Karen Volpe Preston

She is survived by her husband, Paul Preston; and brothers: Robert and Donald Volpe (husband to Betty Jo Hardin).

Karen was born May 19, 1970, in Jamestown, N.Y., to Eleanore and Peter Volpe.

She graduated from Cassadaga Valley High School and from The State University of New York at Fredonia in 1993, with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in the field of musical theater. She met Paul at Fredonia and they were married in 1996. Together, they pursued careers in the arts that took them to Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Chicago and eight months aboard the Disney Cruise Line, after which they settled into Los Angeles for the last 19 years of her life.

She performed classic stage roles like Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors and Violet Newstead in 9 To 5 (opposite her husband as Franklin Hart). She also portrayed one of her idols, Gilda Radner, (also opposite Paul) in Bunny Bunny in 2005. Karen appeared on countless comedy shows on stage and online with The Movie Guys, Karen & Schmaren and The Boobe Sisters, headlining festivals and comedy clubs and appearing on The Gong Show and America’s Got Talent. She also hosted her own L.A area comedy show in 2019, The Karen Volpe Comedy and Music Hour.

Those are the facts. Now, here’s why Karen Volpe was awesome.

Karen had an infectious energy for life. The things she loved in this world, she LOVED with her whole, cynicism-free heart. She pursued acting and comedy relentlessly and encouraged others to do so. She was vulnerable, never second- guessed her authenticity and made you a better person in her presence, constantly reminding you through her genuine nature to go after your dreams, live life to the fullest and never stop loving. And she loved Bill Murray, Ghostbusters, Lyle Lovett and Gloria Estefan more than you ever will.

Services were held in North Hollywood, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 7 and Saturday, Jan. 18 at Zion Covenant Church, 520 Fairmount Ave., Jamestown.

#AlwaysBeProducing