Karen M. Tarzia

Karen M. Tarzia, 78, of Watertown, passed away December 28, 2025, surrounded by her family at Hospice of Jefferson County at the Ellis Farm.

Karen was born March 19, 1947, in Cape Vincent, NY, daughter of Robert and Marjorie (Gault) Schneider. She graduated from Cape Vincent High School and received her associates of science  in Business Administration from Jefferson Community College.

On August 8, 1970, she married Joseph A. Tarzia, Sr. at St. Anthony’s Church.

Karen worked in the Watertown School system as a teacher’s assistant, at Watertown High School and H.T. Wiley School for the latter part of her career.

Karen was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Church. She absolutely loved raising her four boys (technically five if you include her husband- which she always did) and spending time with her grandchildren which brought her pure joy.  When they would come and visit their Grandma, her face would light up the way it did the first time she laid eyes on them.  She and her husband Joe loved vacationing and visiting family & friends all while they infamously were “still holding hands after all these years”, 55 to be exact. 

Surviving besides her husband are four sons, Joseph, Jr. (Deanna), Watertown, Robert (Renee), Massapequa, NY, Daniel (Heather), Watertown, and Richard, Watertown, six grandchildren, Joseph III, Julianna, Nicholas, Samantha, Evan, and Nolan, a twin sister, Kathleen Capone, Watertown, several nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be Sunday, January 4, 2026 at the D.L. Calarco Funeral Home, Inc. from 2pm-4pm. A funeral service will be held Monday at 1pm at the funeral home, followed by burial in Glenwood Cemetery. Contributions may be made to Hospice of Jefferson County, 1398 Gotham Street, Watertown, NY 13601.

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