Karen (King) Woosley
Born Karen King, Karen was especially proud of the fact that she was a seventh generation Santa Barbaran. Karen attended twelve years of Catholic school, graduating from Bishop High with –as she liked to brag – a perfect attendance record for all twelve years. Karen developed lifelong friendships with most of her classmates, and especially with best friends, Karen, Swaneagle and Mary.
After graduating, Karen married her first husband, Andy Kawiecki, with whom she attended school (separating the boys from the girls did not seem as effective as the church may have desired) and promptly had a son, Drew.
Karen began her professional career as a legal secretary for a local attorney named John Haas. On Karen’s first day of work, she hung a photograph of John F. Kennedy on the wall behind her desk. Mr. Haas quickly had her remove it. It was the first time Karen realized that not everyone was a Democrat!
Karen met her husband, Eric Woosley, about 37 years ago while when they worked together in the same firm. They were married for 35 years. It was Karen’s idea for her husband to go to law school and become an attorney.
Karen loved the law, and even worked as a police matron for the Santa Barbara Police Department for a period of time. Karen loved courtroom action and attended all of her husband’s trials. She would use each as an opportunity to purchase an entirely new wardrobe of what she called “court clothes,” thus ensuring her husband was properly motivated to win his cases. Karen became friends with many of the courthouse staff and was particularly fond of Judge Anderle and his secretary Marilyn
Karen loved Fiesta and leaves behind countless fiesta dresses that she loved to wear when attending events. Strikingly beautiful, Karen would love to have been chosen as Saint Barbara, but often joked that she would never qualify for the “Saint” prerequisite
Karen will be missed by her family, husband Eric, son Drew Kawiecki (Andrea), granddaughter (and future attorney) Alexia, her sister Elaine Bateman (Will) and her brother Patrick King (Jennifer). Having come from a good Catholic family, Karen had 32 cousins (who I will not list) and remained very close with her last remaining Uncle and Aunt, Phil and Roseann King.
Anyone wishing to pay their respects may do so at the Old Mission where Karen’s ashes will be placed. It seemed particularly apropos given her proud heritage.