Karen L. (Bloom) T'Kindt

Karen L. T'Kindt July 24, 1943 - Aug. 22, 2002 TRAVERSE CITY - Karen L. T'Kindt, 59, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 22, at home, surrounded by her family, following a long battle with breast cancer. Born July 24, 1943, the daughter of Cecil and Dorothy (Kuss) Bloom, Karen grew up in South Bend, Ind., where she attended and graduated from Central High School in South Bend.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and by her nephew; Scott Skoving. She attended Indiana University and graduated in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in music education.

Karen married Kenneth T'Kindt on Dec. 18, 1965, in the First Methodist Church in South Bend. The couple lived in many cities throughout the United States before settling in Traverse City in 1985, where she remained for the rest of her life. Karen devoted much of her life to her love of music and children. She had a long career as an elementary school music teacher, most recently at Cherry Knoll and Long Lake Elementary Schools in Traverse City, where she created unique and popular holiday musical programs for her students and their parents. Karen involved all of her students in singing, movement and the playing of instruments.

The Traverse City Chamber of Commerce honored Karen with the Outstanding Educator Award in 1995. Her other love was her family. She valued the time she had to spend with her husband, three children and son-in-law. She was always involved in her children's lives, from attending their sporting and musical events as they grew up, to traveling and visiting with them at their various homes. Karen's other interests exemplify her love of music, her kindness to people and her love for life.

She enjoyed singing with the Sweet Adelines and marching in the Cherry Festival parades with the Second Time Arounders band. She enjoyed volunteering at Munson Medical Center where she was recognized for contributing over 400 hours of community service. In her free time, she could be found motorcycling, bicycling, jogging and working crossword puzzles. She was a member of Central United Methodist Church, the Grand Traverse Chapter of Sweet Adelines, the Second Time Arounders marching band and the American Orff-Schulwerk Association for music and movement education.

She is survived by her loving husband, Ken; her children, Casey T'Kindt of Tacoma, Wash., Ryan TKindt of New York City and Kelly (Dario) Primo of Phoenix, Ariz.; her sister, Nancy (James) Skoving of Venice, Fla.; her nieces, Jill (Mike) Robertson of Plymouth, Ind., and Beth (Matt) Seeger of Dexter, Mich.; and by her cousin, Robert (Jean) Bloom of Detour, Mich. 

Cremation has taken place and interment will occur in a private ceremony at Ogdensburg Cemetery on Old Mission Peninsula. A memorial service will be conducted in 1 Central United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 26, to honor Karen and celebrate her life. Rev. John Ellinger will be officiating. Visitation with the family will take place after the service. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be directed to the Traverse City Area Public Schools Music Boosters, 412 Webster St., Traverse City, MI 49684; or to Munson Hospice, 110 S. Sixth St., Traverse City, MI 49684. The family is being served by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City

Source: Newspapers.com

08/20/2024 EJS