Karen Lynda Warwick, 72, was born in El Paso, Texas to parents George and Charlene Warwick.  She is survived by her sister Sharon Warwick and nephew Clark Warwick and very close cousin Dee Cramer. She leaves behind many longtime and loyal friends and family, both Warwicks and Walkers. Karen Warwick married Lewis Abernathy in 1974 and they were married 28 years. She passed away at Denton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center where she lived under the loving care of the wonderful staff there for 5 years.

Karen graduated from Eastwood High School in 1966, University of Texas at El Paso in 1971 with a BA in History and Education and University of North Texas in 1976 with an MS in Economic Education.  She taught seventh and eighth grade Social Studies in El Paso before becoming a Research Associate for Partners in Career Education in Arlington Texas from 1973-1982. She developed and disseminated career education materials and did professional development for teachers throughout Texas and nationally.

In 1977 Karen formed I(t) Work(s) Publishing Incorporated and became president of the company.  Karen was a contributing author for 10 statewide publications and for 12 copyrighted publications that were published and distributed nationally.  She wrote and published two books on employability that were internationally distributed.  Karen was a private subcontractor for the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills tests 1988.

Karen Warwick Abernathy got involved in Democratic politics locally beginning as a volunteer, rising to campaign coordinator for various candidates and eventually to President of the Denton County Democrats for ten years.  She ran for State Representative for the 59th District in 1988. Karen worked in the Land Office for Texas Land Commissioner for a short time before being recruited by the newly elected governor of Texas Ann Richards.  Karen began organizing the phone bank as the Ombudsman to become the Chief Scheduler for Governor Richards.

Upon her return to Denton, Karen worked as an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Business and Economics at Texas Woman's University and later as an Adjunct Instructor for North Central Texas College teaching Economics.  Mrs Abernathy was a talented educator and a tremendous personality in the classroom.

In 2004 Karen became ill with a brain tumor and Parkinson's Disease.  She had gamma knife surgery for the tumor which was successful.  Her sister Sharon and nephew Clark moved in with her to help provide care.  She gradually became more ill due to the Parkinson's and had to move to Denton Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in 2015, the same facility her mother had been with the same Parkinson's Disease almost a decade earlier.

Special heartfelt thanks go to the staff at Denton Rehabilitation and Nursing Center for their loving care of Karen for the past 5 years.  A memorial service for Karen may be held at a later date, due to COVID-19 restrictions.