Karen Jeanne Tinnerholm

Karen Jeanne Tinnerholm, 71, of Bluffton, South Carolina passed away on July 11, 2026 after a long battle with cancer. Karen was pre-deceased by parents Carl and Barbara (Sherburne) and brothers Skip (Carl F. Jr.) and Eric Tinnerholm. Karen was born on September 14, 1954 in Rockville Centre, New York. Her childhood was spent in South Huntington and Halesite on the north shore of Long Island. She was a 1972 graduate of Huntington High School. She will be missed by her extended family cousins and friends.

Following high school, Karen attended the University of New Hampshire and graduated in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Social Work. Being a member of Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity at the University gave her lifelong friends. She returned to the University of New Hampshire to earn a Master of Business Administration degree in 1985 during a four-decade finance career. Karen retired from the Beaufort County School District at Hilton Head Island Elementary School for the Creative Arts as their Bookkeeper in 2015.

A long-term member of The Church of the Cross, Karen served in many ministries and was a member of the Esther Chapter of the daughters of the Holy Cross. Before and after her retirement Karen was a volunteer at Gods Goods Thrift Store. After retiring she enjoyed walking the Nature Trail in Sun City, reading, volunteering, helping others and playing cards with friends. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to The Food Bank, c/o The Church of The Cross, P.O. Box 278, Bluffton, SC 29910.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled outdoors at The Chapel memorial garden at the Cross Schools Campus of The Church of the Cross at a later date.