March 25, 1957 – July 2, 2024
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our mother, wife, sister, aunt, and dear friend Karin Maria Mazowita. Karin is survived by her husband Glen, daughter Amy, son Adam (Iresha), beloved granddaughter Kjarna, cherished dogs Lucy and Bronson, sister Gaby (Ray), brother Fred (Louise), niece Haley (Braydon), great nephew Ezra, and niece Rebecca (Simon), as well as countless friends and neighbours upon which she left her indelible mark.
A proud North Ender, Karin grew up and spent most of her life on Cathedral Avenue in Winnipeg. She graduated from St. John’s High School in 1975 and obtained her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Manitoba. In a twist of fate, Karin chose to pursue a career with the City of Winnipeg as opposed to one in teaching. It was through her work for the City that she met her husband of 38 years, Glen Mazowita. Karin and Glen married in 1986, welcomed daughter Amy in 1989, and son Adam in 1991. Karin’s greatest joy was her children and she did everything in her power to give them a wonderful childhood. We remember Karin as the mother who did it all—she enrolled her kids in various activities, volunteered at their schools and extracurricular programs, sewed all their Halloween costumes, organized extravagant birthday parties, and made sure every holiday was magical and memorable.
Karin and Glen both grew up visiting and loving Falcon Lake, Manitoba. Their shared love of the Whiteshell was their guiding light: everything revolved around being at the lake and everything they did was a step towards their goal of retiring at Falcon. They built their first cottage on Falcon’s North Shore in the early 1980s and split their time between Winnipeg and the lake in the years that followed. We have countless memories of Karin in this place: boat rides and water sports; horseback riding and trips to the beach; summer days on the dock and evenings spent by the fire; thunderstorms and board games; yard work and renovation projects. The lake was her dream; the lake was her whole life. She loved nothing more than sharing her piece of Falcon with her loved ones and loved to host family and friends on the weekends.
In 2019, Karin and Glen sold their Winnipeg home and finally made their dream of living at the lake a reality. Karin spent her retirement gardening, caring for the dogs, sewing and crafting, and hosting friends. Her strong work ethic never ceased, and she could often be found building multi-tiered flowerbeds or rearranging rocks along the shoreline. Karin opened her home to everyone and absolutely loved when her children came to stay at the cabin. She was overjoyed by the birth of her granddaughter Kjarna in 2022 and we only wish that they had more time to play and swim at the lake together.
Karin instilled in us a deep appreciation of nature, and an unwavering respect for all living things. She taught us to put the needs of others above our own. She showed us the power of love, resilience, hard work, and empathy. We remember Karin not for the many things she did over the course of her life, but for who she was and will always be to us. We feel her presence in the places she loved most and know she is with us when we look out at the water.
We are forever grateful for the incredible amount of love and support we have received since Karin’s passing. To our wonderful friends and family: we cannot begin to thank you for being here with us during this difficult time. While we appreciate every heartfelt gesture more than we can express, in lieu of additional flowers or gifts we suggest making a donation in Karin’s name to the Winnipeg Humane Society, Manitoba Underdogs Rescue, the Canadian Mental Health Association, or a charitable organization of your choosing.
And finally, to Karin:
We love you. We miss you. We carry you with us.
Family and friends are invited to share memories and condolences on Karin’s memorial page using the comment field below.