Kristina Wilhelmson

Kristina Wilhelmson passed away surrounded by her family on January 9 2019, having concluded her fight with cancer.  Kristina began life on June 15, 1979 in Burlington, Vt and our feisty redhead set up housekeeping with her parents in Jericho, Vermont, followed by Florida and then to Virginia.  Kristina recognized early on that she was the type person that would not sit idly by and watch her fellow human beings suffer. When it came time to earn her college degree, she pursued Sociology, graduating Cum Laude from North Carolina State University. She dove headlong into social work, lending her strength and soul to those causes.  Kristina, with her seemingly endless spring of strength, gave hope to women in a  women's shelter, helped the homeless regain their dignity, disabled people find meaningful work and low-income families find housing, food and furniture .   It was in North Carolina where she developed a deep love of the ocean, and being close to the coast enabled many a memorable holiday and long weekends on the Outer Banks. 

Kristina was an independent woman with a wonderful sense of humor and creativity that inspired laughter and joy in those who knew her.  She enjoyed the growing of plants of every type, from potatoes to flowers, and pursued this passion during a stint with an Incubator Farmers Program with her budding farm called "Red's Farmstead". After that she headed to the North Country where she worked with Mountain Lakes Services in Port Henry, NY  serving as Director of their Western Region.

Returning to the North Country enabled her to  be close to her parents, living in the view of the Adirondacks, allowing her to enjoy the ADK country lifestyle her parents and grandparents  had embraced.  She enjoyed kayaking and hiking, and we are grateful for the many photos in which she made a silly face for posterity, reminding us all what was in her heart...joy.

Cancer arrived and Kristina showed the same optimism she showed for the countless people she helped in her lifetime, and a  determination to beat the diagnosis.  Even when the odds of survival decreased, the light never left her eyes or her heart, even  during the final round she still made jokes, laughed, and hugged with a strength that belied her declining health.  In the end,many were in awe of the courage  and determination she showed during her illness.

Kris is survived and will be forever honored by her mother Frances (McKown) Wilhelmson and father Eric Wilhelmson;  sister Erin Wilhelmson DuMont and husband Rob DuMont of Newburgh, Maine;  fiance Brandon King of Mineville, NY;  aunt Judy (Wilhelmson) Fecura of Cohoes;  aunt Esther McKown of Moriah, NY and uncles Peter Wilhelmson of Boise, Idaho, John McKown and wife Debbie of Cohoes, NY, and Tom and Phil McKown of Moriah, NY.

Kristina was loved, respected, and admired by many and we do not  expect that to diminish in her passing. Her parents are proud to have loved her first as a daughter then as a best friend.  No ocean view, no mountain sunrise, and no holiday will be the same without her.  We will miss you until we see you in that next place."

The family will hold a visitation Tuesday, January 15th from 5-6 pm with a prayer service to follow.  A memorial service will also be held in the spring. Arrangements are entrusted to the Harland Funeral Home in Port Henry, NY.

In place of flowers, her family asks that you please make a contribution in Kristina's memory to the Sherman Free Library's project to improve the entrance stairway and the construction of an accessibility ramp for all patrons. The address for the library is 20 Church St., Port Henry, NY 12974.