Karen Niles

Karen Niles, 81, passed away after a long battle with cancer on June 15, 2022. She was born on May 7, 1941 to the late Albert Stuntebeck and Edvina Vorgert. She graduated from R.L. Downing High School in 1959 and from St. Cloud University in 1962 with a degree in education. She enjoyed teaching, but her time in the classroom was brief as she chose to focus her attention on her family. Her husband and children were always her priority and family time was special. She loved her grandchildren unconditionally and delighted in their activities and accomplishments.

Community service played a significant role in Karen’s life. She readily volunteered at her church, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, and at the various schools her children attended. She was a member of PEO and a past president of Chapter N. Her favorite volunteer organization was the Literacy Council. She spent many hours tutoring adult non-readers and conducting workshops to train the volunteer tutors in using the teaching materials. She was an avid reader and enjoyed helping others acquire the skills to make reading a part of their lives. She was also a very good bridge player and her favorite partner was her husband.

Karen is survived by Don, her beloved husband of 59 years and her children - Raymond (Ritu) of New York City, Christopher (Genevieve) of Pompano Beach, Florida, and Susan (Thomas) Peters of Iowa City, Iowa, and seven grandchildren - Eve, Luke (Captain, U.S. Army), Clarke (Captain, U.S. Air Force), Benjamin, Olivia, Elizabeth, and Serene, and four great grandchildren, Liam, Ford, Addison, and Sadie. She is predeceased by her sister, Marilyn Fiskewold, and brother, James Stuntebeck. She is survived by her dear sister, Gloria Olson.

A private mass for the family will be celebrated at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Ft. Lauderdale at a later date. Burial will be at the National Cemetery in Lake Worth, Florida. Memorial donations can be made to Cardinal Gibbons High School and St. John the Baptist Women’s Guild.

It can be a great comfort to a grieving person or family to hear that others thought highly of their loved one, too. If you knew and admired Karen, be sure to let the family know by writing a few words in the "Memory" section of her obituary on the Kraeer - Fairchild Funeral Home website. www.KraeerFairchild.com