Karen Ann MacPhail, RN, of Woodside Village in Vineyard Haven died peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones, at age 78.
Karen graduated from Wareham High School, and went on to achieve her degree in nursing at Labouré College. She spent decades as an emergency room nurse, sharing memories of her time at Carney, a small but busy hospital outside Boston. After retirement she was drawn to the Vineyard beaches and small Island community. Karen jumped into volunteering, joining the Island Health Council, Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Salvation Army, American Red Cross, the Disaster Animal Response Team (DART), and the Community Emergency Response Team.
Karen was instrumental in getting DART off the ground with her friend Marina, and during COVID, she worked with public health nurse Lila Fischer doing contact tracing, as well as making dozens of calls to medical staff to rebuild MRC during COVID.
Karen was also a diligent personal nurse for any of her friends, checking in daily if they were recovering from illness or surgery. If anyone needed help, she was there.
Karen was a pet lover and advocate for adoption. She and her friend Kristen volunteered together at Second Chance Animal Shelter, where Kristen found her forever pup BBE, and Karen later got her cat Fiona. She loved spending quality time in the cat room at Second Chance Rescue.
She also loved the unexpected friendship between her cat Fiona and her friends’ big dog Lucy, a Cane Corso, impressed with their calm confidence despite their size differences.
Karen also enjoyed playing mah jong and attending luncheons at the MVRHS prepared by the culinary students. She frequented events at Howes House, and loved trips to Providence to see musicals.
Karen was funny, quick-witted, spunky, and friendly with a dash of stubborn. She was small but mighty, and oh so stylish!
In her last days, Karen wanted to be home. She was surrounded by the loving care of her friends Jennie, Bernadette, Kristen, Marina, Ilona, her son Shawn, and Hospice staff, all supervised by her cat Fiona.
Rest in peace, Nurse Karen. You made a difference. Thank you!
Karen is survived by her brother, Bruce Kelenosy of Wareham; her son, Shawn McPhail; and her granddaughters, Olive and Violet MacPhail, all of Martha’s Vineyard.
Donations in her honor can be made to Second Chance Animal Rescue of Oak Bluffs, online at secondchanceanimalrescuemv.org/donate, where Karen deeply enjoyed volunteering.
