She had her own club, the Karen Club. And she was the enormously popular president, secretary, treasurer and committee.

Karen Merrick formed her unofficial association of Karen's because of all the Karen's that would come into the Tauranga City Council parking buildings when she was on duty as an attendant.

Karen Merrick, second from the left in the back row, with the friends she worked with.

Now she is gone. The 47-year-old lost her battle with breast cancer on Saturday.

One carpark colleague says Karen knew everyone's name and knew everything about them because customers would stop and talk to her. Especially the Karen's and hence the club.

'She was the one who embraced the human side of her work. She loved people and they loved her back.”

Another colleague, Aimee Williams, says parkers were always concerned if she wasn't working. 'Karen was always bubbly. She would ask people about their day despite what she was enduring.”

Aimee has two members of her family living with cancer.

'And all the time Karen was my support person, giving me advice. She was lovely.”

Back in October 14 she was on SunLive when she received a letter from BreastScreen Aotearoa advising her she was eligible for a free mammogram as part of the national breast screening programme.

She believed her life had been spared when the procedure revealed a 3.5cm tumour in her right breast.

The then 45-year-old Tauranga woman underwent surgery and chemotherapy.

A passionate dog owner, Karen said her dog Wesley had been her day to day support during her battle.

Just recently the attendants at the council carpark had a lunch for Karen.

'Thank God for the time we had,” says Lynn. 'A week after we had been hanging out she left us. She was a beautiful person.”

You might not have known Karen Merrick but you would remember the larger than life character that greeted you at the city carpark.

A service for Karen will be held at Olive Tree Cottage, Pyes Pa, at 1pm on Wednesday.