Karen Stacy Laver, age 53 of Lake Silkworth, passed away peacefully Thursday, August 8, 2013 at home surrounded by her loved ones.

Karen was born in New York State and was the daughter of the late Joseph F. Laver and Rita Laver of Oceanview, NJ.

She was a graduate at West Side Technical School and received her Suma Cum Laude Degrees from Luzerne County Community College in Commercial Art, Photography and Literary Arts. She was well known in the area as a free-lance photographer as well as working independently for the Times Leader.

Karen is survived by her devoted companion of 28 years, George Hackling; daughter, Kelly Laver; granddaughter, Aliah, as well as her best canine friends, Isabella and Ebony; brother, Christopher Laver of New York; sisters, Susan Evanoski and her husband William of PA, Stacy Ruszkowski and her husband William of NJ, and Paula Chance and her husband Winston of MD; many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 6:00 pm from the Curtis L. Swanson Funeral Home, Inc., corners of routes 29 and 118, Pikes Creek.

Friends may call 3:00 - 6:00 PM on Tuesday prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations to be made to the SPCA of Luzerne County, 524 E. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702.