Carol Kirken
Carol Kirken, 75, of Rochester Hills, was killed earlier this month by a hippo during an African safari in Tanzania, Fox 2 reports.
The family is working to get her body returned to the states. In the meantime, a memorial service is planned for Sunday, Aug. 20, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Potere-Modetz Funeral Home, 339 Walnut Blvd., Rochester.
On Aug. 5, Kirken posted about her safari on Facebook. That same day, she was attacked by a hippo. She died in her son's arms, friends and family tell Taryn Asher of Fox 2.
An obituary on the funeral home website said:
She was on her annual holiday with family members for an African safari. Having past 75 years old, she was resolutely shooting for 100. She would have surely achieved it if not for this accident. Carol died quickly in the arms of her son Robert. We are shocked and saddened at her early departure from our lives.
Kirken developed developed a successful entrepreneurial business with Arbonne International, a worldwide company that makes nutritional and skin care products, the obituary said.
She was active in the community. She was one of the founding members of the Rochester Area Women’s Fund, which supports women's initiatives, and she did volunteer work for the North Oakland YMCA Supporting Military Families.
Just shock," Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett tells Fox 2. "There are few people in the community that you think of that are absolute treasures and Carol is one of those in our community."
Barnett often worked with Kirken, who he described, was the fabric of their community. Kirken was widely known and respected as one of the founding members of the Rochester Area Women’s Fund, which supports women's initiatives. She also volunteered her time with the North Oakland YMCA Supporting Military Families.
