HUDSON FALLS --- Karen J. Bigelow, 71, passed away on Tuesday, January 28, 2026 at Glens Falls Hospital. She was surrounded with love from her long-time companion and her three children when she passed.

Karen was born on January 11, 1955 in Tokyo, Japan. She was the first born child of Robert and Gisela (Klein) McByrne. Karen grew up in a military family and experienced living all around the world, including places such as Japan, New York City, and Germany. She graduated from Syossett High School on Long Island, New York in 1973. She attended SUNY Plattsburgh in New York where she earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1977.

Karen’s nursing career spanned an incredible 42 years in two different states. She began her nursing career at Appalachian Regional Hospital in Beckley, West Viriginia in 1977. After two years of nursing there, she moved to upstate New York and began working at Glens Falls Hospital in 1979. Karen spent 3 years working at Glens Falls Hospital as a registered nurse, before accepting a job at Saratoga Hospital in 1982. For the next 37 years, Karen worked at Saratoga Hospital providing care and compassion for every patient she met and worked with. The last position Karen held was the Nurse Manager of the Saratoga Hospital Mental Health Unit. Karen dedicated her entire 42-year nursing career to the mental health field. Her long career is a beautiful testament to her character and the type of person she was. Always answering the call to care for others, shift after shift, year after year. The nursing world is a better place because she chose to dedicate her life to it.

Karen and her longtime partner, Will Rukat, began their relationship in 1997 and spent almost 30 happy years together. Their personalities complimented each other perfectly, and Will became not only an important part of Karen’s life, but also an important part of her children and grandchildren’s lives. Both dedicated nurses for many years, they retired in 2019 and 2020. Karen planned the most amazing adventures for them to enjoy, and they traveled all over the country together making memories. Some of their favorite places they traveled to included Rangeley Lake in Maine, Dubois in Wyoming, and Chico Hot Springs in Montana. Some of her other favorite pastimes included kayaking all around the Adirondacks, reading, and gardening. She put so much time and effort into beautifying her home and her yard with stunning plants and bountiful gardens. However, her absolute favorite joy in the world was spending time with her family. Her 3 children and 8 grandchildren meant everything to her. She enjoyed traveling to see them in New York and Florida many times throughout the year. She was so proud of all they accomplished and you could always find her attending dance recitals, softball games, volleyball games, soccer games, lacrosse games, wrestling matches, graduations and birthday parties. The love she had for her children and grandchildren was evident to everyone who knew her, and her favorite names to be called were Mom and Mammy.

In addition to her parents, Karen was predeceased by her grandparents, Thomas and Marietta McByrne, and Gustar and Erna Klein.

Those left behind to cherish her memory are her significant other, Will Rukat; her three children, Tedd (Lindsey) Bigelow, Leah (Stephen) Hall, and Andrew (Sarah) Bigelow; her eight grandchildren, Mallory Hall, Abigail Bigelow, Drew Bigelow, Maya Hall, Maximus Bigelow, Mabree Hall, Allyson Bigelow and Arabella Bigelow; her sisters, Brenda (Wayne) Johnson and Helen (Steve) Barbato; her brother, Robert (Debbie) McByrne; her cousins Madeline Podskoc, Patty Quinlan, and Terrence Neff; and her nieces and nephews, Kyla McByrne, Steven Johnson and Gina Lamb.

Calling hours will take place on Saturday, September 5, 2026 from 12:00-2:00 at Baker Funeral Home 11 Lafayette St. Queensbury, New York for all family and friends. The family is planning a private remembrance ceremony for Karen up in the Adirondacks, which was one of her favorite places.

The family wishes to extend a sincere thank you to the nurses, doctors, and staff of the Tower 2 Oncology Floor at Glens Falls Hospital. During Karen’s short stay there, they displayed the utmost kindness, compassion and empathy for Karen and her entire family.

Condolences floral arrangements may be send directly to Baker Funeral Home (11 Lafayette St, Queensbury, NY 12804) or through www.bakerfuneralhome.com