Karen Leigh Teets January 30, 2023

Karen Leigh Teets, 68, of New Hartford, NY, died peacefully surrounded by her close family on January 30th after a brief and unexpected bout with cancer. A kind and generous soul, Karen attended mass daily at Mary Mother of our Savior Parish in Utica, NY. She graduated from Germantown Central School District and Columbia-Greene Community College, both with honors. After putting herself through college and graduating with a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of Albany, she went on to pursue her professional designation as a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter. Karen spent her entire professional career working for the Hartford Insurance company on the Quality Assurance Team.

She had several hobbies, but amongst her favorites was counted cross stitch, specializing in hand knit Christmas stockings for newborn babies of her family and friends. Karen was an avid reader and took pride in completing the New York Times crossword puzzle daily. She was also proud of her extensive knowledge of anything having to do with apples, stemming from her childhood on her family apple farm where she was born in Winchester, Virginia. After selling their family farm, her family moved to Germantown to continue working in the apple industry.

She is survived by her mother, Gene Himelright, her son Antonio Abitabile (Meghan), her sisters, Beverley Tompkins (Ricki) and Sherry Barringer (David), a stepsister Ginger Barker (John), stepbrother Hank Himelright (Carise), her grandson Gavin Abitabile, her granddaughter Ellis Abitabile, a niece and several nephews. Karen was predeceased by her father, William Teets, and stepfather, James Himelright.

At her request, there will be no viewing hours or funeral service. Upon her cremation, she will be reunited with her father when her ashes will be spread next to him at the Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Winchester, Virginia.

Her family would like to thank the staff at the Ghent Rehabilitation Center for the compassionate and unwavering care that Karen received during her brief stay at their facility. As someone who placed a high value on education and in lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Anything is Possible Scholarship Fund at the Lansingburgh Central School District, 55 New Turnpike Road, Troy NY 12182 or the Hudson Dollars for Scholars, PO Box 1048, Hudson, NY 12534.