Obituary of Krista Maria Bebezas

Krista Maria Bebezas, a loving mother of two daughters, licensed mental health counselor and art therapist, passed away from injuries sustained in a snowmobile accident on Saturday, February 24, 2024.  She was 48 years old.  Krista was born in Winchester, MA.  She was the daughter of Rosemarie (Sapienza) Gaffny and the late Dimitris Bebezas.

Krista grew up in Burlington, MA.  From a very early age she was a superior artist and creative thinker with a happy heart and an unparalleled kindness for others. She and her two brothers, Greg and Alexi, grew up together playing soccer, enjoying the beach, having art competitions that she always won, and shared a childhood bond that grew even stronger into adulthood, sometimes designing various logos for them.  Her beautiful smile, contagious laugh and vibrant personality fueled her zest for life that everyone who knew her will never forget.  Krista had countless circles of dear friends from high school, college, work and neighbors, who shared her passions and gravitated to her energy of life. 

She was a 1994 graduate of Burlington High School, where she was on the swim team.  She was extremely studious and had a strong curiosity for learning that challenged and expanded her boundaries of knowledge. As a result, Krista received numerous awards for her artwork during her years of schooling.  She went onto receive her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Computer Arts Major from the University of Massachusetts Amherst graduating Cum Laude, studied at Clark University, and earned a Master of Professional Studies in Art Therapy from the School of Visual Arts in NYC where she worked at Bellevue Hospital.

Krista was ahead of her time in the arts industry as she introduced art therapy to communities wherever she resided. Her ambition was to be a small business owner to share her talents in a way that could help others, so she established KB Studios in Malden, MA in 2010 as a place for all ages to explore creativity, community and connections through the arts.

She then worked as an art therapist for almost 9 years at The Arc of Opportunity in North Central Massachusetts where she worked with adults with disabilities. She produced brilliant public exhibits with her clients, including a large-scale triptych mosaic for the Fitchburg Public Library, a mosaic on Mill Street, Fitchburg, a mosaic at the Hartley House in New York City, and a River Walk in Malden. Before and during that time she also spent 23 years at Procter & Gamble with various graphic design roles.

She currently had a private practice as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Art Therapist with clients ranging from 5 to 85 years old.

Krista was a genie in a bottle that danced into life whenever she entered a room. She painted the sky in colorful swaths as she evolved into a devoted mom for her daughters Ava and Alanna.  They did art together, nature walks, bicycling, went to the beach, took vacations, and constantly did anything that involved being together with family and friends.  She was always present for her children’s cheerleading, basketball and dance competitions.  She saw the universe in a way few others can see without her guidance.  She was a bright and shooting star that lifted the lives of all she touched.

Krista was the loving daughter of Rosemarie Gaffny & her husband Edward of Salem, NH, and the late Dimitris Bebezas & his surviving wife Vera of Woburn.  She was the caring sister and sister-in-law of Greg Bebezas & his wife Corrie of Hamilton, Alexi Bebezas & his wife Lucinda of Burlington, and Sophia Bebezas of Woburn.  She was the step sister of Erin Balogh and Eddie Gaffny.  She was the “fun” aunt of Jake, Sam, Aubrey and Aurelia Bebezas.  She was the beloved mother of Ava and Alanna and their father Damon Keaveny of Westford.  Krista was also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.  We love you Tita to infinity and beyond. Accept-Relax-Create!

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn Street, Burlington on Sunday, March 3 from 2-5 p.m.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Holy Rosary Shrine, 28 Union Street, Lawrence on Monday March 4 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Bebezas Family Fund at GoFundMe:
https://gofund.me/40471202  For online guestbook and video tribute see: www.sullivanfuneralhome.net