Karen's consideration towards others

[Tapdancer]

I've always believed, to those who've known you, that you come to be remembered just as much for what person you were, as for what you've achieved in life. Having so admired Karen for her contribution to music, I find it most gratifying that from all accounts she was also a marvelous soul.

This week I've come across another two tiny, but telling, examples attesting to her consideration for others:

(i) According to Randy Schmidt, at the point of maximum drama in the Richard vs. Neil Sedaka conflict (with her brother screaming "Get that S.O.B. out!") Karen - rather than closing ranks - was apologising , crying "Neil, I'm so sorry about this".

(ii) In the Santa Clause sketch from the 1974 Perry Como Christmas show, as she and Richard approach Como and Santa in order to be introduced, she instinctively strokes the hair of the two little children. So lovely to see!

Does anyone have further examples to illustrate, especially anecdotal or from first-hand experience?

 

[A&M Retro]

I know a fan from the West Coast who wrote Karen a fan letter, saying she was a teenager who also lived in L.A., and had taken up the drums as a result of Karen playing them. Karen contacted her, and invited her to a Carpenters session at A&M. Not bad!

 

[Natesmommy77]

She never forgot your birthday and the first time I read about Catello Cuticello receiving his card from her on his birthday on 2/5/83, I wept. Now when I hear about it or when he refers to it on Facebook, I cry each time for how sad Debbie and him were. She had probably mailed it late January to reach CT by 2/5 and by the time it got there, she was gone. Just gets to me.

There's also an interview of Dorothy Hammil in one of the Carpenters bios that gets to me. She gets choked up talking about how genuine and real Karen was. And says, "She was a dear friend even before we were really good friends. That's hard to find."

She was a precious soul. No doubt.