Karen Sue LaRochelle

August 1, 1941 – November 8, 2026

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved Mom and Nana, Karen LaRochelle, who passed away on Sunday, November 8th.

Karen was predeceased by her husband, Paul LaRochelle; her youngest brother, Jack Armstrong; and her daughter-in-law, Jennifer LaRochelle.

She leaves behind her loving family: her son, Ian LaRochelle, and his wife, Pam; her son, Chris LaRochelle, and his three sons, Nicholas, Michael, and Thomas; and her daughter, Nicole LaRochelle-Booth, and her husband, Erik, and their daughters, Kyla, Addison, and Hailey. She is also survived by her brothers, Dave and Hugh Armstrong, who will carry her spirit and memories with them. She will be dearly missed by her many friends and extended family members whose lives she touched.

A Life Full of Adventure, Laughter and Love

Our hearts are broken, but there is also peace in knowing that Mom is no longer just "existing." She was far too full of life to live any other way.

Mom lived 84 wonderful years, followed by a challenging final year after a fall in December. Despite ongoing health struggles and several strokes this past spring, she fought hard, as only our stubborn-mule-of-a-mom could, because more than anything, she just wanted to be with her people. She celebrated her 85th birthday with us this past summer, and we are so grateful for those memories and the extra time we were able to spend together.

Mom was the ultimate caregiver, both professionally and in her roles as a mother, wife, and grandmother. She began her nursing career in Winnipeg, Canada, where she cared for patients and eventually met our dad, who was stationed in North Dakota with the U.S. Air Force. Her nursing career took her through several specialties, including the emergency room, burn unit, and orthopedic care, before she ultimately retired as a school nurse. Caring for others was simply part of who she was.

In retirement, she fully embraced spending time with friends and family, especially her grandchildren. About eight years ago, she faced one of the toughest chapters of her life when our dad suffered a stroke. She devoted herself to caring for him, helping him keep going for another year, just before COVID hit. Her strength, dedication, and love for those around her were evident throughout her life.

Mom lived life fully and carefree, and every outing was an adventure. Got lost? It was a scenic tour. Received the wrong meal at a restaurant? An opportunity to try something new, which she absolutely loved doing at every chance. She had no filter, spoke her mind freely, and embarrassed us to no end at times, but that was simply part of her charm.

During dry summer weather, she would frequently perform rain dances in hopes of encouraging a storm to roll into the area. Although her dances rarely brought enough rain to end a dry spell, she was convinced she had summoned at least a few drops, and that alone was cause for celebration! On one particularly memorable occasion, she even recruited some biker chicks to join her in a parking lot rain dance. Only Karen!

She had the gift of gab and could talk to absolutely ANYONE, and she did! Not always ideal for those of us who are a little more reserved, but we would simply roll our eyes and smile because she truly had a gift.

One particularly embarrassing moment occurred during a trip back to her childhood home in Saskatchewan, Canada. Without hesitation, Mom walked right up to the new owners of the family farm and asked if they would give us a tour. Her kids and grandkids were absolutely mortified! But, as only Karen could, she quickly made new friends, and we were graciously welcomed into their home and treated to a wonderful tour of the house and farmland. What started as an embarrassing moment turned into a special memory, all thanks to Mom's ability to make a connection with absolutely anyone.

And heaven help you if she had enjoyed a few cocktails! That was an experience all on its own, and you would be lucky if you managed to get a word into the conversation.

Everywhere she went, she made connections. She would somehow gather the entire backstory on someone's friends and family and then make sure we heard the whole story, too. Even during her hospital stays, when she wasn't feeling her best, we would walk in to find her surrounded by new "friends" she had made along the way, and, of course, we would be given their entire life stories.

One of her last adventures this past year was getting the entire dining room singing at her rehab facility, as only Mom could. She even managed to convince her roommate, who rarely wanted to leave her room, to come out and join in. The two of them brushed their hair, put on their lipstick, and got ready for an outing. When the staff asked what they would like to drink, Mom requested champagne, while her roommate ordered whiskey and water. Unfortunately, they were served tea and juice instead. Two peas in a pod! We are so thankful we got to witness her bringing so much joy to what could otherwise have been a very difficult and depressing place. That was Mom. No matter the circumstances, she found a way to make life a little brighter.

Most recently, she had been talking about starting a "Kid for a Day" program with some of the other residents at her assisted living home. The idea was to help everyone feel young again and bring a little more fun into their days. She insisted they would start in January because the holidays were simply too busy. I tried to convince her not to wait, but she was determined that January was the time! Sadly, she won't get to participate, but we sincerely hope the other residents carry her idea forward and continue to celebrate life with the same enthusiasm she had.

Mom was a force of nature—as a person, a nurse, a mom, a sister, a wife, and a friend. But her greatest joy, and perhaps her truest calling, was being a Nana.

She absolutely adored her grandchildren, and they were so lucky to experience what we lovingly called "Nana Magic." No matter the distance between us or how busy everyone's schedules became, she found ways to be part of their lives. The memories, laughter, love, and special moments she created with them will be cherished forever. Being their Nana was one of the greatest gifts of her life, and having her as their Nana was one of ours.

We are heartbroken, but we will do our best to carry on her spirit by approaching life as an adventure and keeping some of her wonderfully crazy traditions alive. We will laugh at the unexpected, strike up conversations with strangers, make new friends wherever we go, and remember that sometimes the best memories come from the moments we never planned.

Mom loved life until the very end. She lived it on her own terms, made friends wherever she went, brought laughter into unexpected places, and left us with stories that will be told for generations.

Cheers, Mom/Nana. Thank you for 85 years of adventures, laughter, unconditional love, and a lifetime of memories. We love you, and you will be missed more than words can ever express.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Little Pink Houses of Hope in memory of Jennifer LaRochelle (Blue Ridge Class of 2024) and Karen LaRochelle.

https://www.lttlepink.org/