KAREN ANNE PRATT (MCLEAN) -

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KAREN ANNE PRATT (nee MCLEAN) 1946 - 2011 Karen spent her last few days in the sun with family and her beloved Rottweiler Cara in the courtyards at Riverview Health Centre. She died shortly after being transferred back to Stonewall Hospital and was surrounded by her loving family on April 27. Karen will be greatly missed by her partner of 40 years Rae, children William, Julia, Billy and Gordon; sons and daughter-in-law Jesse, Mike and Sharon; her very special grandchildren Stacey and Mercedes. Karen was born in Winnipeg to her parents Gordon and Anne Mclean. She was a beauty with the brains to match - in Karen's teen years she was crowned Miss River Boat and Miss Red River Ex. A woman of exceptional craft and cunning, she began a career in retail security, starting out as a store detective at the Bay in the early 70s-where she met her husband Rae. Karen took pride in being a woman in a man's business , and eventually became the only woman security manager at McPhillips Street Station Casino at that time. Karen's love of riding horses led her to start Nobler Arabians Ltd., an equestrian training and boarding stable just north of Stonewall, in 1975. Nobler Arabians became the most winning Arabian training stable in Manitoba for over 20 years. Karen being an animal lover always ensured there were many horses, dogs (mostly Rottweilers) and cats at home. Karen was well known in the community for her activism, and fighting for homeowners' rights against quarries in the Stonewall area. Karen spearheaded a coalition of residents that succeeded in lobbying to change the way the Quarries did business- including limiting their hours of operation. More recently, Karen was a key player in stopping a polluting asphalt plant from being set up close to many homes in the Rockwood area near Stonewall. In retirement, Karen indulged her passion for gardening, travelling, and spending time with family and close friends. Karen was a driving force in her family's lives, she was hard working, had a great sense of humour, enjoyed practical jokes, was generous to a fault, and above all Karen was always right. (She really was!) Karen requested that there be no formal funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations in Karen's memory can be made to CancerCare Manitoba. MacKenzie Funeral Home, Stonewall in care of arrangements.

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 07, 2011