Karen Parkinson West

Karen Parkinson West, age 46, a resident of Albuquerque since 1991, died on Wednesday, November 27th, 2013, at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque. She is survived by her husband, Chris West; son, Ryan McGinty; granddaughter, Autumn McGinty; her mother, Barbara Horton of Albuquerque; and four brothers and sisters, Valerie Rupp of Peoria, AZ; Mark Parkinson of Bethesda, MD; Eric Parkinson of Fayetteville, AR; and Kathleen Rizzuto of Bethel, CT. She was preceded in death by her father, Hank Parkinson of Wichita, KS. Karen possessed many personal and professional skills and was loved by all she encountered. Most recently, she worked as a customer service representative for Smith's Foods; prior positions included work as a cosmetologist, a travel agency assistant and as a sales executive in the home video industry. Her hobbies and loves included quilting, cooking, reading and playing poker and darts. She had a special affinity for music, and enjoyed watching football on weekends with her family. One of her favorite activities was to host barbecues at home with Chris, which were attended by neighbors and many friends of her son, Ryan. Always by her side, was her beloved dog, Drea. Funeral Services will be held on Monday, December 2, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., at FRENCH - Wyoming. In lieu of flowers, and in honor of Karen's request, the family suggests that donations be sent to the American Melanoma Foundation, FRENCH - Wyoming 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400