Karen Lee Weil of Louisville, CO, and Bainbridge Island, WA, passed away on Sunday, December 1, after a surgery in Colorado.

She was 63.

Born in New York, New York, on September 13, 1961, Karen was the eldest child of the late Peter and Helen Weil. She attended Northwestern University for most of her undergraduate education but received her BSEE from the University of Southern California as a transfer student. She later participated in executive education programs at the business schools of the University of North Carolina, MIT and Harvard.

Karen spent her early engineering career in semiconductors, MEMS, optical telecommunications and clean tech. She ultimately became Founder and Chief Technical Officer of Cronos Integrated Microsystems in North Carolina and then a VP of Technology Strategy for JDS Uniphase upon its acquisition of Cronos. Her later career was focused on management consulting, primarily in mergers and acquisitions.

Karen was an avid reader, sailor, Porsche driver, and cat person.

She is survived by her son David Markus of Bainbridge Island, her brother Frank (Sherri) of Denver, and her longtime partner, Ed Kaplan. She will be missed by nephews Jonah and Ethan Weil; Ed's three sons Quinton, Nicholas and Tyler Kaplan and their families; her extended family and friends.

The family will hold a Celebration of Life at a later date to be determined.

Contributions in Karen's memory may be made to the The Marfan Foundation.