Burlington, VT

Karen Marie Paquette (Williams) entered into eternal peace on April 2, 2024. Karen passed peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends, after a courageous three year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Karen was born on August 3rd, 1955 in Lindenhurst, Long Island the daughter of Walter Williams and Jeanne Virginia Remsen. Karen was the oldest of six children and later in life added three step siblings. She grew up on Sherbrooke Road, and made many close friends there as well as through Lindenhurst High School, where she would graduate in 1973. Karen made her initial journey to Vermont, a place she would call home for the next 49 years, in 1973, when she moved to Enosburg to live on a farm, the true "Vermont Life." She would return to Long Island in the mid 70's to help take care of her family after the death of her mother Jeanne, and worked with her father at Con Edison. In the late 70's Karen made the final move back to Vermont, and never looked back.

Shortly after journeying to Vermont she met the love of her life and husband Maurice (Moe) Paquette. They got married in Craftsbury on October 9th, 1982 and celebrated each day over the next 42 years. Their journey eventually took them to the New North End where they spread their roots throughout the Burlington community. Their family grew with the birth of Rochelle (Shelly) followed by Maurice (Moe) Paquette II. Their family would spend the next 31 years together, laughing, living, and loving.

Karen was dedicated to her job and work family. She started at the University of Vermont Medical Center (Fletcher Allen) on "Shep 3" in 1980 where she worked as unit clerk. She would go on to dedicate nearly 40 years of her life working at UVM, the majority of it as "payroll Karen" in the payroll office as a coordinator. While at UVM, she made lifelong friends that meant the world to her and her family; Maggie Hebert, Julie Turpin, Lucie Paquette, Darla Ayer, Vicki Pelkey, and Jamie Libby as well as innumerable close friends she considered family. She was months away from retirement when she was initially diagnosed in 2021, truly a UVM "lifer."

Karen was the proud co-owner of Papa Franks Italian Restaurant which she and Moe purchased in 2004 from lifelong friends Frank and Gail Sciara. She deeply loved and cared for all the employees and "Papa Franks babies". She was the even prouder "Mima" to Clementine, who brightened her days during the last 18 months of her life.

She is survived by husband Moe, children Shelly (Josh Shamoon) and Moe (Emily Laughlin), granddaughter, Clementine, sisters Micki Martin (Randy), and Chris Hotelling (Michael), sisters-in-law Lucie Paquette, Carol Myjak-Paquette (Bill), brothers-in-law Mark Paquette (Penny), Keith Dunbar, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by parishioners of Saint Mark's Church where she was a devout member, as well as the loyal patrons of Papa Franks.

Karen was predeceased by her parents Walter Williams, Jeanne Remsen, and Jean Carney, as well as her siblings Robert Williams, Stephanie Dunbar, and Nancy Hespeler and brother-in-law David Ugalde.

The Paquette family would like to thank the Oncology Clinic at UVM, specifically Drs. Anker and Greenblatt, as well as all of the "chemo girls" who made Karen smile during the darkest days of treatment, and the hospice team who allowed Karen to spend her final days at home surrounded by family, friends, and love.

From dad to mom: The battle ended, but she won the fight. "I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday." Kris Kristofferson

Calling hours will be Wednesday April 10, 2024 from 5pm to 8pm at the LaVigne Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 132 Main St. Winooski, VT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday April 11, at 1:00pm at St. Mark's Catholic Church, 1251 North Ave., Burlington. A reception will follow at the Elks Lodge, 925 North Avenue Burlington, VT 05408. A celebration of life will be held this summer in Craftsbury, Vermont, to honor Karen. Online condolences can be shared with the family at www.vtfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Stephanie Dunbar Memorial Scholarship Fund at Craftsbury Town Clerk, PO Box 55 Craftsbury, VT 05826.