Karen Iverson Bartlett

Her husband Hon. D. Brook Bartlett, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri preceded her in death in 2000. She was a distinguished lawyer and an accomplished artist.

Karen began her legal career in the 1970s with the Missouri Attorney General’s office, under Attorney General, Senator John Danforth. She rose to Assistant Attorney General, regularly argued cases before the Missouri Supreme Court, and played a lead role in many landmark cases. She later joined what is now known as Lathrop Gage law firm in Kansas City. As an accomplished trial attorney, she appeared before the United States Supreme Court and became the first female law partner in Lathrop’s history. She earned her JD from the University of Missouri School of Law (‘72).

Prior to law school, Karen attended Stephens College (‘68) in Columbia, Missouri where she later served on the Board of Directors for many years. Between Stephens and Law School, she attended Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School in New York. Her father had insisted she needed a well-paying skilled trade to back-up to her other ambitions.

After retiring from a twenty-plus year legal career, Karen earned an MFA from the University of Missouri Kansas City. She was a gifted artist across a broad range of media. She wrote plays including Rocks Can Float, designed sets and acted in local and regional theatre. Her highly skilled and respected photography, bronze sculptures, intricate illuminated manuscripts, archaic calligraphy, etchings, complicated lead glass and mosaic tile, needlepoint and weaving creations are magnificent. Her laser-like focus allowed her to execute any idea masterfully.

She was the only child of Colonel Leroy and Evelyn Mae Iverson who met and married in North Dakota. They were deeply proud of their Nordic and North Dakota roots. As a US Air Force family, they were stationed in Japan and Germany. Karen’s early international experiences deeply influenced her to explore much of the world. But, she found the most peace and beauty in Africa where she returned many times to document the extraordinary wildlife.

She is survived by her brother in law Ed Bartlett of New York, NY, her four step-children: Julia Bartlett of Santa Fe, NM; Linton Bartlett of Jefferson City, MO; Polly Bartlett of New London, MO; and Amanda Bartlett Mook (Ben) of Excelsior Springs, MO, all of their children, her dear friends and her beloved dog Rascal.

Memorial Services will be at 3:00 pm Monday, November 25, 2019 with visitation one hour prior to the service at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64131. A Reception will follow the service at Sulgrave, 121 West 48th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64131.