Karen J. Mawhinney, 75, of Burlington, a life-long seeker of truth and justice, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021 at Aurora Burlington Memorial Hospital.
A beloved daughter, loving sister, caring aunt and cousin, cherished friend and esteemed colleague.
In 1968, Karen graduated from UW–Madison with a B.S. in journalism. From 1968-1979, Karen was employed at Milwaukee’s WTMJ-TV as reporter, editor, news producer and executive news producer. As such, she was a woman pioneer in the TV broadcast newsroom.
In 1982, Karen received her Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University College of Law in Florida. From 1982-1987 she was a labor case analyst and newsletter publisher at CCH in Labor Law Reports. From 1987-2008, Karen was employed at the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission as a mediator, arbitrator and hearing examiner.
Following her retirement from that agency, Karen entered private practice as a grievance and interest arbitration arbitrator, joining the WERC and FMCS rosters of ad hoc arbitrators. She brought maturity, common sense, business acumen, good-humor, plain speaking and a strong work ethic to her dispute resolution work. Throughout her career, she was highly regarded and widely respected, both by management and labor. Her extremely effective dispute resolution skills, the clarity and fairness of her decisions, and her exceptional understanding of human nature marked both her work and her life.
As she progressed from avid tennis player to avid spectator of pro tennis, Karen’s “Do Not Disturb” sign was firmly in place during the Grand Slam championship broadcasts. Her passion for tennis was eclipsed by her love for her many canine friends.
Karen had an extreme passion for dogs, especially Labrador retrievers. She always had a great looking dog with a good work ethic. She was a partner in Dale Creek Gundogs for 20 years where she strived to enhance those traits. She ran hunt tests and successfully titled several dogs. She trained side by side with Tom Waites.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lye T. and Jansina Mawhinney. She is survived by her sister, Jewel Reichert; brother, Douglas Mawhinney; niece, Quinn; nephews, Doug, Luke and Isaac; and two great nieces, Molly and Emma.
Private family services were held. Lazarczyk Family Funeral Homes – Betzer Chapel of Delavan is serving the family.
