WILMINGTON — Karen Booth Hutchison, of Wilmington, NC, passed away peacefully while holding the hands of her beloved husband and three daughters on February 18, 2024 after a decades-long battle with cancer.
Karen was adopted as a baby by Dr. & Mrs. John Dibble Booth from the Cradle Adoption Agency in Chicago, IL. She received an Associates in Arts degree from Centenary Junior College for Women in Hacketstown, NJ, and also attended Quinnipiec College, in Hamden, CT.
On July 4, 1969, while visiting a friend at Lake Winnipesaukee, she met the love of her life, her husband-to-be, Joe. She loved to say “fireworks went off when I met Joe.” Joe and Karen eventually welcomed three daughters all within the span of 30-months. They had the opportunity to live in Cincinnati, OH, Sarasota, FL, Travelers Rest, SC, and most recently in Wilmington, NC where they made lifelong friends wherever they went.
Karen was active in the junior golf program in Florida. Additionally, she enjoyed sewing, crocheting, cross-stitching, going to the beach, playing golf, and games such as Mexican Train and Hand & Foot. She had a true love of travel. She and Joe figured out they had gone on over 20 ocean/river cruises! One of her favorite things to do while cruising was to sit on the balcony and watch the castles go by while drinking a glass of white wine.
The thing that brought her the greatest joy was spending time with her grandchildren. She was present at all of their births and was the best helper ever. She so loved watching them do their various sports and activities.
Karen had a wonderful sense of humor and was a fun-loving person. She did a fantastic Elvis impersonation. She loved singing “background vocals” to Mamma Mia, Jimmy Buffet and others.
Karen is survived by her husband of 53 years, Joe, and her daughters Amy McKee, Jennifer Goble, and Danielle McAuliffe; her brother, Peter Booth; and her grandchildren Will, Alexas, Connor, Kayla, Patrick and Emmy.
She was preceded in death by her parents Dr. John Dibble Booth and Mrs. Mary Gaskill Booth and her brother, Alan Dibble Booth, who also died on February 18th but in 2015.
Visitation will be on Friday, February 23 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. followed by a funeral mass. The visitation and mass will take place at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church: 6650 US-421 S, Wilmington, NC 28412.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Karen’s name to St. Jude or The Cradle Adoption Agency.
