A Tribute to Karan
Since the early days of our parents' hardware stores, my sister was a big part of my life
If you have read “Mom & Pop Hardware,” you are familiar with my sister and brother, Karan and Ricky. We spent countless hours after school at my parents’ hardware stores building forts, playing hide and seek with nails (!) and generally tearing things up as customers tried to stay out of our way.
Ricky, I am sorry to say, died in 2018 of ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was 57 years old. And in January, I lost Karan to complications from COPD. She was 62 years old. My heart is heavy as I mourn her death, especially knowing that her life had been such a struggle.
Karan suffered bi-polar disorder, something that wasn’t well understood or diagnosed in children in the 1970s. Her weight problems, mood swings and undiagnosed dyslexia all contributed to behavioral issues that made her an easy target for bullies. I was among those who taunted her.
Karan persevered through all of that. And for that she was my hero.
The last time I saw my sister in person was in November at a Barnes & Noble in Wichita, where I was having a book-signing. Take another look at that picture. It took a tremendous amount of effort for Karan to come to the event. At the time, we were in the midst of an argument over the purchase of a car. I felt strongly that Karan shouldn’t have a car for both physical and financial reasons. Karan, ever stubborn, shut me down and bought a car anyway.
A couple of weeks later, Karan and I patched things up, and we were back to talking and texting almost every day. I knew that her health was deteriorating, but I didn’t know that her time amongst the living was so short.
On Jan. 29, Karan wasn’t returning my texts or my telephone calls. So I contacted the police to request a “welfare check” at her apartment. To do that, the building’s maintenance man first had to break the deadbolt on her door. Then, I got the call to tell me what I already knew.
Looking back, I am so glad that Karan won the argument and bought a car. It gave me that one last visit with her in November.
Thank you for sharing your family with us, through Mom and Pop Hardware and through this tribute. I love both photos, but especially the one with her new hat!💕💕
Beth, I’m so glad you had these past few months with your sister and she with you. She left this mortal world knowing she was loved and cared for - even through disagreements. And your memoir will always keep her near to your heart as well as have an impact on readers. ❤️