Karen Boze
Karen Boze, 64, passed away Friday, August 18, 2023, in her home in Venetia, surrounded by family.
Karen was born December 12, 1958, to James Miller and Lynn Grega, in Youngstown, Ohio. She was a beloved member of the Hubbard, Ohio community.
She had three siblings, Lorraine Murphy (husband Bill), Marilyn Roseski (husband Mark), and Steve Miller.
Karen married Bill Boze in 1990, in Houston, Texas, and became stepmother to Jason Boze before giving birth to her daughter, Kelsey Boze, October 17, 1991.
The family moved to Plainfield, Ill., where Karen was an essential Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) member, classroom Mom, and a Girl Scout troop leader. She was an active member of the community, where she implemented special lunch days at Walker’s Grove Elementary, a program that still continues today.
In 2000, the family made Peters Township their home. Karen was again greatly involved in her daughter’s schools and implemented the prom fashion show and various activities for the thespian community, that also continue today.
Karen also built a 20-year career, and a second family, at The Braff Group, a boutique healthcare mergers and acquisitions company. Starting as a temp, she rose to the level of director of business development. According to the founder of the firm, her title notwithstanding, Karen was effectively the chief operating officer. She assisted in every aspect of the business, from marketing to operations to human resources, budgeting, strategic planning and much more.
Her enthusiasm for continually looking for ways to make the firm better, was only exceeded by her willingness to take on additional responsibilities to bring them to fruition. Equally, if not more important, Karen took on the additional role of chief happiness officer. From planning elaborate holiday parties to making sure that special occasions in the lives of her coworkers were recognized and celebrated, Karen brought energy, warmth, laughter and a smile to work every day. She developed close relationships, not only with her colleagues, but also with other professionals and vendors, with whom she interacted. In so doing, her reach extended well beyond her family and personal friends to a professional life, where she will be sorely missed.
Karen was unfailingly supportive and loving to her daughter, believed strongly in women’s rights and fought hard for them, was incredibly charitable and giving with her earned blessings, made her girlfriends laugh and feel like sisters, inspired the women she worked with, loved her family with all her heart, was the world’s best gift giver, an avid Steelers and Pirates fan, and she absolutely loved to shop.
Karen had a profound effect on the lives of everyone who knew her. We all feel our lives a little diminished without her in it. Karen was a remarkable woman and will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, August 26, in Beinhauer Funeral Home, 2828 Washington Road, McMurray. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Jude’s, the American Cancer Society or the Washington Women’s Shelter.