Karen R. Daubert *98

Karen died Sept. 12, 2024, of cancer in St. Louis. She was 63.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in 1983 from Oklahoma City University and an M.A. in German from Duke in 1990.

After earning her Ph.D. in Germanic languages and literatures from Princeton in 1998, Karen took a part-time job as an executive assistant in Washington University’s Office of Public Affairs. She rose to the position of assistant vice chancellor in University Marketing and Communications. A colleague said of Karen, “Could an 18th-century poetry scholar do accounting? Yes — and more.”

Leading WashU’s trademark-licensing program, Karen made sure that every vendor — whether of water bottles in the Philippines or sweatshirts in China — provided their workers a living wage and adhered to strict environmental standards. She represented the university at the Fair Labor Association, serving on the board of directors for 15 years. She chaired the FLA’s manufacturing committee, university caucus and best-practices working group, and participated in factory inspections overseas.

As an independent scholar, Karen published essays on literary collaboration, including that between Robert Graves and Laura Riding, and on literary joint ventures in German culture.

Karen is survived by her husband, Bill Hubbard; her mother, Dorothea; and two sisters.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.