Sociologist, physical therapist, outdoor enthusiast
Karen Ohlin. (Courtesy photo)
Karen P. Ohlin, 77, died peacefully at her Harvard home with her husband Theodore Jasnos by her side on Thursday, August 4, 2022, after a brief illness.
Born in Boston on May 23, 1945, to former long-term Harvard residents Hans and Natalie Ohlin, Karen spent her childhood in Belmont before moving to Barrington, Rhode Island.
In 1963 her family moved to a Harvard property that her father had purchased in 1947 for his parents. As a high school senior Karen loved the transition from a large student body to the Old Bromfield School’s more intimate 75-student environment. Karen was a member of the last class to graduate from the Old Bromfield building, after which she went on to Northeastern University to earn a degree in sociology. She lived in Boston for several years, working for Northeastern University’s sociology studies program before moving to Aurora, Illinois, then on to Palo Alto, California. In 1987 Karen returned to the greater Boston area, residing in Clinton for many years before returning to her Harvard roots in 2015.
Like her father, Karen was compassionate, expressed kindness and always had a desire to help other people. In that light she went back to college at UMass Lowell to earn a degree in physical therapy. She worked as a physical therapist, helping patients recover at the Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital in Worcester until her retirement.
Karen was an avid reader, an excellent cook, and enjoyed entertaining. She liked camping, hiking, bicycling and coastal sea kayaking. Karen also enjoyed travel and had an opportunity to bond with her niece on a trip to Sweden. Karen had many memorable adventures touring Sweden and meeting distant relatives for the first time. While there she learned more about her grandparents’ lives prior to their immigrating to America.
Karen is survived by her husband, Theodore Jasnos; her brother, Richard Ohlin, and his wife, Sharon, of Harvard; her niece, Kristin Parker, Kristin’s husband, Jeremy Parker, and her great niece, Grace Parker of North Chelmsford. Karen was predeceased by her parents, who died in 2014. A memorial celebration of her life is planned for family and friends.
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