SMITH, Karen Marie 1937-2001

SMITH, WHITMAN, HANSEN

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 5/14/2011 at 19:24:38

KAREN MARIE SMITH

NORA SPRINGS, IOWA - Karen Marie Smith, 64, Died Sunday (Dec. 16, 2001) at her home in Nora Springs, Floyd County, Iowa.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Eden Presbyterian Church, rural Rudd, with the Rev. John Bates officiating. There will be a private family burial at Eden Presbyterian Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today with a time for scripture and prayer at 7:45 p.m. at Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage.

Karen Marie (Hansen) Smith was born June 20, 1937, in Iowa Falls, the oldest daughter of Harry Pete and Merna (Whitman) Hansen and died on Dec. 16, 2001, at her home in Nora Springs.

Karen was a graduate of Iowa Falls High School in 1955 and then in 1957 she graduated from the two-year teaching program at the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. She went on to receive her bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1976.

On Aug. 15, 1958, she was united in marriage to Marvin Smith at the United Methodist Church in Iowa Falls. They settled in rural LaMars and began raising a family which grew to include six children. In 1968 they moved to Nora Springs.

Teaching and reading were important to Karen and she had many friends among other teachers and her students. She began her teaching career at Archer, Iowa, where she taught kindergarten. Following a break to begin raising her family, she resumed teaching in Nora Springs. In 1972 she helped start the Winnie the Pooh Nursey School serving as its teacher for 13 years. She also taught remedial reading and math and later included the Reading Recovery program. She retired from the Nora Springs-Rock Falls Community School in 2001, where she was well respected and loved by students and other teachers.

Karen became involved in a variety of activities throughout the years. At various times she served as a Girl Scout leader, a 4-H leader and with the Literary Leaders. She also served on the Nora Springs Library Board helping guide the summer reading program and as the story lady for several years. Karen's faith was an important part of her life. She was a member and elder of the Eden Presbyterian Church and was very active in a variety of roles, including teaching and leading Sunday school, serving on the session, leading women's groups and singing in the choir.

Karen was dearly loved and will be greatly missed by her family. She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Marvin Smith; six children, Galen and his wife, Cindy Ira-Smith, of West Union, Diane Jones and her husband, Phil, of Urbandale, Brenda Smith of Nashua, N. H., Laura Fulton and her husband, Allen, of Des Moines, Scott Ramsey-Smith and his wife, Teri, of Marshalltown, and Jill Smith and her husband, Doug Meythaler, of Golden Valley, Minn.; 10 grandchildren; a sister, Joan Geil of Knoxville; and a brother, Tom Hansen of Ackley.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, (641) 732-3706

Globe Gazette, Dec. 18, 2001