Kirstin passed away suddenly at home in her sleep on October 28th. She was a mother, sister, daughter, and friend who touched many lives with her boundless kindness and compassion.   She loved her children more than anything, and instilled in them her love of reading, travel, Harry Potter, and all things magic.  She has passed beyond the veil and will be deeply missed by all who knew her and whose lives were touched in some way by her compassion, spirt, humor, and love.

Her family has chosen two organizations that were dear to her heart, Planned Parenthood and the Harry Potter Alliance, as charities where we believe Kirstin would have liked her friends and family to donate in her memory.  

Anyone who knew Kirstin knew how much the Harry Potter fandom meant to her.  Kirstin and her family attended every Wrockstock and was honored to be a member of the staff.  She hosted wrock concerts in her home and found places for artists to play around Madison.  She also hosted Harry Potter events at her local library and attended many HP conferences, wrock events, and wizard gatherings.  She was proud to raise her children in a community that was so grounded in love, acceptance, tolerance, compassion, and an appreciation of reading.  

She was a huge supporter of the Harry Potter Alliance and donated to every major fundraiser that they had over the last several years.  Their dedication to equality, promoting political action, and spreading books and fostering a love of reading in communities around the world were ideals and actions that she strongly believed in and supported.

Kirstin was also a strong advocate of women's health issues her whole life and a longtime supporter of Planned Parenthood.  It is an organization that she cared about deeply and she was excited when she got a job as a nurse at Planned Parenthood in Madison earlier this year.  She once told me that her dream job was to replace Madam Pomfrey as Hogwarts nurse, but since that wasn't available working at Planned Parenthood was a close second.  For those who wish to donate to Planned Parenthood in her name please go to this page.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kirstintcarlson

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light" - Albus Dumbledore