Harriett Karp

Harriett Karp, 95, of Chatham died May 4, 2017. Born in New Haven, Conn., she lived in Newark, in Springfield for 52 years, and in Summit before moving to Chatham two years ago. 

She graduated from University of Connecticut in 1943 with a B.S. in zoology. She was a member of the Alpha Nu chapter of Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority. 

Mrs. Karp worked in the pathology department at Yale University’s School of Medicine. She was a technologist in the neuropathology department doing tissue research and preparing slides from 1942 to 1943. From February to September 1943 she worked at University of Connecticut in Storrs as a student tech in pathology. 

In 1944 she enlisted in the U.S. Navy and became a WAVE, first working at the St. Albans, Great Lakes Naval Base in charge of the pathology department until 1946. She received the Honorable Service Lapel Pin and the American Campaign and World War II Victory ribbons. 

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She returned to Yale Medical School to work on a research project and then went on to Harvard Medical School, where she worked as a research assistant for the Naval Atomic Energy Project and Harvard Cancer Commission, from 1946 to 1948. From 1949 to 1950 she worked at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. She returned to work for the Summit Medical Group, Summit, from 1971 until her retirement in 1985. 

She volunteered as a Girl Scout leader and served Temple Sha’arey Shalom of Springfield as a member of its religious school board and sisterhood. She also served as a member of the PTA executive board at Jonathan Dayton High School and served as president of the Springfield chapter of Jewish Women International for two years. She was also a member of the Springfield Garden Club. 

Predeceased by her husband of 64 years, U.S. Army Col. Martin Karp (ret.), and her son, Alan, she is survived by her daughter, Susan Kalison Karp (Jeffrey Hibbitt) of Mendham; a daughter-in-law, Dorie Karp; three grandchildren; and a great-grandson. 

Services were held May 8 with arrangements by Ross’ Shalom Chapels, Springfield.