INDUCTION - KAREN MARSH

Louise Keogh introduced Karen Marsh who is one of her dearest and oldest friends, having met 30 years ago. They partied hard and lived together prior to them both getting married in 1990.

Karen was born in Heyfield and when she was 5 years old her parents separated, and she moved to Terang. Four years later Karen moved to Warrnambool and she lived with her grandmother who raised her. Karen went to Jamieson Street Primary School then attended Warrnambool High School. She successfully completed her nursing training at Warrnambool Base Hospital, then at age 23 moved to Perth and lived there for six years.

Karen returned to Ballarat and completed a Gerontics course at Queen Elizabeth Gerontics Centre, before moving back to Warrnambool in 1980. Karen worked at Lyndoch as Unit Nurse Manager for 18 years. In that time she met her ex-husband Ken and had two children - Stephen who is 24 years of age and Alexandra 22. Whilst still nursing and raising her children, Karen assisted with reading at the primary school, plus helped students requiring assistance with developing literacy skills in preparation for secondary school.

Karen was retrenched in 2000 from Lyndoch along with three other people, which wiped out nearly 60 years of experience from the staff who worked there. Karen worked at Port Fairy Hostel, then Gillan Park, before Karen and Louise co-owned Mikalos Restaurant for three years.

Karen separated from Ken in 2005 and had to recommence working at Lyndoch as a permanent night duty Associate Nurse Manager-Unit Manager in 2006. Karen is still working at Lyndoch and has just recently changed areas in which she is working at Lyndoch but still night duty.

In 2014 Karen also started working extra nights at Cobden District Health Services to help support Alexandra, her daughter who had commenced university at RMT Melbourne, but she has since transferred back here to Deakin Warrnambool.

Karen's working career has been in age care for the past 40 years. A wonderful caring and devoted mother, sister and friend to many, Karen has held the hand of many elderly patients in their final days.

Karen is warmly welcomed to the Rotary Club of Warrnambool.