On Jan. 5, 2020, Karen C. Pinkham lost her hard fought battle with kidney disease. Her final days were spent at her favorite place, her home in Bayville surrounded by her loving family and precious friends, just as she wanted.

Born on July 25,1949, Karen was the oldest daughter of Grace and Ronald Calhoun. She attended Boothbay Region Schools, graduating from Boothbay Region High School in 1967. Her younger years were focused on family events both in the region and Albert County, N.B., Canada. During her high school years her close friends remember her as a kind, gentle soul. Every summer, you would always find Karen behind the counter at the Boothbay Dairy Freeze. She loved working for Irving and Norma Giles.

After high school, she moved to Portland for a short time and attended Plus Grays School of Business. She lived with her best friend, Sue Tilton Hepburn. No doubt, it was a good time. After graduation from business school, Karen worked for CMP in Augusta for a short period and then returned to the Boothbay Region to begin her career in the building industry.

Karen met the love of her life, Roger, in high school and in December of 1969, they married. Karen and Roger built a life together and you might often find them at family events, with the Calhouns or Pinkhams. Eventually they built their home in Bayville where Karen lived until her death. But, the crowning achievement of her life came with the birth of her daughter, Lindsey, in July of 1981. She was an incredibly devoted Mom and beamed with pride at any and all of Lindsey’s accomplishments. The icing on the cake came when Lindsey graduated from Maine Maritime Academy in 2004. Karen loved to share stories of Lindsey’s successes with anyone who might want to listen.

In the early ’70s, Karen became a pioneer as a woman working in the region’s building industry when she was employed by Clayton Dodge at Pierce and Hartung. This is where she learned the trade which served her well for 40 years. Her career continued at Poole Brothers, New England Building Materials and then for a short time at Hammond Lumber until her failing health caused her retirement in 2011. Karen was very well known for her knowledge of this industry and her legacy can be seen in the many building projects that she put her stamp on throughout the region! Tommy Nickerson’s dad used to say about Karen, “Put overalls on her and a hammer in her hand and she’d be the best contractor in town.”

Karen loved family, they came first. But, she was also one of those people who knew everyone in town, where they lived and how they fit into the big picture. She was kind and humble and witty. She always put others first and would give you the shirt off her back. She was certainly known for her sense of humor and could liven up a conversation with her dry expressions. You would be hard pressed to find someone who didn’t like Karen. She will be missed by all who knew her.

She was predeceased by her husband, Roger, and her parents, Ronald and Grace Calhoun.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Lindsey Pinkham and Michael Percy of Warren, Maine; her sister, Jeanne Tonon and her son, Gabe, of Boothbay, as well as sister Judy Dorr and her husband, Charles, of Boothbay. She cherished all of her Pinkham family members as well.

There will be an informal gathering to celebrate Karen’s life and share stories on Sunday, Jan. 26 from 2-4 p.m. at the Boothbay Fire Station. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation in Karen’s memory to Midcoast Humane at 190 Pleasant St., Brunswick, ME 04011 or at their website http://midcoasthumane.org

We were all blessed to have Karen in our lives. The family would like to thank Karen’s close family and friends for all their love and support in her final days, especially our living angels from Beacon Hospice.

Halls of Boothbay has care of the arrangements, to leave an online condolence please visit www.hallfuneralhomes.com