Dear Friends,
Karen Cronin
It is with great sadness to announce the sudden death of our dear friend, caring neighbor and wonderful community volunteer, Karen Cronin, who passed away this morning following an accident on Friday while snorkeling in Hawaii.
Karen’s legacy to eastern Montgomery County and all of the New River Valley is one of graceful and joyful service to others.
Since retiring in 2003 from Virginia Tech after 22 years as a video producer and radio programmer, she has served as a full-time volunteer with the local United Way Board, Social Services Board, League of Women Voters local board and League of Women Voters state board.
She was a founding member and sustainer of the EastMont Garden Club and EastMont Arts Association, editor of The LINC Letter, and had recently become a board member of Mountain Valley Charitable Foundation.
She was a member of the EastMont Tomato Festival committee, and made a particular point of stating in her biography that she was the 2009 Heirloom Tomato Queen. She was also a craft teacher for events at the Meadowbrook Public Library and Community Center – teaching fabric and glass painting among other decorative crafts.
Outside of her community work, she was an avid tennis player and traveler — two hobbies she especially enjoyed sharing with her husband, Mike.
Local funeral arrangements are being handled by Horne Funeral Service. Mike will return from Hawaii to their Elliston home on Tuesday or Wednesday, at which time a memorial service will be planned.
Filed under: Uncategorized
This comes so unexpectedly. Thank you for this blog. Her passing is an indelible marker on the life of our community. My condolences to all.
Karen will be sorely missed. I enjoyed getting to know her over the last several years through tennis. I am not surprised to hear she was travelling at the time of her passing. My condolences to the family.
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This is a real shock to me. Karen and I worked together at Virginia Tech, and she “inherited’ my job at Virginia Tech Radio-TV when I moved on. Karen was always a professional and a joy to work with. My condolences to Mike and to her family. I’m sure she will be missed.
I think this should also note that Karen was a dedicated volunteer and advisor for the Tri Delta chapter at Virginia Tech. In her 14 years of service, she touched the lives of hundreds of collegiate women and served as a mentor and an example of a woman of character. Tri Delta at Virginia Tech would not be present today without her guidance and wisdom. She will truly be missed. Delta love and all of mine,
Christie Yerks
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