Karen Sloan

Karen Hoppe Sloan, age 87, passed peacefully on February 13, 2025, surrounded by family. Born July 13, 1937 in Jamaica, Long Island, NY, Karen was the daughter of Miriam Amanda (Lehman) and Rev. Elmore Otto Hoppe. When Karen was nine years old, the family moved to Rush-Henrietta near Rochester, NY, where Pastor Hoppe was the protestant chaplain for a boys’ reform school. Karen was a whiz at math, with the top score in Mathematics in the New York High School Regents Examinations. Following high school graduation, Karen attended Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio where she met the love of her life, Malachi Sloan. A courtship of three years continued through graduation into their marriage on July 19, 1959. Karen and Mal were blessed with four daughters, Linda, Beth, Kathy and Julie. She was a dedicated teacher and managed to balance her career with being a loving and devoted mother while her husband worked long hours in the food service industry. She taught school for more than twenty-five years, primarily teaching English at Springboro Junior High and continuing to tutor after her retirement. In addition to her work at school and in the home, she served many church congregations–singing in the choir, teaching Sunday school, and filling roles where needed. Friends and family appreciated Karen’s encouraging smile and quick, dry wit which she maintained until the very end of her life. Karen and Mal are grateful for the love received and the blessings continuing through their daughters’ four families: Linda and Bruno Carlsson, Beth and Jeff Latsa, Kathy and Dru Henke, and Julie and TJ Harper and their thirteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Karen and Mal were devoted teammates meeting life’s challenges and celebrations with love and thankfulness in a blessing of 65 years of marriage.

The family now rejoices in the resurrection and grace given from our Lord, Jesus Christ to Karen. A celebration of Karen’s life will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at New Hope Lutheran Church: 10 N Breiel Blvd, Middletown, OH 45044. Friends may attend visitation at 10am with a celebration of life at 11am and luncheon following the service. In lieu of flowers, Karen’s family asks that donations be made to New Hope Lutheran Church and designated as a Memorial Fund in memory of Karen Sloan.