Honeoye: At age 71, Karyn passed away on Saturday, January 1, 2022 at her home in Honeoye, NY. She was born in Canandaigua, NY to the late Warren and Betty Jean Beeman. Karyn is predeceased by her brother; Butch Beeman and sister; Denise Cratsley. Survived by her beloved husband of 51 years; Lee Herman, her sons; Michael (Susan) Herman, Bradley (Jessica) Herman, her siblings; Kathy Beeman, Debbie (Robert) Marshall, Tina (John) Davison, her sister-in-law, Pam Beeman, brother-in-law, Terry Cratsley and her grandchildren; Justin Saunders, Nicholas Herman, Kaiden Herman, and Sebastian Herman, along with several nieces, nephews and friends.
Karyn dedicated her life to serving others across the Rochester community, helping those that often didn’t know they needed the aid. She retired after 30 years of service with Action for a Better Community, where she was Director for CBA, a program dedicated to community outreach and working directly with neighborhoods to improve their environment. Her personal mission was to be a positive liaison between the Rochester Police Department, local politicians and the residents of the community.
In her retirement, she would continue her civic duty by focusing her energies on various projects across Honeoye, NY. Additionally, Karyn enjoyed gardening, was passionate about scrapbooking and loved spending time with her grandchildren.
Funeral Services will take place privately at the Honeoye United Church of Christ, however Karyn’s Funeral Service can be viewed live at 11AM on Saturday, January 15, 2021 at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGcBufBEGTa7r5XSQBkOjPg/featured . A public Celebration of Life gathering will be announced and scheduled at a later date. To share a memory or a condolence, please visit: www.doughertyfuneralhomes.com
Karyn was our friend from Dewey Avenue Presbyterian Church. We will always remember her beautiful smile and warm personality. She will be missed by everyone who knew her. May God welcome Karyn into eternal happiness and peace and may He comfort her beloved family.
I wish to extend family’s condolences to Lee, Michael, Ms. Beeman and to other relatives grieving Karyn’s demise. Karyn was one of the first persons I met when I joined Action for a Better Community in 1992. We worked together for nearly 25 years. Karyn believed in and lived the vision, mission and spirit of community action. She was a planner, grant writer, administrator, ambassador, and community organizer extraordinaire. ABC and Rochester’s low-income communities benefited greatly from the her commitment to promoting social justice and equality.
Karyn was such a lovely and caring person. I admired her determination and love for Lee and her whole family. I met her when she moved back to Honeoye and loved that she devoted a good portion of her time to helping others in the community and loved being a Grandma. I’m so sorry for your loss Lee and to your family members. She loved you all so dearly. I hope all the heartfelt memories that are shared can help keep you knowing her strength and will touched so many. A life well lived that is for sure. My deepest sympathies. Best, Amy Linehan.
Thoughts and prayers to you all
Karyn was a wonderful woman who had a tremendous impact on her family, friends, co-workers and the community. Her memory and work in improving our community will be be carried on through those who knew her. She made an impact on me. Prayers and love to her family and she will be missed.
Dear God, Karyn, I can’t believe you are gone!! You were always a presence in my heart. I am so sad. Love you always. Joy
I worked with Karyn for 10 years at ABC.. For most of those years she was my supervisor, but not. She was mostly a friend and mentor who instructed and led by example. She opened her arms and heart to me from the day of the job interview until our last communication at Thanksgiving. She was my good friend and I will miss her forever. We shared both joy and pain over the yearrs, but always had a shoulder for the other. Karyn was exceptionally skilled at her profession and generously shared her talent for community building with any group or individual who wanted it. I am sure that the. Rochester community members that were privileged to know and work with Karyn are saddened by her death. She positively touched so many llives. My condolences and prayers go out to her entire family, especially Lee, Michael, Bradley, Kathy, Justin and the. youngest grandbabies who have to grow. up without the warmth and wisdom of their loving Grandmother.
To the Herman and Beeman families I send my sympathy for your loss. I always enjoyed seeing Karyn. A very nice lady and a fun classmate back in high school.
Karyn was an angel on earth and now walks among them for eternity. She was an inspiration to all whose path she crossed. She will be missed! ??
I am so sorry that you lost your mother. I loved her and her positive attitude. We had talked about getting together in the future. I was the director of Rensselaer county and I had the utmost respect for her and her values. My heart is broken for you and her family.
Karyn was a true community organizer in the best sense of the word. She knew how to engage people’s best strengths to improve their neighborhood. She knew the community so well and was always generous with her knowledge. My life intersected periodically with Karyn’s many times over the years and I was always learning for her. She will be missed!
Amir and I (Kate) Aghaghiri are deeply saddened to learn of our neighbor’s passing.May God bless her soul and comfort her loved ones.
A wonderful lady. She will be missed. Our condolences to Karyn’s family.
Sharon and Chuck Cardinale
Karyn was fun and loving and always treated me good. Anytime I would see her rather it was through working with my mom or hanging with her son she was always so nice. I have alot of fond memories she will be truly missed. My prayers and blessing go out to the families in this time. Such a sweet soul glad We all are so lucky we were able to cross paths with her.
I worked with Karyn for over ten years at Action for a Better Community. I wish I could describe what she has meant to me, my family and our community. When I think of my children, I think of Karyn’s love for her boys, her daughters in law and her grandchildren. When I think of families in our community who struggle, I think of the many times Karyn reminded me that everyone has strengths, everyone has assets and it’s up to each of us to lift one another. When her colleague James Slater was lost to senseless gun violence, I remember Karyn responding with love for his family and his neighborhood, even as she mourned. She was the type of person that you just wanted to let everyone know about, because you had to meet her to believe all the stories of lives she changed. To Lee and Nrad and Michael, thank you for sharing Karyn with us. We grieve with you.
There is a saying “the good die young”. In this instance, it is very true. Karyn lived for other people and her legacy will live on through those she helped as well as through her siblings, children and grandchildren.
Karyn was so loved and has been a wonderful friend to me over the years. . I will miss her .
Karyn will be missed by many. She was such a lovely person, kind and compassionate. Much too young to become an angel of god. May she Rest In Peace.My condolences to the family…
Karen exemplified the virtue of giving. I had the honor of working closely with her and learn from her – she as a seasoned director at ABC and I a newbie City employee. We remained closer thereafter. The good work and the heart she put into it for the Rochester community is immeasurable. I hope for peace for her family and many loved ones as they process her passing. Karen, may you Rest In Peace. ??
I first met Karyn where we worked at ABC. We became Facebook friends after retirement. I will miss her RIP, Karyn, you made a difference in our community, and world is a better place.
Karyn was a wonderful person I have so many memories with her. She always encouraged me not to give up the fight. I will miss the little emoji’s.
Karyn was a personal friend and my comrade during her neighborhood work in Northwest Rochester. She gave everything willingly and with care to her neighbors or anyone in need. Condolences to her husband Lee and her children. Truly a special person who has done well on this earth as a servant. My heart is broken but my spirit encouraged to know that she is in a better live.
I learned so much from Karyn while working for her at Action for a Better Community. She was a visionary.
May your family hold on to the memories they will help you through. I knew Karyn from school and her siblings a great family.
Thank you Karyn for all you did for your community, your friends and the world. Your lovely spirit will be so missed.
So sorry to hear of her passing, the Town of Richmond lost one of the Nicest Individual I have ever met. She did so much for Sandy Bottom park . She will be missed.
We will miss you my friend. Love and prayers to those left behind.
Karyn was a loving caring person. I became friends with her through the UCC church. She would bring her grandson, Nicholas, who loved his grandma with all his heart. Karyn will be missed by the many people whom she touched their life. The world was a better place with Karyn in it. God bless the Herman and Berman families.