Karen Elaine McCoy was born March 22, 1939, and passed away July 7, 2021. She was one of fifteen children of the late Rosie and Frank McCoy. Karen graduated from East High School in 1957. She was married to Roscoe Barnes in 1958. To this union, their first child Roscoe (Rusty) Barnes was born and three years later a beautiful daughter Clarissa (Peachy) Barnes was born, (1961-2017). She held various jobs in Ohio. The one she often spoke of, was the “Children’s Home of Akron”. She was also a student at the University of Cincinnati.

Karen later married her second husband Howard Horton and then moved to Boston, Massachusetts in the 1960s. Together they had a third child daughter, Simone Horton. She lived in Boston for the next 40 + years. She attended night school for many years at Roxbury Community College and Bunker Hill Community College in pursuit of an Associate Degree in Sociology.

Karen often held two jobs as a social worker at OIC, and Cape Verdean Community House. She also worked part-time as a bartender until she started working as an Investigator for the State of Massachusetts. It was there, she helped minority-owned businesses qualify and receive contracts with the state until her retirement. After retiring, she returned home to Ohio to live. She quickly started working again as a nurse’s assistant working with special needs adults in supervised community living homes. Her adult life was centered on helping others in times of need.

Karen was a kind and loving sister, mother, and friend. She loved her family, and her friends were always part of our extended family. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and she prepared large family gatherings. She would give everyone a gift that came over for dinner and everyone looked forward to her famous carrot cake. She celebrated the simple things during her life for instance family dinners on Sundays, picnics at Franklin Park, candlepin bowling league on Saturday afternoons, and summer weekends on Cape Cod.

Karen’s grandchildren are Darnell Eutsay, Jasmine Carter (Justin Carter), and Rusty Horton, but there were many children that Karen became a grandmother to over the years: Lavence Eutsay, Yashawna Eutsay, Innana Bucote, Kevin Bacote. Rodney Hackney, Christopher Hackney, Spencer Hackney, Ray Hackney, Lakeisha Hackney, Lamia Hackney, Schaena Hackney.
Karen was blessed with 3 great-grandchildren, Aynhiah Eutsay, Zane Carter, and Zara Carter. Karen was also known among her nieces and nephews as one of their favorite aunties.

Karen could be described as funny, witty, and compassionate. She was down to earth and an eternal optimist. She believed in God, and she believed that God was always with us, guiding us and protecting us.

She is survived by her children, Roscoe (Deborah) Barnes, Simone (Anthony) McPherson; siblings, Bernard (Lavern) McCoy of Nevada, Kenneth (Tressela) McCoy of Arizona, and Constance Jones of Ohio, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.