karen was born in san francisco, california to james r mccoy and eta jean porter. she attended thomas moore school and immaculate conception high school where she was class president and received associate of arts in physical education general education from san francisco city college and bachelor in art leisure studies in 1994 and master of science from san francisco state in college career counseling in 2003. she retire friday parks and rec in 2012 after 31 years of service. she was predeceased by per -- by her mother and leaves her brothers dudley and michael mccoy and step sister cheryl turner and family and to her cousins, friends brenda moore, and other friends and jordan and jackson mccoy and her family and friends. her first job was an aquatics cashier with the rec and parks department and following her passion to change lives she developed a project for drug and tobacco awareness for teenage girls and assisted with a program that worked with the most challenging young adults in the bay area. a person with many talents she started her own catering company,