Karen Cotta Spohn, age 61, of Portsmouth, RI, passed away on May 19, 2025, at home surrounded by her loving family.
She was born on August 14, 1963 in Newport, RI to Dave and Sandra Cotta. Karen was a devoted and loving wife, daughter, mother, Nana, sister, auntie, godmother, sister in law, cousin, niece and friend.
Karen is survived by her husband, Matt Spohn, her parents, Dave and Sandra Cotta, her daughters, Jacki Almeida and Jennifer Hite, and her grandchildren, Ryan, Alex, and Hayley. She will also be missed by her sisters, Judi Flynn (Tom), Nancy Cotta, and Deb Natale, and her nieces and nephews, Michael Flynn (Meghan), Josh Flynn, Ashley Grant, Domenic Natale, Becca Natale, Sam Jawharjian, Jalen Grant, Noah Flynn, and Zayden Grant.
Karen began her career with Citizens Bank in July 1988. Over the years, she held a variety of roles and, after numerous promotions, retired in 2022 as a Market Operations Director, VP. She was a highly respected colleague and a successful manager, leader, coach, and mentor. Karen had a remarkable ability to bring out the best in others, helping them thrive in their roles. Her dedication and commitment were truly admirable.
She spent her personal life embracing joy and adventure. From sharing “nightmares and memories” with her grandchildren to singing her heart out at concerts with her daughters, she lived for connection and fun. She cherished trips to the Keys with her husband and loved girls’ getaways with her sisters. She jet-setted with her parents and her “adopted” brother and his wife, line-danced the nights away with friends, and never missed a chance to stir up a little trouble with her lifelong bestie.
Karen will be remembered for her kindness, sense of humor, work ethic, and a constant source of strength and unwavering love for everyone she encountered. She never met a stranger.
A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at 10:00 AM at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Portsmouth. A Celebration of Karen’s life will follow immediately after Mass at Johnny’s at the Wyndham Newport Hotel, 240 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown, RI. All are welcome to attend.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Glioblastoma Foundation https://glioblastomafoundation.org/, Three Angels Fund https://threeangelsfund.org/ ,or Visiting Nurse Home & Hospice of Middletown, RI https://visitingnursehh.org/.
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