Miss Karen Rose Shollenberger

Karen Rose Shollenberger, 23, of West Friendship, MD passed away Thursday, August 10th after a long battle with leukemia. She was born in Concord, MA to Steve and Christina Shollenberger. Karen graduated from Glenelg High School in 2012 where she was the Editor of Glenelg's student newspaper, The Shield. She went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude from Drexel University with a BS/MS degree in Scientific and Technical Communications, and was recognized by the College of Arts and Science for having the highest GPA in her major, all while undergoing multiple cancer treatments. She also served as the Production Manager for The Triangle, Drexel's student newspaper, and was a member of Gamma Sigma Sigma service sorority. She was an intern at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Cool Kids Campaign, and the Johns Hopkins University / Applied Physics Laboratory. Karen enjoyed writing, editing, and photography - maintaining her own blog (http://theworstbestthing.weebly.com/blog) which detailed her cancer journey and provided information and advice for other cancer patients and families. Karen was a devoted camper, counselor, and Newsletter staff member with Johns Hopkins Hospital-sponsored Camp Sunrise and SunSibs. She also served on the camp planning committee, developing activity schedules for campers - pediatric oncology patients, survivors, and siblings. Karen's determination, optimism, strength, caring, and smile in the face of adversity served as an inspiration to many people, some of whom never even met her. She will be remembered for her love of the outdoors, country music, dirt roads, castle cakes, and tacos. Karen is survived by her parents Steve and Christina, her brother Matthew, and her sister Susie as well as her grandparents, many aunts, uncles, cousins, and good friends who felt like family. The family will receive friends on Saturday, September 2nd from 9am to 10am and her life will be celebrated at 10am following the visitation at the Haight Funeral Home and Chapel, 6416 Sykesville Road, Sykesville. There will be an informal celebration at Circle D Farm, 15535 Carrs Mill Rd., Woodbine, MD 21797 at 1:30 PM on Sunday, September 3rd. In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Karen may be made to support: Camp Sunrise/Sunsibs at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. Please make checks payable to Johns Hopkins University. Gifts may be mailed with a memo indicating that this gift is in memory of Karen, and in support of Camp, to the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, PO Box 17029 Baltimore, MD 21297-1029 or make a gift online https://secure.jhu.edu/form/kimmel at www.hopkinscancerresearch.org http://www.hopkinscancerresearch.org Or Cool Kids Campaign, 8422 Bellona Lane, Towson, MD 21204, http://www.coolkidscampaign.org Or Appalachian Trail Conservancy, PO Box 807, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/ways-to-give Please visit the following website to view the Drexel Newspaper article: http://thetriangle.org/news/karen-shollenberger-1994-2017

Miss Karen Rose Shollenberger

July 11, 1994 - August 10, 2017