Karen Drueding Rinaldi

Karen Rinaldi (nee Drueding), 71, of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania died peacefully at home on Sunday, May 7, 2023, with her two daughters at her side.

Born in Ardmore on August 15, 1951, the second of six children of Catherine “Kay” (Drennan) and Bernard J. Drueding Jr, Karen was raised in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Merion Mercy Academy ‘69 and Catholic University ‘73, then earned her MA in Computer Science from Villanova University ‘85.

Karen married shortly after college and through her former husband’s career in the Air Force, she cultivated her lifelong love for travel. After several moves around the country, they settled in Blue Bell where Karen was an unassuming role model for her daughters. While managing a career as a systems analyst at GE (later Lockheed), she insisted on nightly family dinners, being a constant presence at her girls’ endless after-school activities, and staying close with her large family through many holidays and celebrations.

Karen’s sources of joy in life were widely known among her family and friends - her lake house in the Poconos where she found respite and peace, world travel to anywhere with anyone, her beloved dogs Britches and Gabby, Jersey corn, and farm fresh tomato sandwiches in August. However, nothing brought her more joy than being "Honey" to her three delightfully unique grandchildren whom she spoiled with trips to amusement parks, Disney World, tours of Philadelphia, Broadway shows in New York City, shore trips, and the gifts that their hearts’ desired but their parents would never buy them.

Karen is survived by her daughters, Lauren Magrath and Kate Courtright and their husbands (who she cherished), Scott and Josh, her beloved grandchildren, Heidi and Scarlett Magrath and Jack Courtright; her 5 siblings, Bernard Drueding III (Pamela), Marianne Cornely (Paul), Edward Drueding (Patricia), Patricia Stokes (James) and Jane Ryan (Edward), her former husband, Thomas W. Rinaldi, and many nieces and nephews.  

Relatives and friends are invited to her Visitation 10:00-11:00 AM Friday, May 12, 2023 at Christ Church Ithan, 536 Conestoga Road, Villanova, PA 19085, followed by her Funeral Service at 11:00 AM. Interment Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, Karen requested that donations in her memory be made to the American Kidney Fund at kidneyfund.org. If you'd like to order flowers, Karen's only request was no lilies please.