Karen Lynn Spahr

Karen was born March 10, 1948, in Chehalis, to Walter and Evelyn (Talley) Rosenkranz. She attended R.E. Bennett, and graduated in 1966 from W.F. West High School. After graduation, she enrolled at Portland Technical College to train for a career as a Dental Technician.

She met the love of her life, James ‘Jim’ Spahr, while working the soda fountain at The St. Helens Hotel in Chehalis. A few years later, on October 28, 1973, she and Jim were married at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Chehalis, and spent their honeymoon at Disneyland.

Karen loved keeping records of important life events. She loved taking pictures, kept detailed journals documenting important milestones, and enjoyed scrapbooking. She loved bicycling, children, dogs, and spending time with her family and friends. She spent many hours working in her yard, and never said ‘no’ to a long drive to nowhere in particular.

Karen was the ultimate ‘Soccer Mom,’ right down to her shiny red Chevy SUV that held both kids and equipment. All three of her children played, and for a time, she was financial manager of the girls’ League in East Olympia.

Karen was preceded in death by her father, Walter; mother, Evelyn Hill; stepfather, John Hill; brothers Ron Rosenkranz and Rick Hill; niece, Dani; and nephew, Josh.

She will be forever remembered by her husband, Jim Spahr; sons, Eric and Trevor Spahr; daughter, Talley (Kevin Shipman) Spahr; granddaughters, Greya Shipman and Taylor Greco; siblings, Keith Rosenkranz, Roger Curtis, and Kathy Hill; and niece, Kristin Greco.

Services will begin at 1 PM Friday, July 17, at Sticklin Funeral Chapel, 1437 S Gold Street, Centralia. Interment will follow at Claquato Cemetery, 142 Stearns Rd, Chehalis.

In lieu of flowers, Jim asks that donations be made to Providence St. Peter Foundation, which supports Providence SoundHome Care and Hospice and St. Peter Hospital, at https://give.providence.org/wa/stpeter or The Ben & Catherine Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment at Swedish Hospital at [email protected]