Kari Burshiem

Kari Burshiem, age 58, passed away peacefully in her home in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Born on November 19, 1966, in Miami, Florida, Kari brought creativity, curiosity, and fierce independence into every chapter of her life.

Kari is survived by her beloved partner, Anne Prevatte, and their dog, Raleigh;  sister, Kimberly (Gus); Aunt Leslie (Tom); Aunt Donnarae (Barry); as well as her cherished nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Kari was good at everything she chose to pursue. She was smart, talented, artistic, passionate, and athletic. She led an interesting life entwining her work with her eclectic hobbies, interests, and passions.

She found her first sense of belonging on the soccer field. Soccer was more than a game; it was a lifeline. Throughout high school, soccer fueled her passion and taught her motivation, discipline, purpose, and belonging. Between the goalposts, she gave her all, expressed every emotion to its fullest, fought for her place, and found a tribe of friends. As the years went by, her love of soccer evolved from playing to coaching, spectating, cheering, and finally teaching her dog Raleigh how to kick and defend the goal. 

She started her higher education at the University of North Dakota. She then studied Architecture and Design at the University of Miami. Later, she transferred to UNC Asheville to become an immersed student of philosophy. 

Throughout her life, Kari used her design background, philosophical training, and artistic flair to become a talented carpenter and craftsman. Although she could fix or build just about anything, her real talent was her vision. She didn’t just build and renovate homes—she blended color, natural elements, trends, and timeless concepts to create one-of-a-kind, interesting pieces and spaces.

Her love of a challenge had her climbing and topping trees; crawling through dark, damp crawl spaces with all the critters that gather there; driving tractors up steep terrain; and working on roofs with plunging drops. She had many scars and mended bones to prove her fearless spirit. She worked on her own terms and was always blending adventure, fun, foraging, work, art, friends, and music.

She missed her calling as a DJ. She was always a music lover, so every job site, event, and holiday memory is entwined with a timely soundtrack. Although she listened to popular music, she would dive deep into little-known artists and bands. She was diverse in what moved her and floated through genres like a feather caught in the wind.

Although born in the city, she was a natural mountain girl. She often lost track of time as she wandered through the woods. She loved exploring, finding hiking trails, waterfalls, and swimming holes that were only known to locals. She quickly became a skilled forager and had the natural instinct for hunting ginseng, wild mushrooms, and berries. 

After she left college, her hunger for learning persisted. She craved intellectual stimulation, deep thought, interesting conversations, and debates. She continued to read challenging books filled with obscure vocabulary and evocative themes. She enjoyed reading and writing poetry and short stories and encouraged others to do the same. She started a neighborhood book club and often had a pencil and crossword within reach.

She thoroughly enjoyed talking to elders, especially Peggy, Anne’s mom. They often spent hours together and could be found quizzing each other on state capitals, discussing new and old books, yelling about politics, telling secrets, and laughing. 

Kari was authentic, knew what she wanted, asked for it, and then relentlessly pursued it. She evaded rules and was not fond of titles or labels. She treated everyone equally, regardless of race, gender, age, career, or housing status.

Kari’s life was redirected multiple times by injustice, injuries, and tragedy. Yet, she was also incredibly blessed with a long-lasting love, friends, family, talent, and many great animal companions. She lived life to the fullest, questioned everything, said what she wanted, bent rules, drank incredible wines, ate delicious foods, and experienced the highs and lows of being human.

Those who loved her did so unconditionally. They will miss her deeply. Kari will live on in the homes she renovated, the lives she touched, the people she apprenticed, the music she shared, the art she created, and the people she loved.

If you would like to honor Kari and her love of animals, please consider a donation to 

Animal Haven of Asheville, a sanctuary for lost and abandoned farm animals, dogs and cats

https://animalhavenofasheville.org/donate/

A Celebration of Kari’s Life will be held in the Fall. Details to follow. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Kari Burshiem, please visit our floral store.