| Karen A. Killion |
Karen A. Killion, 86, of St. Paul, formerly of Palmer, died Saturday, November 2, 2024, at Brookefield Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation in St. Paul.
Liturgy of the Word services were held on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul. Reverend Vince Parsons officiated.
Lisa Faaborg and Liana Wroblewski were the lectors. Glen Killion was the eulogist.
Phil Lukasiewicz served as acolyte.
Mary Jo Serbousek and Dan Nielsen were the musicians.
Selections included “Fly Like a Bird,” “Dancing in the Sky,” “Beyond the Moon and Stars,” “Song of Farewell,” and “Amazing Grace,” by Carrie Underwood.
Casketbearers were David Killion, Joshua Killion, Jeremy Davis, Cole Davis, Vincent Christensen, and Nathaniel Killion.
Honorary bearers included Emily Christensen, Ben Rowe, Alyssa Bucknell, Charity Davis, Chloe Davis, Isabella Killion, Hannah Killion, Elijah Killion Christian Rowe, Declan Rowe, Keegan Rowe, Hayden Christensen, and Tatum Christensen.
Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery in Palmer.
Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.
Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family.
Karen was born on October 26, 1938, at Palmer, the daughter of John and Alice (Wegner) Hettrich. She grew up on a farm west of Palmer in the Gage Valley area.
She attended Gage Valley country school and Palmer Public School and was a 1957 graduate of Palmer High School.
She was united in marriage to Elmer Jay “Junior” Killion on October 26, 1957, in Palmer. The couple lived in Palmer their entire married life. Karen was a homemaker and did daycare for children out of her home. In 1977, she became a nurse’s aide at the Coolidge Center in Palmer until 1997. She later worked as a home health aide in the area.
Junior died on December 16, 2005. She continued to live in Palmer until 2013 when she moved to St. Paul, where she lived the rest of her life.
She was a member of the Palmerettes and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 120 of Palmer.
She enjoyed gardening, flowers, violets, and playing cards. She loved music and singing, thrift shopping with her sisters and going to the Palmer and St. Paul senior centers.
She is survived by her children and spouses, John and Sandy Killion of Doniphan, Amy and Dale Davis of Palmer, Glen and Michele Killion of St. Paul, and Rose Rowe and Cory Panko of Cook; six grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; sister and brother-in-law, Judith and Jim Rose of St. Paul; brother-in-law, Charles “Pooch” Roper of Lincoln; and brothers-inlaw, Ernie Shelton of York and Howard and Karon Killion of Lincoln.
In addition to her husband, Junior, she was preceded in death by her parents; infant son, Kenneth J. Killion; grandson, Joseph Davis; sisters and brother-in-law, Phyllis Joan Hettrich, Glenna Roper, and Carol and Dick Lemmerman; and brother and sister-inlaw, Richard L. “Dick” and Carolyn Hettrich.
Condolences and memories may be shared with Karen’s family by visiting www.petersfuneralhome. net.
The Phonograph-Herald | November 13, 2024