Andrea Christine Kara

Andrea Christine (Rosecaln) Kara. Longtime resident of Westwood, MA, passed into eternal rest surrounded by her loving family on June 30 at age 78. Andrea was the beloved wife of Henry G. Kara of Westwood for 53 years. Most loving mother of Andrew Kara and his wife Margaret Kara of Westwood, MA and Kristin Kara and her husband Yanni Tsipis of Westwood, MA. Andrea cherished being “Nana” to Katie and Maggie Kara and Henry and Oliver Tsipis and will forever be missed by them. She leaves behind her sister Joy Nelson and her husband Paul Nelson of Pomfret, CT and nephews Matthew Nelson and his wife Heather Nelson of Weston, CT and Christopher Nelson of New York City. She also leaves numerous cousins and other extended family.

Predeceased by her loving parents Harry and Sophie Rosecaln, Andrea enjoyed a happy childhood growing up in West Roxbury, attending the George H. Conley Elementary School and Roslindale High School. She graduated from State Teacher’s College in Boston and taught elementary school at the same Conley School that she attended as a child as well as the William Lloyd Garrison School in Roxbury. As a child, she spent summer days on Boston Harbor on her father’s sailboat which he kept at Port Norfolk. She and her sister were her father’s First and Second mates. It was on the waters of Boston Harbor that Andrea developed her lifelong love of the ocean, and she liked to smile and call herself an Old Salt.

Andrea met the light and love of her life Henry Kara, also then of West Roxbury, as a teenager. They married in 1970. Their son Andrew was born in 1974 and daughter Kristin was born in 1977. Andrea loved being a wife, mother, homemaker, and volunteer at her children’s schools, Dedham Country Day School and St. Sebastian’s School. She found much joy in co-chairing the DCD Fair and helping to organize numerous events through the Guild of St. Irene at St. Sebastian’s. Through these volunteer activities and through her years working at Stephanie’s Flowers of Chestnut Hill, she met many lifelong friends who became like family to her. Andrea and Henry loved spending summers at the waterside home they built together in Falmouth and loved sharing the beach there with family, friends, and their dogs, especially Sam.

Later in life, Andrea became a doting and beloved Nana to her four grandchildren. There was nothing Andrea loved more than being Nana. She always had a kind word, a loving hug, beautiful holiday decorations, and surprise treats waiting on her grandchildren’s beds when they came to visit at her summer home on Cape Cod. Always a gracious hostess, Andrea loved welcoming friends and family to her summer home, especially to enjoy the July 4^th fireworks and the annual Falmouth Road Race. These two traditions were among the highlights of her summers. Andrea embraced her life as a wife, mother, Nana, and friend to many and always wanted to “make things nice” for everyone around her.

Andrea will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend Visiting Hours in the Holden, Dunn and Lawler Funeral Home, 55 High Rock St., Westwood on Monday, July 10 from 4:00 – 7:00PM.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 11 at 10:00AM in St. Denis Church, 157 Washington St., Westwood. Interment to follow at New Westwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Andrea’s memory to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.