Karen was born on November 11, 1948, and grew up in Oreland, Pennsylvania. She met her loving husband of fifty-two years, Roger, in the Summer of Love, 1969. Karen and Roger moved to Colorado after falling in love with the mountains during a summer roadtrip in their VW bus. They built their home, with their own hands, atop a ridge line overlooking Nederland, Colorado and the Indian Peaks. Karen worked as a lab manager at the University of Colorado, and was the Christian Education Elder at the Nederland Presbyterian Church for many years.
Karen loved summertime flower walks on Caribou Mountain, exploring the canyon country of Utah with Roger by her side, sunsets and happy hour with friends on their back deck and, most of all, relaxing and reading by the fireside in the home that they had built. Roger will always remember her as a loving companion, and a wonderful mother to her two daughters, Emilie Elizabeth and Laurie Rose.
She is survived by Roger; her daughters, Emilie Mock and Laurie Derrick; son-in-laws Doug Mock and Mackie Derrick; grandchildren, Ailsa and Wesley; sister Donna Erk; and brother Fred Erk. She was preceded in death by her parents Frank Erk, Sr. and Elsie Erk, and her brother Frank Erk, Jr.