Karen Margaret Poirier (nee Poor), beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. She was 69 years old.

Karen was born May 26, 1956 in Williams Lake, BC to John Poor and Erna Poor (nee Liick, later Erna Peters). She was the second of four children.

Karen met her husband, Dan, through a mutual friend in church in Kamloops, 50 years ago. Dan was living elsewhere in the province, being transferred several times because of his employment. The first two-and-a-half years of their relationship was spent long distance. Most of their time getting to know each other was done by phone calls and handwritten letters. Eventually, the cost of being long distance was becoming too much – and according to Dan – Karen “proposed” to him that they stop waiting and just get married over the Labour Day weekend. (She, however, tells a slightly different version of the story.) What is fact, however, is that the 10th time Dan and Karen saw each other face-to-face was their Wedding Day, on September 3, 1977. It was clearly a good decision, as they were just a couple months away from celebrating their 48th wedding anniversary when Karen passed.

Dan and Karen had two children, Dan Jr. and Christy, and moved a handful of times when Dan was transferred with his company to manage different offices for Household Finance, spending time in Dawson Creek and Delta, BC, before settling into Cranbrook in 1987.

Karen had a variety of jobs over the years, including work as a cook and carhop at the Dog & Suds in high school, and positions with the B.C. Ministry of Forests and Government Agent’s Office between 1974 – 1986. After having kids, Karen decided to stay home as a full-time mom and part-time babysitter until their youngest was in Grade 1. Karen then joined Dan in his new career with Investors Group and worked as his Administrative Assistant and special projects coordinator until she became her Father-in-Law’s caretaker in 2002. From that time, she continued supporting the family business in the background part-time, where she preferred to work “backstage.”

Karen is remembered fondly for her compassion and care of others, as well as her deeply dedicated work to making the world around her more beautiful. She has always been devoted to her faith in Jesus Christ and was known for her steadfast reliance on God’s Word, knowing He would keep His promises and lead her steps with grace and mercy. As family and friends all know, Karen poured herself into establishing deep and genuine relationships, built on open communication, prayer, and quality time spent together. She was quick to open her home to others and make everyday moments a little more special, using her amazing hostess skills to make everyone who entered her home feel welcome and seen.

Karen’s favourite pastimes included time spent with family, as well as reading, doing cross stitch projects, and gardening. In her later years, Karen blessed thousands of people by sharing her gardening talents at Fort Steele Heritage Town, working as a garden volunteer and spearheading the rejuvenation of the front gate flower bed and the garden at Dempsey House. She had almost too much fun playing the role of an early 1900’s gardener in her Fort Steele costume, welcoming visitors from around the world and making up a complex back story for her character about her family and life spent ‘on the frontier’ during the days of Sam Steele himself. At home, she also spent countless hours in her garden, arranging and rearranging plantings to create a meticulous year-round display that she and her family could enjoy from the kitchen window and while getting dirt under her fingernails with grandkids.

Karen has said her greatest accomplishments in life included raising her children, helping her husband build a business, and hosting Christmas Eve services at her church, The Dwelling Place. If she could live her life over again, she would “marry the same guy, have the same family, worry less and be thankful more.” Words that described Karen and her character to a tee.

Karen is preceded in death by her parents, John Poor and Erna Peters, her Step-Father, John Peters, and her Father-in-Law, Samuel Laverne Poirier. She is survived by her husband, Daniel Poirier; their two children, Daniel J. (Leah) Poirier, and Christy (Brett) Henning; four grandchildren, Evelyn, Audrey, Samuel, and Beckham; her siblings, Rebecca (Charlie) Fairburn, Maureen (Ivor) Marriott, and Randy (Grace) Beaumont; her Mother-in-Law, Dorothy Joan Guskjolen, her siblings-in-law, Carleigh (Richard) Davies, and Jim (Joanne) Poirier, and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will take place on Friday, July 11, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. at the Cranbrook Alliance Church (1200 Kootenay Street N) to honour Karen and remember her life well lived. It will be immediately followed by a reception at the same location. All are welcome. Karen’s Celebration will be live streamed, you will find a link on Karen’s obituary page.

Additionally, a viewing will be available for friends and family who would like a private moment to say goodbye. The viewing will take place on the same day, between 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. at McPherson Funeral Home (2200 2nd Street S, Cranbrook, BC).

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to JoeAnna’s House in Kelowna (joeannashouse.com). The Poirier and Henning families would like to thank the incredible staff and volunteers of JoeAnna’s House and the Kelowna General Hospital, Cranbrook Home Support Services and all of its staff, the Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice Society, and all the friends and relatives who have supported us over the last six months of Karen’s life. Your outpouring of love and kindness, as well as your prayers, have helped sustain us each day.