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Karen Ann Muczynski Smith

SMITH, Karen Ann Muczynski, 64, a former resident of Toronto, OH, passed away at her home in Richland, WA, on Feb. 12, 2014, after a brief illness.

Karen was born in Steubenville, OH, on June 22, 1949, the only child of Margaret (Karaffa) and Stanley Muczynski.

She grew up in Toronto and graduated from Toronto High School in 1967. While in school she was involved in many clubs and activities including the Future Teachers of America and the concert and marching bands where she played first chair flute and was head majorette. She was also elected to the home coming court her senior year.

Karen received her B.S. degree in education from Kent State University in 1971. She taught second grade for the Toronto Public Schools at the Lincoln Elementary School for two years and then moved to Columbus, OH in 1974 where she met her first husband, John Crocker. While living in Columbus, she taught second grade at Stevenson Elementary School in Grandview Heights for six years until the birth of her son, Christopher in 1980.

In 1981, her husband’s job transfer took her family to Jacksonville, Florida where she resumed her teaching career, initially as a second grade teacher at Jacksonville County Day School and thereafter as a first grade teacher at Christ the King School in the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine where she taught for seven years.

Karen’s Catholic faith guided her life. While living in Toronto, she was a devout member of St. Joseph Byzantine Catholic Church. In Jacksonville she attended Christ the King Roman Catholic Church for many years where she sang in the choir and played the organ. She later became a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church where in 2004 she chaired and organized the church’s 150th year Anniversary Celebration and Gala. When she moved to Washington in 2006, she became a member of Christ the King Roman Catholic Church where she sang in the choir and served as the church’s organist and pianist.

Karen was preceded in death by her mother, Margaret and her grandparents, John B. and Anna B. Karaffa. Her father, Stanley passed away one week following her death.

She is survived by her husband, Richard Smith of Richland, WA; her son, Christopher Crocker of Los Angeles, CA: her uncle, Joseph Karaffa, her aunt, JoAnn Karaffa Owens and many cousins.

Family and friends will gather for visitation on Saturday, May 3, 2014, from 9-9:30 a.m. at the Clarke Funeral Home, Toronto, OH 43964. 740-537-1234 or 1-855-847-1240, followed by a memorial service at 9:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will follow at the Toronto Union Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in Karen’s name either to a Humane Society of your choice or to the Joseph and Anna Marie Karaffa Award for Excellence in Education through the Toronto Alumni Association

To send condolences to the family go to www.clarkefuneralhome.com