Karen Ann Skizynski

Karen Ann (McGinnis) Skizynski, 72, a resident of Kissimmee, Florida, formerly of Hudson Falls, New York, entered Eternal Life on Monday, September 19, 2022, surrounded by her loving family. Born on June 21, 1950 in Glens Falls, New York, she was the daughter of Edward and Joan McGinnis.

Karen was raised and educated in Hudson Falls, New York. She attended St. Paul’s Elementary School and Hudson Falls High School. Following graduation, she entered the United States Army where she served as a Medical Corpsman. Her service during the Vietnam War earned Karen a National Defense Service Medal. Upon returning home, she continued her education in the nursing training program at the Glens Falls Hospital.

During nursing school, Karen met the love of her life, Leonard J. Skizynski. They were married on June 10, 1972, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Hudson Falls. The two recently celebrated their 50th Anniversary.

After marriage, the couple moved to Syracuse, New York where Karen started her nursing career at Upstate Medical Center. Upon returning to her hometown, Karen took her talent to the Fort Hudson Nursing Home in Fort Edward, New York. In 1978, Karen and Len moved their family to Kissimmee, Florida, where she lived until her death.

Karen was employed as a gifted, compassionate, and devoted nurse for over three decades in various medical facilities around Kissimmee. Upon moving to the area, she provided loving nursing care to the residents of John Milton Nursing Home. Shortly thereafter, she was drawn to the Kissimmee Minor Emergency Clinic, where in addition to nursing, she also trained and provided services as an x-ray technician. It was here that Karen met and treasured working with her long-term dear friends, and much respected professional mentors, Dr. George Gant and Dr. Mary Janarious. Throughout her entire career, Karen was known to go above and beyond expectations in providing care for her patients, and this was especially true in her work with the Mental Health Services of Osceola County. The majority of Karen’s career concentrated on providing services in various programs at the Osceola County Health Department. She was the Coordinator for the Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program at the time of her retirement.

Throughout her life, Karen was deeply concerned for the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals with special needs, and was passionately involved in providing volunteer services to several community and social service organizations as a result. While too numerous to list, her family is especially proud of her work with Help Now of Osceola, Inc. (who provides safety, hope, and healing for survivors of domestic violence), and the volunteering of her time and talent in periods of community, state, and national crisis for the American Red Cross Emergency Shelters. Recognized for her kind heart and jubilant spirit, Karen was also known for personally and privately assisting and supporting a multitude of individuals and families, helping them navigate through their dark and desperate times. During her later retirement years, Karen was most passionate in her service providing health care to the working poor at the St. Thomas Aquinas Free Medical Clinic in St. Cloud. A devout Catholic woman, Karen was a worshipper and member of St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Humble and self-effacing, Karen was a true blessing to the community. As a good and faithful, selfless servant of God, she has literally given the shirt off her own back to those in need.

As devoted as she was to her career and service to others, Karen sacrificially loved and enjoyed her family and friends even more. She was extremely warm, fun, positive, personable, and sometimes quite shockingly playful in words and deeds. Everyone who encountered Karen felt valued, comfortable, and loved in her presence, and left each interaction feeling as if Karen was their cheerleader and #1 fan. Her hugs were intentional, enveloping, and genuinely filled with love. She has been described as a true angel and breathe of sunshine by those who crossed her path. Karen’s sense of humor and laugh was contagious, quickly and easily consuming a room. She was courageous and confident in facing life’s challenges, and managed these trials with her strong and well-developed faith in God.

As a true and genuine helper and relator, she was extremely devoted to her husband, Len, for over 50 years, and lovingly supported and cared for him daily and in times of illness and rehabilitation. Together they admirably went all-in in raising their son, Chad, and daughter, Amie. She cherished being the family matriarch and was interested in and present for the countless events and activities in the lives of her children and grandchildren, as well as nieces and nephews. Most would agree she was the best of the best as far as spouses, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and friends go. She provided the safe, fun, and warm home where all the children’s friends went, and still returned to visit over and over again as adults. She was highly invested in the lives of her nieces and nephews and treated them as if they were her own. Her door was always wide open to friends and family.

Karen was adventurous and enjoyed just about any activity as long as she could share it with her loved ones. She freely, repeatedly, and enthusiastically said YES to life and all that it offered. Working alongside her husband, she always enjoyed and took pride in gardening and landscaping around their home. In her later years, she developed a passion for the preservation of monarch butterflies and created a safe and healthy habitat for them to flourish before setting them free. She loved to cook at home for family and friends, and enjoyed both casual and fine dining. She was passionate about decorating her home seasonally and for each holiday throughout the year, making her home a welcoming place of warmth, pleasure, and comfort for all who entered, and was also enthusiastic and dedicated in carrying on family traditions and rituals.

Karen was predeceased by her parents, Edward and Joan McGinnis, her in-laws, John and Katherine Skizynski, and her beloved son, Chad Skizynski. She is survived by her husband, Leonard Skizynski of Kissimmee; her daughter, Amie (Skizynski) Owen and son-in-law, Phillip Owen of Kissimmee; her granddaughter, Mackenzie (Owen) Warren, and husband, Logan Warren, of Orlando; and her grandsons, Carson and Alexander Owen of Kissimmee. She is also survived by several special nieces and nephews including Karen Hartman of Queensbury, NY, Evelyn Sullivan of Gainesville, FL, Jason Smith (Antoinette) of St. Cloud, Mark Smith (Jessica) of Phillipston, MA, and Katie McGinnis of Spring Hills, FL; and an abundance of great-nieces and –nephews (Robertta Jo, Isaac, John, Morgan, Skye, Maddie, Ryan, Lucy, and Bailey). Karen leaves behind her sister, Mischell (McGinnis) Hunt (Calvin) of Munnsville, NY, and brother, Sean McGinnis (Paula) of Spring Hills, FL, and several cousins and close friends.

Karen will be deeply and profoundly missed by all who have had the gift and experience of her in their lives. The world will not be the same without her.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 11:00am at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in St. Cloud, Fl.

Memorial donations in memory of Karen Skizynski may be made to the St. Thomas Aquinas Medical Clinic (510 Brown Chapel Rd., St. Cloud, FL 34769; 407-325-3006).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.grissomfh.com for the SKIZYNSKI family.