All posts by Zachary H

I'm an attorney, writer, entrepreneur, and adventurer

Merry christmas in San Carlos!

Although this year has been difficult for everyone, the Karen Elizabeth Huselid Foundaiton has once again teamed up with Rice Elementary School on the San Carlos Apache Reservation to help make sure the kids still had a Christmas. Although there will be no party this year, the KEH Fondation, with the help of many of our friend’s donations, was able to provide 54 kids with Christmas presents and warm clothes for the winter. Thank you to everyone who helped!

Letters from Peru

Karen Elizabeth Huselid Foundation

A little over 4 years ago I traveled down to Arequipa Peru to spend some time with my cousin Jim. Jim and his wife Gloria had established a charitable foundation 20 years before and Jim now spends half his time in the States and half in Peru.

Gloria had passed away suddenly a few months before Karen left us and it seemed like a good idea to go down, spend some time with Jim, and see what their foundation was doing. Serving Alto Cayma started with Gloria helping some ladies make Christmas cards and has developed into a comprehensive assistance program assisting with medical care and education and buying food in bulk to distribute so the people that they sponsor so wouldn=t have to pay the exorbitant price charged by the tiny tiendas which are the only places the people have to shop.

While I was there I agreed that the foundation would sponsor four people.  I just learned that Pablo de la Cruz Pinarez Gomez just passed away. Pablo was 90 years old when we first met. He lived with his daughter and loved chocolate which I was happy to supply (as long as I got my share).

I received a number of letters from Pablo over the last few years and have attached his first letter, his initial introduction form and a picture of us taken last year when I was back in Peru.

Karen Elizabeth Huselid

Karen Elizabeth Huselid passed away peacefully on KarenHuselidObituary-234x300Wednesday July 10, 2013 from complications related to early onset Alzheimer’s. Karen was born June 28, 1952 in San Gabriel California to Anthony and Ada Louise Troha. She graduated from Bonita High School and the University of Arizona and went on to a 30 year teaching career, the last 17 at Chandler High School.

During her years of teaching she taught everything from social studies and geography to photography and Native American history. She received a grant to study at the Newberry Library in Chicago researching and writing about Apache history. She coached, among others, softball, gymnastics, diving and cheer leading. She traveled to the Ukraine with a group of teachers as part of social studies program and to Japan as part of an exchange program sponsored by the Economic Counsel.

In her last years of teaching she focused on financial planning and International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement Economics where her students tested into and received college level credits. She worked with the Close Up Program, helped students at Chandler High earn money over the school year, and traveled with them to Washington DC where they learned how our nation’s government should work and how they could participate in the process.

Karen loved to travel and, in her last few years made it to Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, France and London where she was present for Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday party at Hyde Park. S

She leaves her husband Sevrin, children Riann, Zachary and Carl, son in law David Perdichizzi, grandchildren Nora and Samuel and a granddaughter due in early August of this year. Karen’s focus in life was her family and her students. In the classroom the students she loved most were those who worked hard and made the most of their abilities. Most importantly, she put her family first, foremost and always.

A foundation was set up on her behalf which has given out thousands in scholarships over the last couple years. The emphasis of the scholarships has been not only academics but the ability of the student to overcome hardships in their lives. For information contact KEHF.org.