Passages

South Steyne Surf Sista founding member Vale Karen Van Der Sluis passes away

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 16 June, 2009 : - - A wonderful, generous, intelligent, gorgeous woman and surfing gal-pal, Karen was a founding member of the South Steyne Surf Sistas (SSSS), an informal group of female surfers who lived in Manly and whom weather permitting, could be found most days laughing as we caught – and wiped out from - a few waves somewhere along Manly beach.

Karen lived across the road from me and we met while descending the stairs at south Manly one dawn, surfed together and from then saw each other in the water and out, several times a week. A keen surfer, Karen was devastated when diagnosed with breast cancer. Do to ongoing treatment she was unable to surf, so the SSSS decided that every time we went out surfing alone or together, we’d ‘catch a wave for Karen’.

Unfortunately, after her initial diagnosis she was rarely well enough to get back on her beloved surfboard, but was always keen to hear about the waves that the rest of the sistas had been riding.

Formerly of Hamilton New Zealand, Karen had a positive outlook, was a gifted teacher and was as much an inspiration on the waves as she was in the classroom. A loving mother to Josh and Sarah, who caught the surfing bug from her and her former husband Tony,

In the last few years, Karen met and married Martin, for whom she said made the sun come out again in her life. Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Karen's life was held at St Matthew's Anglican Church, The Corso, Manly, Sydney, Australia

Karen was a wonderful friend who was much loved by so many and she will be sadly missed wherever and whenever the sistas surf.  

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Alison Aprhys

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