Grateful & Blessed: Honoring Karen Waterman

🌸 Grateful & Blessed: Honoring Our Wellness Warrior, Karen Waterman

At Custom4Me2, we believe wellness is more than movement—it’s a way of living, giving, and growing. And every so often, someone walks into our lives who embodies that truth so fully, it changes the way we show up for ourselves and each other.

Karen Waterman is one of those people.

Karen Waterman

She’s a consistent presence in our classes, a gentle teacher among peers, and a radiant example of what it means to live with grace, resilience, and gratitude. Her kindness is magnetic. Her generosity is unmatched. And her spirit? It’s the kind that lifts a room.

Karen’s journey is one of strength and surrender, of faith and movement, of showing up even when life gets hard—and doing it with a smile that says, “I’m grateful and blessed.”

💬 In Her Own Words

Karen retired in 2021 after 38 years in education. She’s a proud mother of two sons, five bonus children, and a growing legacy of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was married to Mel Waterman for 41 years before his passing in 2019—a love story that continues to shape her heart.

Her wellness journey began in 2002 with Pilates, and continued through walking videos, biking, and eventually a health scare that revealed just how strong she’d become. “The doctor told me she could tell I’d been exercising,” Karen shared. “My heart rate returned to normal so quickly, the technician had trouble getting results!”

Karen lives with three autoimmune diseases, and she’s honest about the challenges they bring. But she’s also clear: movement helps her manage anxiety, and faith helps her stay grounded.

“I’m blessed to be part of a wonderful church family, exercise groups, and a community with a great recreation department,” she says. “One of the greatest blessings for me was having Debbie Anderson from Custom4Me2 become a part of my life. She’s taught me aquacise, yoga, chair yoga, strength training—and even given me massages. She understands autoimmune health challenges. What a blessing!”

Karen’s daily habits reflect her spirit: reading her Bible and devotions, practicing breathing and finger exercises, and helping others with a heart wide open. When asked how she’s doing, she replies, “Grateful and Blessed”—a phrase that’s become her signature and a gentle reminder to all of us.

💖 A Legacy of Light

Karen’s story reminds us that self-care isn’t selfish—it’s sacred. “I’ve learned that if I don’t take care of myself, I can’t care for others,” she says. “Getting a massage isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity!”

She’s a living example of what it means to nurture your body, honor your faith, and serve your community with love. She teaches us that wellness isn’t just about strength—it’s about softness, too. About showing up with grace, even when life gets heavy. About choosing gratitude, again and again.

Karen, thank you for being a light in our lives. You are truly Grateful and Blessed—and we are so grateful and blessed to know you.

Karen with her grandchildren.