Obituary of Kari Ann Cosentino

Kari Ann Cosentino of Tucson, age 43, lost her 4th and final battle with cancer on June 12, 2018 surrounded by her family and friends. 

Kari is survived by her husband, Cosimo Cosentino, two sons, Nickolas and Michael and one daughter, Julia.  In addition to her husband and children, she is survived by her father, Richard Zimmer of New York; mother Patricia (Keller) Huffman (Wayne) of West Virginia; brother Scott Zimmer (Kim); grandmother Marion Keller of New York; many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and an incredible number of close friends.

Kari was born on March 24, 1975 in Niagara Falls, NY.  She attended Niagara Wheatfield High School.  Her high school activities included soccer, softball and playing flute in the school band.  Continuing her education was so important to Kari.  She completed two Associates Degrees, Liberal Arts and Physical Therapy Assistant Program at Niagara County Community College.  Just recently returning back to school, Kari was just two classes away from completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Business Administration.  Her employment included working as a PTA at Foothills Rehabilitation Center and Kindred Healthcare, continuing the last three years as the Director of Physical Therapist Assistant Clinical Education at the Pima Medical Institute. 

Besides spending time with her family and friends, Kari loved watching sports, traveling, and scrapbooking.  She was a member of an amazing group of ladies, The Pantano Christian Church Scrapbook Chicks.  She spent many days and nights with them, reliving memories by creating beautiful artistic scrapbooks not only for herself, her family, and her friends, but also for various charities to which she donated her time.

Kari was a diehard football fan.  Her close friends knew you did not DARE call Kari while either the Buffalo Bills or the West Virginia Mountaineers were playing.  Hockey was her second favorite sport to watch always rooting for her team, the Buffalo Sabres.

Experiencing different places and various activities with her family was a passion of Kari’s.  Family vacations included Alaska, Hawaii and her favorite, the most magical place on earth, Disney World.  Just two months ago, she vacationed in Cabo San Lucas to celebrate her 20 year anniversary.

As evidenced by surviving cancer THREE TIMES, Kari was an amazingly strong and extremely determined woman.  When she made up her mind to do something, whatever it took, she MADE it happen.  She was a fiercely loyal friend with a huge heart that was never afraid to reach out to those in need.  Kari left us all with so many life lessons to carry on and live by.  The most important of those lessons being to live every moment to the fullest and always take the time to stop and smell the flowers!

A viewing will be held at Brings Broadway Chapel Monday, June 18, 2018 from 4:00 to 9:00 pm, 6910 E. Broadway BL, Tucson, AZ.