Jacquelin H Karsten

Jacquelin (Jackie) Karsten passed away peacefully at Cornerstone Hospice on Monday night, January 30th, shortly after her 97th birthday. She and her husband, Orlo, lived in Milwaukee, Dallas and San Diego before moving to The Villages 20 years ago, where they built a home in Royal Oaks. Eventually they moved to Freedom Pointe Independent Living, then to Homewood. Orlo passed 3 years ago, after 69 years of marriage. Last year, Homewood was closed. All residents, including Jackie, were moved to Freedom Pointe Place. The staff there and residents from Homewood are like family, and their friendship and kindness is so appreciated. Both Jackie and Orlo loved living in The Villages. Both golfed until their late 80s. They also traveled extensively: to France (where daughter Kristine and granddaughter Katherine live), England, Italy, Greece, Russia, Egypt (several times!), the Panama Canal (both directions), Portugal, Switzerland, Denmark, Mexico, Canada, and all across the USA, visiting art museums and national parks, attending symphonies and seeing friends. Jackie was a voracious reader, reading several books a week, and was a joyful member of many book clubs. She happily supplied the words for the “create-a-word” game at Homewood. Before she passed, we (this is written by her daughter, Ellen from Los Angeles) talked about all the people she’d met through books, both in person and through the pages. She said it was one of the greatest gifts she could have had. A talented oil painter, she sold her paintings at fairs. Ellen treasures a portrait Mom did of our family dog, Herman, and will be bringing home a stunning painting of blue doors on a Spanish mission. When Ellen married Dave last summer they stood in front of one of her paintings which Jackie saw on Zoom from Homewood thanks to Yvonne, nurse extraordinaire. Jackie was a docent at the Milwaukee Art Museum for many years. Her homes were always filled with art on all the walls (and shelves). She was Deacon at the Presbyterian church, Sunday school teacher and sang in the choir, as well as volunteered as caretaker for a polio victim in an iron lung. She belonged to a flower group, both painting and arranging flowers (daughter Kristine and granddaughter Katherine have laid claim to several of her lovely floral paintings). Jackie was a kind, thoughtful woman, gracious and classy in that Midwest way with a stubborn streak that made her oh so human. She is missed already.