Obituary of Karen Fiedler
Karen Fiedler, age 67, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, passed away at home on January 21st, 2022 from cardiovascular disease. Karen was born on September 14th, 1954 to William W. Fiedler and Helena (Eleanor) Fiedler in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduating from John F. Kennedy High School in 1972, she went on to receive her bachelor's degree in Special Education at Hood College and master's degree in Special Education from Lehigh University. She later met Stephen Koche, and they went on to have their beloved son Jack Fiedler.
Karen worked as a special education teacher for many years. She began her career at Burlington County Special Services School District, moving to Mercer County Special Services School District, and then to Lehigh University. Even in the early part of her career, Karen was a gifted and dedicated teacher. She knew intuitively what her students needed and would work tirelessly to ensure their success. Karen finished her career at Voorhees Middle School, where she earned the reputation as one of the best special education teachers in our area.
While Karen worked hard throughout her life, she also knew how to enjoy life. Money was not important to her; beauty was. She loved her Waterford crystal and setting a beautiful table for family and friends, but she was also happy camping with paper plates. Part of the allure of the Waterford crystal were memories of her Nana, her mother, and her heritage. She was Irish through and through, and St. Patty's Day was a national holiday in her eyes.
Ms. Fiedler, as her students called her, loved racquetball and was quite good at it. She was an avid reader, basketball fan, and chef. For someone who did NOT want a dog, she grew to love Blackjack. When she bought him a step stool so that he could reach her bed, we knew that he had captured her heart. She was a great friend and would often surprise others with random acts of kindness. She expected nothing in return.
If you were to ask Karen to name her greatest accomplishment, we all know that she would say her son, Jack. Of all the jobs that Karen held in her lifetime, motherhood was her favorite, and Jack was the gift that she treasured most dearly.
Karen was predeceased by her parents, William W. Fiedler and Helena (Eleanor) Fiedler. She is survived by son Jack Fiedler, life partner Stephen Koche, brothers Mark Fiedler and Court Fiedler, sisters Loretta Jackson-DiGuilio, Mary Muldoon, and Judith LeHuquet, and many dear friends.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Karen's name to Special Olympics at https://specialolympics.org/support . If you would like the family to be notified of your donation, please include the following e-mail address for notification of contribution: karenfiedlermemorial2022@gmail.com.
