Roper Funeral Home and Crematory 206 Holly St Jasper, GA 30143 (706) 253-7500 (706) 253-0040 www.roperfuneralhome.com Karen Anne Gurty, age 59 of Jasper, Georgia passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, October 8, 2022. Karen was born at the Naval Hospital in Newport, Rhode Island and grew up on Long Island, New York. She moved to Atlanta in 1987. Karen was very active in high school and was her Senior Class President, class of 1981 at Newfield High School. She went to college at Chowan College in North Carolina. With her love of God, this directed her to volunteer during one summer to spread the word of the Lord at a prison in Richmond, VA, and that is how she celebrated her 21st birthday. She finished up her college years at Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, VA with her bachelor's in Photography. Karen worked on staff at Georgia Tech in the photography department and was assigned the job of photographer for the 1996 Olympic Committee. When Georgia Tech closed the photo department, Karen went to Christ the King Catholic School in Atlanta, GA as a computer teacher. After teaching there for a few years she then went to Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School in Decatur, GA as their Media Specialist. During her time at Bethune Middle School, she became involved in the Helen Ruffin Reading Club. With her fortitude and the hard work of the students she coached the team to the State level and won the State Championship. After five years at Bethune Middle School, Karen was given the honor and surprise of having the yearbook dedicated to her. Karen completed her Master's Degree at the University of West Georgia as a Library Media Specialist. She was also a graduate of Georgia State University with her Master's in Fine Art in Studio Photography. For the last 16 years she was with the Pickens County School District in Jasper, GA as a Media Specialist. First with the middle school and Karen was most recently at the high school. She was a member at The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Atlanta. Karen is survived by her parents, Edward Gurty of Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Myrna (Allen) Gurty of Brunswick, GA, her sisters, Karla (Gurty) Smith (Brad) of Sargent, TX, Kerri (Gurty) Lidman (Wayne) of Smyrna, GA and her nephews, T.C. Lewis IV (Godson) of Washington D.C., Cameron Lewis of Richmond, TX, and her Godson James Williams (Hailey) of Roswell, GA. A celebration of Karen's life will be held at 11:00 am Saturday October 15, 2022 at The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception with Father Joseph Morris officiating. The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is at 48 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30303. The family will be receiving friends at Roper Funeral Home, Friday, October 14, 2022 from 4:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Arrangements are entrusted to the Staff of Roper Funeral Home and Crematory.