Karen Vaske
d. September 22, 2016
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, DONATIONS MAY BE MADE TO LUTHER HAVEN OR TO BOYSTOWN IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA.
Karen Amelia Vaske was born June 12, 1944 at Remus, Michigan. She died of cancer on Thursday, September 22, 2016 at Luther Haven Nursing Home in Montevideo. She and her twin Sharon were the last of ten children born to Frank and Kathryn (Stadtfeld) Doerr. She was baptized at St. Michael Catholic Church in Remus. When Karen was ten years old, her parents moved with the last four children to Greybull, Wyoming. She graduated from Greybull High School in 1962.
After high school, she received training as a medical laboratory technician at Coe Memorial Hospital in Cody, Wyoming. Her first job out of training was in Laramie, Wyoming in 1964. There she met Joseph Anthony Vaske, originally from Wilmont, Minnesota. They married in 1967 at St. Paul Newman Campus Center in Laramie. Their first two children were born there while Joe received his degree in dairy manufacturing at the University of Wyoming.
In 1969 they moved to Denver, Colorado, and also lived in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Turtle Lake, Wisconsin, and Mason City, Iowa before coming to Montevideo in 1991. Joe was the manager of the AMPI plant in Dawson until retirement. Karen worked as the director of religious education and youth minister at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Montevideo for nine years, worked at the Montevideo Abstract Co. and was the secretary-receptionist at Luther Haven for seven years.
Karen’s activities were quilting, canning from Joe’s large garden, playing cards, and volunteering in many ways. One of her favorite things was making baby blankets and collecting clothes for a children’s clinic in Mississippi. She and Joe loved to travel, visiting many states in the U.S., Italy, Guatemala and Mexico. Her greatest treasures were her husband, four children, seven grandchildren, and extended family and friends, who helped her through the battle with colon cancer. Her life goals were to appreciate what God gives us and to show love, to accept love, and to forgive.
Survivors include her husband Joe, son Barry (and Patty) Vaske of Omaha, Nebraska, daughter Kathrine (and Douglas) Miller of Shakopee, Minnesota, son Charles Vaske of Santa Cruz, California, and daughter Stephanie (and Paul) Monson of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin; grandchildren: Cole and Callie Vaske, Julianna, Christian, Grace and Veronica Miller, and Sophia Monson; sisters Shirley (Lawrence) Anderson, Joanne Myers, Betty (Bill) Noud, and Sharon (Bob) Mills; brothers Michael (Barbara) Doerr and Jerry (Tana) Doerr. A brother-in-law Gary McMillen also survives, along with her best friend Mary Sellner.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Russell in infancy, brother Max Doerr, and sister Donna McMillen.
Karen Amelia Vaske was born June 12, 1944 at Remus, Michigan. She died of cancer on Thursday, September 22, 2016 at Luther Haven Nursing Home in Montevideo. She and her twin Sharon were the last of ten children born to Frank and Kathryn (Stadtfeld) Doerr. She was baptized at St. Michael Catholic Church in Remus. When Karen was ten years old, her parents moved with the last four children to Greybull, Wyoming. She graduated from Greybull High School in 1962.
After high school, she received training as a medical laboratory technician at Coe Memorial Hospital in Cody, Wyoming. Her first job out of training was in Laramie, Wyoming in 1964. There she met Joseph Anthony Vaske, originally from Wilmont, Minnesota. They married in 1967 at St. Paul Newman Campus Center in Laramie. Their first two children were born there while Joe received his degree in dairy manufacturing at the University of Wyoming.
In 1969 they moved to Denver, Colorado, and also lived in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Turtle Lake, Wisconsin, and Mason City, Iowa before coming to Montevideo in 1991. Joe was the manager of the AMPI plant in Dawson until retirement. Karen worked as the director of religious education and youth minister at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Montevideo for nine years, worked at the Montevideo Abstract Co. and was the secretary-receptionist at Luther Haven for seven years.
Karen’s activities were quilting, canning from Joe’s large garden, playing cards, and volunteering in many ways. One of her favorite things was making baby blankets and collecting clothes for a children’s clinic in Mississippi. She and Joe loved to travel, visiting many states in the U.S., Italy, Guatemala and Mexico. Her greatest treasures were her husband, four children, seven grandchildren, and extended family and friends, who helped her through the battle with colon cancer. Her life goals were to appreciate what God gives us and to show love, to accept love, and to forgive.
Survivors include her husband Joe, son Barry (and Patty) Vaske of Omaha, Nebraska, daughter Kathrine (and Douglas) Miller of Shakopee, Minnesota, son Charles Vaske of Santa Cruz, California, and daughter Stephanie (and Paul) Monson of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin; grandchildren: Cole and Callie Vaske, Julianna, Christian, Grace and Veronica Miller, and Sophia Monson; sisters Shirley (Lawrence) Anderson, Joanne Myers, Betty (Bill) Noud, and Sharon (Bob) Mills; brothers Michael (Barbara) Doerr and Jerry (Tana) Doerr. A brother-in-law Gary McMillen also survives, along with her best friend Mary Sellner.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Russell in infancy, brother Max Doerr, and sister Donna McMillen.
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