Karen Meinhart

Karen Hannis Meinhart, 67, of Carlisle, passed away on 7 December 2020 with her family by her side after a courageous battle against pancreatic cancer. Karen was born on 25 September 1953 in Allentown, Pennsylvania to the late Bridget and Rollin Hannis.

Karen graduated from Central Catholic High School in Allentown in 1971. She met her future husband, Richard, at a dance while he was a student at a nearby university. They married in 1975, and together they traveled the world with the US Air Force, living in Arkansas, the Azores, Delaware, Texas, Germany, Rhode Island, and Virginia. They settled in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where they built a warm and welcoming home in which to grow old together and filled it with art from their family's adventures together. Karen worked as an administrator and human resources professional with the US Government and retired from federal service in 2016.

She is survived and lovingly remembered by her husband of 45 years, Richard Meinhart of Carlisle; her daughter, Lauren Meinhart of Oslo, Norway; her son, David Meinhart, of Philadelphia; and five siblings: Jeanine Johnson of Emmaus, Sheila Mangano of Clifton, Virginia, Steven Hannis of Easton, Brian Hannis of Naples, Florida, and Kelly Cuetara of Downingtown. She was preceded in death by her brother, Michael Hannis, of Santa Rosa, California.

She will be remembered as a selfless and caring mother, wife, and friend, as well as an unmatched home cook and Christmas cookie virtuoso, who filled the house with her wonderful singing. She was an aficionado of Broadway musicals and art museums; an avid reader of news and current events; and a dog lover, among the many passions that she passed to her loved ones.

Karen will be laid to rest in Mt. Holly Springs Cemetery following a service that will remain private due to COVID-19 restrictions. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to World Central Kitchen (wck.org), a non-profit organization she admired that believes in the power of food to unite people, just like she did.