Karen K. Smith

Karen K. Smith, 74, of Olathe, KS, passed away peacefully, surrounded by loving family on April 22, 2017.

Karen was born August 31, 1942, in Conway, IA.  She graduated from Clearfield High School in Clearfield, IA.  After graduation, she married David E. Smith of Conway, IA, on September 4, 1960.  They had two children and moved from Iowa to Nebraska where they lived a number of years in the Lincoln and Omaha areas.  In 1971 they relocated to the Kansas City area where they settled in Shawnee, KS, before moving to Olathe in 2011.

Karen is preceded in death by her mother and father, Robert and Florence Brown of Bedford, Iowa.  She is survived by her devoted husband of 57 years, David E. Smith of Olathe, KS; two children and their spouses, David Douglas Smith (Janine) and Laura Leigh Macaluso (James), both of Olathe, KS; and four siblings, Joyce Johnson of College Springs, IA; Robert (Skip) Brown of St. Charles, MO; Jane Wright of West Des Moines, IA, and Bruce Brown of Creston, IA.  Known lovingly as Grandma, Karen was richly blessed with eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren (and another due in July) all of whom she knew well and loved deeply.

Karen enjoyed a long career as a State Farm Insurance agent with an office in Shawnee, KS, and then later in Lenexa, KS.  She retired in 2001 and truly enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren whenever possible.  She also enjoyed traveling with her husband and they were able to take many trips in their RV travel-trailer.  Together, they were able to see and experience many wonderful and beautiful destinations across the country.  Ultimately, they settled in Donna, TX, where they spent every winter season with a close community of family and friends.

Nothing delighted her more than visits from Grandchildren who would pop by to sit by her bedside and talk endlessly.  She would laugh, counsel, listen, and give unmeasured amounts of unconditional love.  She loved to tell stories of her youth:  riding horses to school, snow skiing in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Colorado, water skiing at the lake for summer vacations, and recounting the many, many weekend trips back to Bedford, IA, to be spend time with her beloved family.

Karen leaves a legacy of strong faith and love of family.  Her favorite devotion was the Divine Mercy which is a message of God’s infinite love, mercy, and compassion for all souls.  We find comfort in knowing she is in the presence of God's infinite love this day…and will always be near in our hearts.

A visitation will be held Tuesday, April 25, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Amos Family Funeral Home, 10901 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, April 26, at Saint Philippine Duchesne Catholic Church, 5035 Rainbow Boulevard, Westwood, KS.  Immediately following Mass will be a graveside service at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, 8321 Quivira Rd, Lenexa, KS.

Saint Philippine Duchesne Catholic Church

In Memorium of Karen K. Smith

5035 Rainbow Boulevard

Westwood, KS  66205