Karen Elizabeth Strickland Szabo, 59, of Lexington Park, MD, passed away suddenly on December 31, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones. She was born in Leonardtown, Maryland, on September 29, 1966, to Myers and Dee Strickland.
Karen grew up on Strickland Road in Great Mills with her two younger sisters, and within walking distance of her beloved Grandma Helen, three sets of aunts and uncles, and 11 cousins. Her childhood was filled with days playing in the woods, going to the Elks Pool, and attending Lexington Park United Methodist Church. She also played field hockey and was very involved in the Great Mills High School Class of 1984, recently enjoying time with classmates at their 40th reunion.
She married her husband, Andrew Szabo, on December 24, 1999, and began their grand adventure together. They bonded over their love of hiking and travel, taking vacations to Hawaii, Glacier National Park, the Adirondacks, Deep Creek Lake, and Asheville, as well as regular trips to Shenandoah National Park.
Facebook asks “Worked at ….” and Karen’s response is “The question is where haven’t I worked.” Karen’s colleagues at Two Rivers Framing, Ultimate Therapy, and in her many classrooms as a substitute (especially the pre-K and elementary level) would tell you that Karen was the one who jumped right in whenever you needed her and could be relied on to help wherever was needed.
The biggest constant in Karen’s life other than family was the Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue Squad. She began volunteering there in the mid-1980s, eventually serving as an EMT, as well as many other positions within the squad including supply officer and on the bylaws committee. She forged many lifelong friendships with the people she ran duty with.
At her core, Karen still considered herself “Karen from the Hill Place,” enjoying Mom Nature with her “four-legged babes,” especially her daily long walks with her pride and joy, Brodhi. She also enjoyed gardening, quilting, and doing jigsaw puzzles.
She is survived by her husband, Andrew, her “four-legged babes” Brodhi (golden lab mix), Kula (calico), and Blackie (feral black cat); her sisters Laurie (Steve) Clark of Falls Church, VA, and Charlotte (Gary) Utter of Stewartstown, PA, sister-in-law Helene (David) Gummere of La Plata, MD, and brother-in-law Denes (Jennifer) Szabo of Virginia Beach, VA; her nieces and nephews — Austin and Aidan Clark, Ansley and Paige Utter, Ben (Brittany) and Madalyn Gummere, and Bela, James, and Wieland Szabo; and her great-niece Eleanor Gummere. She was preceded in death by her parents, Myers and Dee Strickland.
In lieu of flowers, donations can made to the Glacier National Park Conservancy, P.O. Box 2749, Columbia Falls, MT 59912, or Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue Squad, 21685 FDR Blvd, Lexington Park, MD 20653.
Please join us at Bay District VFD’s Braddock Hall on Friday, January 9th at noon to celebrate Karen’s life with stories, photos, and a reception.
