Karen K. Pass

Karen Pass died Thursday, August 27, 2026, following a lengthy illness. She was born in Neptune, New Jersey, on September 5, 1944.

Karen is survived by her daughters, Lisa Ball (Todd) and Amy Pass; her two granddaughters, Clarissa and Ana Ball; her sister; and her nephew and several nieces and great-nieces. She was predeceased by her parents, Carroll and Clara Killen of Bennington, Vermont; her husband, Kenneth Pass; and her brothers, Gorden and Lloyd Killen.

Karen received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biology from Wake Forest College and Emory University. After the Pass family moved to the Capital District in 1977, Karen began what would become 40 years of dedicated service as a Biology professor at SUNY Empire State College. Karen and Ken joined the First United Methodist Church of Delmar, where they found a second home and family in a place that would become deeply important to Karen’s faith and her passion for community service.

Over the years, Karen built a community of service around her. She served as a board member for the Center for Disability Services, formerly ROI, helping to support her sister and other people with disabilities in the area. She also helped build programs and organize annual events at her church to foster fellowship not only within the congregation, but throughout the Delmar community.

Among the many programs to which Karen devoted her time and energy, Mission Movers held a special place in her heart. The group of volunteers picks up and delivers donated furniture and household goods to individuals and families in need throughout the Capital Region. Started in 1997, Mission Movers has grown into a significant and enduring outreach ministry of Delmar FUMC.

Karen was also a founding member of her church’s “lounge sale,” a space where gently used household items, décor, books, music, and toys are sold at low cost. Karen worked tirelessly to transform this small thrift shop into Blessed Bargains, a place where two of her passions — helping those in need and keeping usable items out of landfills — could come together.

Karen loved gardening and had an incredible green thumb. While she loved flowers and plants, in lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE), rissealbany.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate, RISSE was one of the many local organizations Karen supported and believed in deeply.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 27 at the First United Methodist Church, 428 Kenwood Avenue, Delmar, New York.