Karen Elizabeth Baird
1965-2020
It is with tremendous sadness that we share the news of the
passing of Karen Elizabeth Baird on December 6,
2020.
She died peacefully in her home, in Point-du-Chêne,
surrounded by family, after a nineteen-year battle with breast cancer,
which she fought with unrelenting courage.
She leaves behind her husband, André Touchburn,
her son Jeremy Touchburn and daughter Hayley Touchburn, all from
Moncton, as well as her parents, Myrna and Mel Baird, of Dartmouth,
NS, her sister Katherine and brother–in-law Mark, of
Alexandria, Virginia, her brother Robert, sister-in-law Karen, niece
Paige and nephew Duncan, of Stamford, Connecticut, and numerous other
family and friends. And of course, her constant furry companion, Milo,
whom she would accompany to the Moncton Hospital for therapy dog
visits to long-term care patients.
Karen obtained a Masters in Speech and Language pathology
from Dalhousie University in 1990. She served for eight years in the
Royal Canadian Navy Reserve, rising to the rank of Petty Officer,
second class. She worked for 30 years in the department of Speech and
Hearing at The Moncton Hospital, providing speech therapy to
preschoolers.
After her initial diagnosis of breast cancer in 2001, Karen
led the effort to found New Brunswick’s first Breast Cancer
Survivor Dragon Boat team, ‘tit
Bateau.
Karen loved the outdoors and adored all animals. She spent
countless hours, exploring nature, hiking in the woods, and spending
time on the beautiful beach of Cap Brûlé West.
She also loved scuba diving and managed to see the beauty of the Great
Barrier Reef in all its glory.
She loved the Arts. She was a big fan of classic
movies, stand-up comedy, and Broadway musicals. Music was in her DNA,
as a flautist in her early years and as someone who always had a song
on her lips.
She was an avid traveler. She adored travelling to
see performances, to explore beautiful cities, and to enjoy the fun
and thrills of theme parks. Always with her
family.
She was passionate about hobbies and crafts. She was a
skilled photographer who loved to capture the beauty of nature and
joyful memories with family. Karen was a highly accomplished decorator
of Ukrainian Pysanky Easter eggs. Her body of work is stunning, and
she offered many workshops in this art to friends and
colleagues.
Karen was also an avid collector of local art and Inuit
sculpture of dancing bears. She spent many hours combing the beaches
of the Maritimes with her daughter and her friend Kelly, collecting
sea glass which she sometimes turned into clever works of
art.
More than anything, she was a collector of friends and of
memories with them, and her family. She inspired everyone she knew
with her honesty, her humour, her spontaneity, her loyalty, and most
of all her courage. She was fiercely loyal, and her thoughtfulness was
epic. She would do anything for any friend and all her
family. Without even trying to, she brought out the best in
everyone’s lives she touched.
Her joyful singing and whistling will forever be missed from
the halls of her workplace, and her home. Rest in peace, Sweet Heart
of a Lion.
The family will receive
condolences at Frenette Funeral and Cremation Centre, 396 Main Street,
Shediac (532-3297) on Thursday, December 10 from 2 pm to 4
pm. Due to the pandemic, face coverings are
required and a maximum participation of 50 people at a time with
social distancing regulations are in effect. A funeral
service will be held at a later date.
Donations in Karen’s memory can be made to
the Arbre de l’espoir/Tree of Hope Campaign (arbredelespoir.ca/fr/)
or to the Greater Moncton SPCA (www.monctonspca.ca/en)
.
Cremation and funeral arrangements are
under the direction of Frenette Funeral and Cremation Centre, Shediac
(532-3297).
Words of
comfort and online condolences may be forwarded through our website
at: www.frenettefuneralhome.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Karen Elizabeth Baird 19652020..
Death notice for the town of: Shediac, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick