Worcester – Harriet (Karman) Blais, 79, of Worcester, passed away on Sunday, August 9, 2026 in UMass Memorial Medical Center – University Campus.
Harriet is survived by her loving husband of 58, years Victor A. Blais; her son, Jonathan Blais and his wife, Rachel of Worcester; a brother, Sidney Karman and his wife, Barbara of Shrewsbury; her four grandchildren and one great grandchild of whom she cherished, Benjamin, Brandon, Brittany, Brianna and Isabella; a niece, Susan Taylor and a cousin, Linda Balawender.
Mrs. Blais started her work career with the telephone company working as a switchboard operator and then transitioned to being a stay at home mom. A role which she thoroughly enjoyed and took great pride in. Later in life she worked part time at the Willows of Westborough.
Harriet was born in Clinton, daughter of the late Phillip and Gertrude Karman. She was a caring woman who loved to cook, especially when it was for her family.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 15 in Alfred Roy & Sons – Henry Funeral Service Memorial Chapel 33 Ward St. Worcester with visitation from 9 to 10 MA and a prayer service at 10 AM. Burial will follow in Worcester County Memorial Park.
Marchand Memorial Homes is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements. To share a memory of Harriet or to sign her online guestbook please visit www.MarchandMemorialHomes.com
"A PERSONALIZED REMEMBRANCE FROM HER SON"
Before she was a grandmother, a great-grandmother, a friend, a neighbor, and a wife, she was my mom.
She was the steady presence that anchored my life. No matter where life took me or how uncertain the path became, I always knew there was one place where I belonged. She was my constant.
The man I am today is, in so many ways, a reflection of her. She taught me responsibility—not just by telling me what was right, but by living it every day.
She believed that your word mattered, that hard work mattered, and that the choices you made defined your character.
She taught me that life was never about material things, but about the love you gave, the people you cared for, and the memories you created. Those lessons became the foundation on which I built my life.
She was never harsh. She was gentle, patient, and incredibly kind, yet she quietly expected the best from the people she loved.
She didn’t need to raise her voice or demand respect—she earned it through the way she lived.
She taught by example, showing me that integrity, compassion, responsibility, and the strength to be firm when it mattered were the marks of a good life.
Looking back, I realize those quiet lessons shaped me far more than any lecture ever could.
More than anything, she taught me about life and how to truly live it.
She showed me that life is about showing up for the people you love, carrying yourself with dignity, finding strength when things are difficult, and appreciating the ordinary moments that become the memories we treasure most.
She didn’t just tell me how to live—she showed me every single day through the love she gave, the sacrifices she made, and the example she set.
For all of her life, she endured a struggle with mental illness and emotional pain that brought challenges, hardship, and suffering that lasted far too long.
It was a weight she carried quietly, often while still being the mother, wife, and person everyone depended on.
There were many moments when she was fighting battles inside that few people ever knew about, yet she continued to show love, kindness, and strength to the people around her.
She carried that pain for many years, but she never allowed it to take away the love she had for her family or the compassion she showed to others.
Even during the hardest times, she continued to be there for the people she loved and to give more of herself than most people ever realized.
Her strength was not found in the fact that she never struggled.
Her strength was found in the fact that she kept going despite everything she had to endure.
Alongside those struggles, she also endured years of physical pain, countless challenges, and many difficult moments in and out of hospitals.
There were days when life asked more of her than anyone should have to give, yet she never allowed her suffering to define her.
She kept going.
She had a stubbornness about her, but it was a stubbornness born from love.
That determination is what helped extend her life far beyond what many would have expected.
Even when continuing meant more pain, more treatments, and more difficult days, she kept fighting—not only for herself, but for the people she loved.
She wanted more time with her husband, more moments together, and more opportunities to simply be by his side and keep him company.
She continued because love mattered more to her than the hardship she endured.
She fought through those hardest moments because she wanted to be there to watch me grow, to see the person I would become, and to give me the love and guidance only a mother can provide.
I know there were times when it was incredibly difficult for her, times when simply continuing forward took more strength than anyone could understand.
But she did it anyway.
Her courage was not measured by the absence of hardship, but by the way she faced it.
The greatest gift she gave me was not only the years we shared, but the example she set of perseverance, love, and putting someone else before herself.
Behind her journey was the dedication and commitment of her husband, my dad.
His way of caring for her was shaped by responsibility, discipline, and the belief that she needed someone strong beside her.
At times, that meant making difficult demands and having to be firm with her, especially when her illness made it hard for her to see what was safest for herself.
It was not always easy, and it was not always gentle, but it came from wanting to protect her and keep her safe.
At 80 years old, he continued to stand by her side through every challenge, taking her to her treatments twice a week and making sure she received the care she needed.
He carried a responsibility that was not easy, remaining committed to the daily routines of her care, the countless appointments, and the many difficult moments along the way.
His strength, persistence, and sense of duty greatly extended her life and gave her more time with the people she loved.
Their journey together was not perfect, because no life shared between two people ever is.
But it was built on commitment, endurance, and the promise to be there through the difficult times as well as the good ones.
Even as sick as she was, she never stopped being a mother.
She continued to cook for us, even when her body was telling her that she couldn’t.
She was stubborn in the most loving way—she wanted to take care of us, to provide for us, and to give us something made with her own hands.
It wasn’t about the food itself; it was about the love behind it.
Cooking was one of the ways she showed us that no matter how much she was struggling, her family always came first.
She was also an extraordinary grandmother.
Her grandchildren knew without question that they were deeply loved.
Although illness kept her from attending many of their games, school events, and special occasions, she celebrated every accomplishment from home with genuine pride and joy.
She never stopped asking about what they were doing, encouraging them, and sharing in their happiness.
Being their grandmother wasn’t just a role she held—it was one of her greatest joys, and they will carry her love with them for the rest of their lives.
She was recently blessed with the joy of becoming a great-grandmother to a beautiful baby girl.
Even though distance meant she was not able to meet her great-granddaughter in person, that never stopped the love she felt for her.
While lying in a hospital bed and enduring so much pain, she continued to talk about wanting to meet her great-granddaughter.
She asked about her and held onto that hope even during some of her hardest moments, showing how deeply she valued family and how much love she still had to give.
She had a special love for dogs that brought her so much happiness throughout her life.
The dogs she had were not just pets to her—they were family.
They brought comfort, companionship, and so many moments of joy.
Later in life, she was also blessed to know and love the dogs that became part of her grandchildren’s lives.
Watching her with them was something special.
Her eyes would light up the moment she saw them, and you could see the happiness and love they brought to her heart.
Those simple moments with them gave her so much joy and were a beautiful reminder of the warmth and love she carried inside her.
She was also blessed to welcome my wife into her life.
She was so happy and proud that I had found someone with whom I could share my life, my dreams, and the journey ahead.
It brought her great joy knowing that I had someone by my side who loved me and who she could also share her love with.
During one of the most difficult times, when she briefly returned home from rehabilitation, my wife gave her one of her last haircuts.
It may have seemed like a small gesture to some, but it was something deeply meaningful.
My wife gave her more than just a haircut—she gave her comfort, care, and dignity at a time when she needed it most.
She helped my mother feel beautiful, cared for, and honored, just as every mother deserves to feel.
That moment will always stay with me because it showed the kind of love and compassion that my mother valued throughout her life.
It was a beautiful reflection of the family she created and the love that surrounded her until the very end.
One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was carry out her final wishes.
As her son, my heart wanted to keep fighting, to find one more answer, one more treatment, one more way to make things better.
I made every effort to get her the care she deserved. I pushed for every opportunity, made every call, and took one final step forward because I wanted so badly to save her.
Even when a part of me knew how difficult the road had become, I still had to try.
I had to try for her.
She once told me, “Don’t give up on me.”
Those words stayed with me.
And I want everyone to know that I never did.
I fought for her until the very end.
But there came a moment when loving her meant something different. It meant honoring what she wanted, protecting her from more suffering, and allowing her the peace and dignity she deserved.
That was one of the most painful things I have ever carried, but it was also one of the greatest acts of love I could give my mother.
She spent her life caring for me, protecting me, and teaching me how to face difficult moments with strength.
In the end, I was able to give that same love back to her.
Mom, I hope you know I tried.
I truly tried.
Every decision came from love, and every step was taken because you were my mother and because you mattered more than anything.
If there is kindness in me, determination in me, or the ability to stand back up after life knocks me down, it is because she first planted those qualities within me.
Everything good I have accomplished began with the foundation she gave me.
My greatest blessing was not simply that she was my mother, but that I had the privilege of learning from her for as long as I did.
She was my teacher, my example, my anchor, and my home.
Though she is no longer here for me to hug or hear her voice, her lessons remain with me every day.
They live in the decisions I make, the values I hold, and the person I continue to become.
Her greatest legacy is not only the life she lived, but the lives she shaped—none more deeply than mine.
Everything I am today began with her.
Her kindness, her patience, her unwavering love, and the values she quietly instilled in me will remain with me for the rest of my life.
While I will miss her deeply, I find comfort in knowing that her legacy lives on through me, her only son, and through the grandchildren and great-granddaughter she loved so dearly.
She will continue to live on in the values she instilled, the love she gave so freely, and in everyone fortunate enough to have known and loved her.
I will miss you every day, Mom.
Thank you for giving me life, for teaching me how to live it, and for loving me through every moment of yours.
Everything I am began with you.