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Karen O'Mara Voytas
03/17/2019

Karen O’Mara Voytas, 64, of Kutztown, died On March 17, 2019 at the Lehigh Valley Hospital Inpatient Hospice. She was born on February 6, 1955. She was the daughter of Samuel and Margret McKnight ((Miller) of Philadelphia. She is survived by her husband of forty-six years, Robert Voytas, and their children: Gabriel (New York City), Evan and his wife Andrea (Los Angeles), Lucas (Kutztown), and Elsa (Brooklyn, NY); sisters Mary, Joanne, Eileen, Margret, and a brother, Joseph.

Karen was a geographer with a B.A. from the University of Maryland University College (Europe) and a M.A. from Temple University.  She taught Geography part-time at Reading Area Community College, West Chester University, Kutztown University, and Muhlenberg College.

In addition to her academic interests, she had a deep interest in travel, home and garden design, cooking, literature, foreign languages, politics, and women’s rights.  She traveled widely in Europe, South America, and Asia and organized travel for others, leading tours to Italy. She was conversational in German and Italian. She turned her travel and design skills into a business, Catalpa Home and Away.

In her personal life, she was a leader and organizer, starting a baby sitting exchange, playgroups for our children and their parents, dinner groups, and numerous book groups. She made friends easily and was a consummate social “connector”—bringing together people from various parts of the community who would not otherwise have known each other. She loved sharing her cooking skills and beautiful home and garden with friends and strangers alike. Her herb and flower gardens were featured in the Reading Eagle on July 28, 2008.

She was a generous person and vibrant presence in the lives of her friends and family and will be greatly missed.

Gathering: Family and friends  are invited to gather and participate in a celebration of Karen’s life on Saturday March 23 at 1:00 pm at the St. Barnabas church, 234 E. Main St, Kutztown, PA, 19530. In honor of Karen’s commitment to caring for the earth and its environment, the family suggests sending a memorial contribution to EarthJustice at www.earthjustice.org. 

Arrangements are by Nicos C. Elias Funeral Home, Allentown.