Karen Ann (Sobek) MONSON

MONSON, SOBEK, BRANDT, JUHL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/10/2010 at 09:31:03

Belmond Independent, Iowa
October 28, 2003

Karen Monson, 35, Clear Lake, died Oct. 24, 2003 at the University of Iowa Hospitals. Services were held Oct. 29 at Zion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake with burial at Clear Lake Cemetery. Karen Ann, the daughter of Daniel and Phyllis (Brandt) Sobek, was born April 29, 1968 at Mason City. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church in rural Garner. She was raised in rural Klemme, graduating from Klemme High School in 1986. During high school she was a cheerleader and active in 4-H, band, choir, and drama. She attended NIACC and UNI, graduating from UNI in 1991 with a degree in elementary education. She taught at Audubon for one year. Karen married David Monson on July 18, 1992 at Zion Lutheran. They made their home in Clear Lake where she was an associate teacher and substitute teacher. In 1995 Karen began teaching second grade full time at Lincoln Elementary. She received the Golden Apple Award in 1999. She will always be remembered for her laughter and enthusiasm for children and for her dedication to teaching. Karen's greatest love was her husband and her children. She was very involved with all of their activities such as ice-skating, dance, piano and Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts. She also enjoyed scrap booking and working out.

She was preceded in death by grandparents John Brandt and George and Anna Sobek; mother-in-law Grace Monson; and sister-in-law Brenda Monson. Karen is survived by her husband; children Katie, Alec, and Joey of Clear Lake; her mother and father of Klemme; sister Jennifer (Jeffry) Juhl of Cedar Falls; brothers Jonathan Sobek of Iowa City and Philip Sobek of Des Moines; father-in-law Ronald (Mary Ellen) Monson; sisters and brothers-in-law Julie, Hannah and Kevin Monson of Clear Lake and Bob Monson of Waukee; and grandmother Antonia Brandt of Osage.