Karenlyn Markwalter

Karenlyn Markwalter passed away December 30th, 2022, at the age of 75.

She was the daughter of Donald and Leota Ashley. She spent her youth at Syracuse, New York, where she graduated from Westhill High School in 1965. She enrolled at Wesleyan College, Macon, Georgia, in the class of 1969. She married John Raphael Markwalter, and left college to raise her son Shane and daughter Ashlyn in Cobb County, Georgia. During the next 50 years, she taught when her children were young; was a dental assistant; and was an executive assistant at Wachovia Bank and The Atlanta Traffic Court.

Her personal life was focused on her family and friends. She loved cats and had 3 when she passed away. She was passionate about art starting in her youth, was an avid reader and enjoyed gardening. Sunflowers were her favorite flowers. Most of all she cared about others. She adopted many into her circle of love. She always looked for ways to be kind to others and had candy to offer anyone she met. She thought you cannot say thank you often enough.

She moved to her final home at Smyrna in 2004. She retired following a stroke in 2010. She recovered with the help of her wonderful doctors in the WellStar Health System, but her health declined over several years. She did not leave her home once the Covid pandemic started and spent her last six months in hospice care.

She is survived by her son Shane (Laura); her daughter Ashlyn; five grandchildren Turner, Hutton, Garrison, Callista and Jackson; two brothers; six first cousins; and numerous nephews and nieces. Many others will cherish her memory, especially her wonderful neighbors at Cooper Lake Court and Sherri Mitchell who took great care of her for many years.

She will be laid to rest at The Center Cemetery, Roxbury, Connecticut at a later date. The family suggests donations in her memory be made to The World Wildlife Fund or Saint Joseph's Indian School in South Dakota (www.stjo.org/flowers).