Karen Peterson Kriete's Obituary
Karen Peterson Kriete, passed away peacefully in Dallas, Texas, surrounded by her family on May 5, 2017, at the blessed age of 69. She was born on August 17,1947 to Robert and Edna Peterson of Dallas. As a very young child, Karen realized her passion for dance, a vocation she was called to. She received a prestigious Ford Foundation Scholarship at the age of 16 which took her to New York City to attend the School of American Ballet and the Professional Children’s School. While in New York, Karen was an apprentice with the Harkness Ballet Company, member of the Harkness House teaching and administrative staff, and production assistant for the Harkness Youth Company. In 1971, Karen joined the faculty of the Southern Methodist University Meadows School of the Arts in the Division of Dance, where she was fortunate to work alongside Nikita Talin, Toni Beck, and many others. In addition to serving the Division of Dance as ballet mistress for mainstage concerts, she was also the creator and artistic director for the Brown Bag Series and was a recipient of an Outstanding Professor Award at SMU. Karen’s professional accomplishments include Professor Emerita of Dance, participation in the Congress on Research in Dance, and nation-wide teaching for such organizations as the Cecchetti Council of America, the National Association for the Arts and Letters, and the Colorado Dance Festival. As a Professor of Dance, she touched many lives as a teacher, mentor, and friend. Her legacy lives on in the lessons and wisdom passed on to her students over her 36 years at SMU. Most important to Karen were her roles as mother and grandmother. She always said, “family is everything,” and this was apparent in her devotion to her loved ones, especially to her son, Brian. She cherished family gatherings and loved to make her grandchildren laugh. Karen enjoyed watching her grandchildren do what they love, whether it was playing sports or performing on stage. One of her fondest memories was watching her granddaughter, Reese, dance at McFarlin Auditorium, where Karen had directed many performances over the years. Her passion and love continues to grow in the hearts of her beloved family. Karen is survived by her son Brian; daughter-in-law Tiffany; grandchildren Tyler and Reese; sisters Suzanne Vanderford and Patty Luck; brother-in-law Don Vanderford: niece Jean Ann Schlenk; nephews Ronnie Vanderford, Palmer Klotz, and Richard Schlenk; and lifelong friend Dick Abrahamson. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May, 2017 at Restland Funeral Home, 13005 Greenville Ave., Dallas. The funeral service will follow at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 11, 2017, at the Restland Funeral Home, Wildwood Chapel. The family will have a private burial following the service. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Cancer Society. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, at Restland Road, Dallas, TX 75243.
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