Karen L. Gotwald

Karen L. Gotwald, formerly of Shaker Heights OH died Saturday, January 10, 2026, of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. She was 78. Born in York, PA to Robert M. Gotwald and Jeanne Gotwald (nee Horn), she spent most of her childhood in Cleveland Heights, OH. The pinnacle of her time at Cleveland Heights High School was being appointed student conductor of the glee club, and she enjoyed playing on the softball league. She majored in education at Kent State University, graduating in 1972. She began her elementary school teaching career in the Cleveland Heights School system and worked throughout the district teaching in buildings where she had been a student. During these years, she earned her master’s degree in education from Cleveland State University. She treasured her years at Roxboro middle school assisting students with reading problems and starting a successful bully-proofing program there. After retirement from full time teaching, she shared her bully-proofing program in many districts throughout northeast Ohio. In later years at Heinen’s grocery store, she would encounter former students at who would run up to her with glee and pride telling her of progress they have made in their lives. She had been a Girl Scout in early years and some of those fellow scouts became life-long friends. One of them, Meredith Rutter invited her up to a house on Cape Cod for a vacation and Karen fell in love with the Cape. She rented a house there every year for over 20 years, making new friends and sharing her love of the Cape with family and friends, starting a pilgrimage that included her parents, siblings, their friends and others. The Shaker Heights home she treasured was filled with Cape images, pictures, and artifacts that reminded her of her happy place. She developed life-long friends with some of her team-teaching partners and even her principal, Katie Shorter, who opened her group of family and friends to her. For several years she had a small group, called the Porch Pals who shared their stories and lives and solved each other’s problems with camaraderie and great affection. She was a devoted and loving daughter. As Karen’s mother Jeanne began to fail, Karen was constantly attentive, and for a while even moved into her mother’s retirement apartment to better care for her after Jeanne’s heart surgery. She had a generous heart, sometimes talking with strangers in the supermarket, helping them with their difficulties, and becoming a mentor and friend to strangers who became dear friends.

When Alzheimer’s began to influence her, she enrolled in a research program in Cleveland. She was able to stay in her beloved home in Shaker for a while, but ultimately it was necessary for her to move to an assisted living community nearby. Her sister Robbie was then in Cleveland Heights and was a great help to her in this transition time. Then when all her siblings were living elsewhere, the family helped her move to Rose Crest, a memory care facility in Mars, PA near Pittsburgh, closer to David who attended her with great compassion, kindness, and love. She is survived by her siblings, David Gotwald (Peter Franzen) of Pittsburgh PA, Robbie Gotwald Duncan of Baltimore MD, and Michael Gotwald of Albuquerque NM.

Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in Karen’s honor.

A memorial zoom is planned for the near future. Those interested in attending, please send an email to karenlynne44118@gmail.com to receive notification of the date and time.