as many other dear family and friends. Karen was born on March 16, 1951, in Decatur, Illinois, but grew up in Boca Raton, Florida. She graduated from Boca Raton High School, then attended Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Sociology. As a young woman, she married Bruce Montgomery, had two children, created pottery in her home workshop, and served as President of the Manassas Art Guild. She owned an interior decorating business and spent many years making homes and medical facilities beautiful. At the age of 50, she enrolled in the Master of Science in Art Therapy program at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, where her focus was on the use of labyrinths and mandalas in healing. After graduating, she was an art therapist in a variety of settings, ranging from her home to juvenile detention centers, always helping people find beauty and express themselves through art. When she retired, she dedicated her time, talent, and vast experience to teaching English to immigrant adults, many of whom became friends, offering classes at Innerwork Center, and co-founding a non-profit, Anam Cara Collective. At the collective Karen facilitated monthly gatherings that brought kindred spirits together to explore, learn, and grow. Karen was a beacon of light and joy, embodying lovingkindness in action. She never met a stranger, only new friends, and she had a unique ability to make people feel seen and appreciated. She brought people together, creating bonds that enriched lives and endured beyond her presence. Karen was passionate about labyrinths as tools for meditation and healing, kintsugi as a demonstration of how objects can be even more beautiful after having been broken, and collage as a way to express oneself and make sense of the world. Art, music (especially when it was played by her dear Steve), flamingos, sloths, cats, oceans, mountains, and her friends and family brought her great joy. Please join family and friends for a Celebration of Life on October 5th, 2025, from 2:00-4:00 pm at 5400 Bondsor Ln., Richmond, Virginia 23225. At the celebration we will share memories, music, art, and food. Dress comfortably and bring a potluck dish to share if you are able. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Anam Cara Collective in Karen’s memory via mail at Anam Cara Collective 2300 Hobby Hill Dr. Goochland, VA 23063.