Obituary of Karyn Ruth Coolen

KARYN RUTH COOLEN August 21st, 1952 – July 1st, 2020

Karyn Ruth Coolen (Winsor) died peacefully in the presence of her husband at St. Paul’s Hospital, Saskatoon at 8:30 a.m. on July 1st, 2020, after a short illness. She was predeceased by her father, Albert Winsor and mother, Shirley (McIlwaine), stepfather Samuel Rittenhouse, her first husband David Wirth and brother Thomas Rittenhouse. Left behind to mourn are: her husband, the Rev. Peter Coolen, her daughter, Erica (Mike) Warriner, Saskatoon and grandsons, Jayden, Morgan, Carsen and Donovan and her son, Lucas Wirth (Shelley Holzapfel) of Cranbrook, B.C. and grandsons Wyatt and Ronin and her brother Fred (Val) Rittenhouse, Saskatoon. Karyn had only recently retired after forty-five years as an R.N. and died just short of her 68th birthday and 32nd wedding anniversary.

Born in Calgary and raised mostly in Ontario, Karyn graduated from the St. Joseph’s School of Nursing, Toronto in 1975. She practiced as a nurse in Toronto and Ottawa for six years and then spent the bulk of her career in the north and far north particularly, Watson Lake and Old Crow, Yukon; Frobisher Bay, N.W.T and Stanley Mission, Patuanak and Pelican Narrows SK as well practicing in Saskatoon, Calgary and Vancouver. Karyn’s career included practice in gynecology, geriatrics, dialysis, private duty nursing, including ventilated quadriplegics and spinal cord recovery as well as medi-vac and operating alone or supervising small medical staffs in isolated northern nursing stations when she often performed deliveries, minor surgery, diagnosis and prescribed medications. Karyn was a certified Shiatsu Practitioner and, in 2013, graduated from the ICHM program as a Parish Nurse.

Karyn loved the north, its lifestyle and its people; she was an adept with snowshoes, cross-country skies, four-wheel drive vehicles, camping, snowmobiles and was a proficient fisherman, crack marksman and hunter and skilled at filleting fish and dressing game. Karyn was an open, vibrant, energetic, giving, friendly, empathetic and spiritual caregiver, friend, advisor and councillor, mother, wife and companion. She exuded an energetic and positive unjudgmental love, concern, interest and support of everyone she met and whistled (never singing) her way through many a hymn in the several parish communities she was a member of. Always available, always up for a challenge, always ready to volunteer and always dependable, she set and has left behind a great example in how to truly live, and enjoy living, a life in service to others.

Until to COVID restrictions were lifted it was not possible to have a public Memorial Service for Karyn. Karyn’s Memorial Service will take place at Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon, (located at 515 28th St. W.) at 3:00 p.m., on Sunday, August 21st, with the Rev. Mark Kleiner presiding. The service will be followed a light supper in the parish hall.

Donations in Karyn’s memory may be made to the charity of your choice or to the following organisations that Karyn supported: Interchurch Health Ministries (ICHM) at: www.ICHM.ca, (for the training of parish nurses); the Hospital Chaplaincy of the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon and Christ Church Anglican, Saskatoon.

Rest eternal grant unto her, Oh Lord. And let light perpetual shine upon her. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.