Remembering Karen is the product of over 25 years of memories and research. I’ve drawn much of the material from my memories of December 21, 1988, from contemporary newspaper clippings, and the many journal entries I made in the weeks, months, and years following the tragedy. As noted before, the roots of this project stretch back to the moment I learned of the bombing on a chilly afternoon in 1988.
What follows is a list the sources used throughout the site, but I’d like to acknowledge several sources and individuals, without whom this project wouldn’t exist.
Tom Foster and Matthew Cox’s folio, “The Darkest Day: The Bombing of Pan Am 103,” and their subsequent book, Their Darkest Day: The Tragedy of Pan Am 103 and Its Legacy of Hope. The former appeared in the Syracuse Post Standard on April 7, 1989—less than 4 months after the disaster. The book, which expands greatly on the folio, was published in 1992. Though obviously limited with respect to the investigation and subsequent trial, both works provide a wealth of information about many of the victims, their families, and the subsequent founding of Victims of Pan Am 103. For those looking at the human aspect of the tragedy, these works are excellent starting points.
The Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University is an invaluable tool for researchers seeking information on virtually any aspect of the bombing, the victims and families, and the legacy of those lost on the flight. The archives has a considerable digital presence as Cara Howe, the Assistant Archivist, continues to create encoded archival descriptions (EADs) and finding aids for researchers. Most of the images on this site first appeared on the Archives’ website.
The Archives also contains extensive physical collections of artifacts, letters, newspaper, publications, videos, and other materials that allow a researcher to access not only primary source material, but many of the victims’ personal items as well. Nestled in the heart of Syracuse University, the archives is an essential source of material and inspiration.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to Robyn Hunt-Barry and Robert and Peggy Hunt for providing information and materials not only to the archives, but to me as well. Their willingness to share Karen’s story is a testimony to the unbreakable bond of love the family had, and continues to have, with a sister and daughter whose life ended far too soon.