COLONIAL BEACH, Va. — Karen Griffin Roberts passed away Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Colonial Beach. She was the daughter of Leon B. Griffin and Shirley J. Winslow Griffin Good and stepdaughter of William E. Good.

Karen married David A. Roberts on May 29, 1982, in Arlington. He died in 2026.

Karen spent her life caring for others, choosing kindness and compassion to make the world a better place. Even as a teenager, she organized carnivals and plays for charity in her childhood backyard.

After graduating from high school, Karen became a licensed beautician and worked at Berne’s Beauty Salon in Smethport, Pa. She moved to Virginia and worked at the U.S. Department of State and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She later became a preschool director in northern Virginia before receiving her Bachelor’s and Master of Education degrees from George Mason University in Fairfax. She authored and co-authored three books, “Let’s Talk About Autism,” “Let’s Talk About Language Development” and “Embracing Autism.”

Karen was the sixth of nine children. She is survived by her mother, Shirley Good, her son Kevin, siblings Phil (Sandy) Griffin, Judith (Robert) Chapman, Mary (Stewart) Fannin, Patricia Griffin, Beth (Paul) Malizia, Jean (Terry) Pistentis, David (Kathleen) Griffin and Cathleen Alexis; and stepsisters, Janet (Terry) Dunkle and Karen (Marty) Ecoff. Funny, vivacious, kind and loving, Karen’s presence lit up every room. Affectionately known as the “Baby Whisperer,” Karen loved gathering with her 30 nieces and nephews, and (at last count) 46 great-nieces and -nephews, all of whom she adored and cherished. She will be greatly missed, and we know that there is a bright new star in the nighttime sky.

Karen and her husband, David, remained active in their retirement, supporting the educational community and the Placid Bay Civic Association. Together they helped refurbish signs and grounds of the community center and planned many holiday community events.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, Main Street, Smethport.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Autism Speaks at 1060 State Road, 2nd Floor, Princeton, NJ 08540.