Shirley Karasik, 89, passed away Wednesday in Scranton, Pa. She was born Sept. 1, 1918, in Poland and came to the United States via Ellis Island as a child.

Shirely graduated from Hunter College in 1940 with a BA in biology. World War II and a lack of funds prevented her from going to medical school, so she switched her focus to medical technology. She worked at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md., where she specialized in hematology. Her later work in the field included co-authoring an article that was published in domestic and foreign medical journals, which in turn resulted in her being listed in Who's Who in Medicine of 1969 and becoming a Life Member of the Organization of International Blood Banks.

In 1974, Shirley moved to Lake Havasu City from New York City and immediately took a position at Lake Havasu Hospital. She worked in the blood bank and the laboratory until her retirement and then continued her service as head of the hospital volunteers. She moved back east in 2004 to be closer to her family.

Shirley is survived by her sons Joel Karasik, of Fort Lee, N.J. and Gary Karasik, of Glen Spey, N.Y.; a nephew, Mark Ross, of West Chester, Pa.; four grandchildren, Adam, Julie, Erin and Matthew; and great-nephews, Kevin and Ken Ross. She was preceded in death by her husband, Philip Karasik and her mother, Fannie Kosh, both former residents of Lake Havasu City, and by her beloved father, Benjamin Kosh, of New York City.

Condolences and personal remembrances can be made to the family by email at joel@archimedes.com. 

Memorial donations can be made to Compassion and Choices by visiting  http://www.compassionandchoices.org/donate/, or Hospice Education Institute by visiting http://www.hospiceworld.org/"> http://www.hospiceworld.org/ or the charity of your choice.