Karen A. Brooks, 61, of Columbia, passed away on Thursday, February 16, 2023, after a courageous 8-year battle with cancer. Born in Louiseville, Quebec, Canada, Karen was the daughter of Henry and Denise Albiez, and the granddaughter of Sen. Joseph Napoleon Caron.

Karen graduated from Wofford College and enjoyed long-lasting friendships with her Kappa Delta sisters who have remained a special part of her life. She was a member of Blue Key, Campus Governance, Who's Who Among American College Students, and the Wofford Alumni Association. After college she completed her master's degree in genetic counseling at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. She returned to South Carolina and worked at the Greenwood Genetic Center. Karen then worked 2 years at the Duke University Medical Center. This job led her to Columbia and the USC School of Medicine. She treasured the professional and personal relationships she formed during her work and retired after 28 years. At one point in her career, she was interviewed as a guest expert in genetics by Matt Lauer on the NBC Today Show. Years later, she was annoyed to recall that he hadn't made a pass at her.

Never one to stay still long, she continued working after retirement for the South Carolina Oncology Associates (SCOA). First as an employee and later as a patient, she constantly remarked on the professionalism and compassion of the staff at SCOA. It would be remiss to not mention how thankful she was for the care and friendship she received from Dr. Anne Hutchison.

She could be described as a voracious reader in French and English. She absolutely loved to travel and had a trip planned for March. She also loved to ski and went to Aspen earlier in February, but was unable to hit the slopes. She was a member of the Columbia Sailing Club and enjoyed the camaraderie of the great crew of people there.

In addition to her parents, she is predeceased by her brother, Eric Albiez of Charleston, South Carolina.

She is survived by her husband, Dr. Charles Brooks of Columbia and her two children, Caroline Brooks and Houston Brooks, both current students at Furman University.

The visitation for Mrs. Brooks will be held on Friday, February 24th from 5 until 7 o'clock at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia, SC.

The funeral service and burial will take place at a later date in her hometown of Quebec.

Memorials may be made to The SCOA Cares Foundation, PO Box 2046, West Columbia, SC 29171. (This is a foundation that provides financial assistance to uninsured and under-insured oncology patients."