Karen Hillman Hemstad died peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, April 3rd. She was 66.

Karen is preceded in death by her parents John Elliot Hillman and Jean Thomas Hillman. She is survived by her husband John Shipka, her sons Erik (Libby) and Noah (Kari), grandchildren Vos, Flora, Fritz, John, Nora, Rudy, and Daisy; her sister Barbara (Michael) and brothers Thomas (Peggy) and John (Lynn); stepdaughters Leanne (Ryan) and Allie (Derk), as well as many nieces and nephews.

Karen was a relentless optimist throughout her ten-year battle with cancer. She loved her family and was a devoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother and friend. In recent years, her grandchildren brought her immense joy, and she was always knitting creatures and blankets for them. Karen's happy place was her cabin near Grand Rapids, which she and John built together. There, she explored her many passions and made art out of everything she recycled in her beloved she-shed.

Having grown up on Lake Harriet in Minneapolis, Karen loved being near the water. She had a passion for sailing. She was an active racer at Harriet and co-founded their adaptive sailing program. She traveled often to the ocean where she loved listening to the surf, collecting shells and sea glass, and going on long beach walks with her siblings.

Karen had a deep passion for cooking and relished hosting holiday family gatherings, curating the menu of her annual Christmas party for months in advance. Her favorite flowers were black-eyed susans and sunflowers; her favorite color was green because it matched her eyes; she liked minions because they made her happy; her favorite song was Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffet, which she sang in the car with her sons, windows wide open, no matter the weather. Of the many national parks that Karen hiked in throughout her life, Glacier was her favorite. She was also pretty proud of hiking down to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Karen had a successful, varied career, working at Wilsons Leather, Daytons, Retek and Best Buy. Her favorite part of work was managing and nurturing people.

Karen donated her body to the University of Minnesota Medical School to help provide learning opportunities for future doctors. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name can be made to Harriet Yacht Club Adaptive Sailing, or to the Gynecological Cancer Research Fund at the University of Minnesota Division of Gynecologic Oncology. A celebration of life will be held at Lakewood Cemetery's Memorial Chapel on Saturday, August 16 at 12:30.