Our beloved Karen passed away in her sleep on the night of February 9-10, 2019, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Karen was 75 years young. A dedicated Wife, Mother and Grandmother, Karen was a private person with a dislike of social media. I can hear her voice saying, “Jackson, don’t you dare post on Facebook or The Monroe Evening Times”. Well, my darling, I am going to disobey, but I will be brief.

Karen was born at the height of the Second World War on Independence Day, July 4th, 1943. She lived with Joy, Truth and Love, passing away on February 10, 2019, 39 days after receiving a diagnosis of Stage IV Lung Cancer on January 2nd. Born in Chicago, Karen spent her childhood in Monroe, graduating from Monroe High School in the Class of 1962. Karen married and had two children, Brian Carter and Kelli Carter. She divorced and subsequently spent 15 years as a single mother, raising her young children with love and fierce determination.

 Karen was a long time AT&T employee. In 1993, after Brian and Kelli left to forge their adult lives, Karen followed her heart westwards to Southern California, where she continued her AT&T career. On Lincoln’s Birthday, February 12, 1994, known afterwards as Jackaren Day, Karen’s AT&T coworker DJ, who was also the wife of my partner Paul, “arranged” for us to meet at her home. We fell in love. We were married in snowbound Lake Tahoe on November 26, 1994, living in Seal Beach and South Pasadena. Karen retired from AT&T in 1996, and returned to the rolling green hills of Green County in 2002, where we purchased a home opposite New Glarus Woods State Park. I joined Karen in retirement in 2005. While in New Glarus, Karen served as chairperson and lead the successful Class of ’62 reunions held in 2007 and 2012.

 In 2015 we left Wisconsin, moving to Santa Fe, the 7,000-foot-high Capitol City of New Mexico, where she Laughed, Loved and never forgot to eat Dessert. Karen passed as she had lived, with Strength, Spirit and a Joy for Life. A Loving Wife, Mother, and Grandmother to our combined six children and ten grandchildren. She will be missed!

 Thank You, my Beloved Karen, for our 25 all too short years together.

 Your Jackson.