Kara Lee Tow

Kara enjoyed a life filled with good friends, a loving family and a passion for seeking healing and personal growth through nature. She was a woman whose spirit never hesitated to share what she had to give to her friends and to help those less fortunate. Kara passed away from cancer on June 28, 2022 and her friends and family will never be the same. Her beloved partner Eleanor and spiritual guardian cat Jake were by her side and she was free from pain and at peace. She was born and raised in Colorado and Kara spent most of her life in California. Throughout her childhood and as a young adult, significant experiences influenced the course of Kara’s life. She focused her education on gaining knowledge about cause and effect, and understanding her intuitive wisdom for serving others. Kara worked in various positions of case management in many environments, teaching clients about their sense of self and how to succeed in life. Many times, her teachings extended beyond her clients, benefiting her co-workers and friends alike. Throughout her career, Kara motivated both men and women to reach for the stars and to never settle for less. When honored as employee of the month during her job at Bay Area Community Services, Kara stated, “…(we) advocate for people’s voices to be heard and model treatment with the dignity that all deserve, to break down stigmas and barriers for the connection that heals trauma.” She will be remembered as a selfless individual who changed countless lives. Kara’s love for her friends and family was warm, generous and compassionate. After learning that Kara had been diagnosed with cancer, it was no surprise when her dear friends remained in close contact, in support of Kara and her family, consisting of her life partner Eleanor, Eleanor’s daughters, Sandra and Natalie, their husbands, Dylan and Seth, and her six rescue cats. Kara lived her life true to her authentic self as a lesbian, who loved hiking in nature, listening to love songs, enjoying good food with friends, and studying Buddhism in Alameda and spirituality at the Oakland Center for Spiritual Living. For many years, Kara enjoyed gathering with friends at San Francisco’s Annual Pride Parade and recently noted one of the highlights of her life was being among over 60,000 women, men and children at the women’s march in Oakland after the 2016 Presidential election. Kara valued the oneness of life. She cared about her neighbors. She was concerned about the planet. Kara refused to feel despair and was an inspiration to many. She loved eating hotdogs and nachos while at an Oakland A’s game and watching the Warriors at Oracle arena. Kara supported local community events and animal rescue centers. She was a woman whose spirit yearned to witness the small wonders of nature, as well as the magnificence of redwood trees. Kara always expressed her heartfelt gratitude for having met the love of her life Eleanor and together, they shared an appreciation for exploring the woods, taking road trips to the coast, and dancing all night on the USS Hornet, dressed as Jack Skellington and the Corpse Bride on Halloween. Kara will be remembered for her love of the woods, where she felt the most like herself and where she felt restored and renewed. She was an avid hiker, sometimes alone and sometimes with friends or with a dog named Jessie. She will be remembered for her laughter that made her blush, the little chants she made up and sang to her cats, and her huge and generous heart. Kara will be remembered for believing that the most radical thing you can do is the next right thing. Kara lives on in our hearts and within our consciousness. There will be a Celebration of Life honoring Kara on August 6, 2022 from 2 – 5 pm at the Oakland Center for Spiritual Living – 5000 Clarewood Drive, Oakland, California 94618. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Island Cat Resource and Adoption, Alameda, California www.icraeastbay.org or Lapcats, Elk Grove, California www.lapcats.org.