Obituary of Karen Russell

View Video Tribute Karen Kay (Pelser) Russell by her sister, Mary. Karen Kay Pelser was born on May 12, 1964 at the Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital in Burlington, Colorado. She was the 4th daughter of Clarence and Melody (Anglen) Pelser. She was welcomed home by her sisters Mary Louise and Joyce Ann. Her sister Carol Jayne had passed away at birth in April 1963. Karen was raised in Seibert, Colorado with many cousins and good friends. When Karen was 2 or 3, mom had all 3 of us girls all dressed up for church on Easter Sunday, we were set outside to wait for mom to come out. Somehow Karen got convinced to jump in a mud puddle with all her clothes on. Well, she was having so much fun that Joyce and Mary had to join her. About that time mom came out of the house and boy was she mad. Karen jumped out of the mud puddle, grabbed her behind yelling “Me Baby, Me Babyâ€? all the way in the house, for all the good that did. When Karen was 3 or 4 she had a piece in the Christmas Program at church, Mom had dressed Karen in a red and green check dress on her with ruffled panties. Karen went onstage when she was supposed to, but instead of saying her part she said “I’m a little Dutchman and I drink beer, makes my belly stick way out here. (Show Motion) Taught to me by Earl Hedgecokeâ€?. Then she turned around, flipped up her dress to show her ruffled panties to everyone and walked off the stage. Needless to say Karen and Earl weren’t allowed to play together for quite a while. As Karen grew up she played sports in school, her favorites were volleyball and track. Almost every time you saw Karen, she was always carrying some sort of animal. Karen loved all kinds of animals. She was very amused to chase Mary with mice, because I was terrified of them. I’m glad one of us was amused. From the time she was a little girl Karen was a stamp collector. Anytime someone got mail, Karen would take the stamp off. She had a very large stamp collection and was looking forward to seeing the stamps our Great Aunt Mary had sent to her while she was recovering. Karen was a very hard working woman and was friendly to everyone. She loved to joke around and always had to have the last word. Just ask anyone who knew her at all. Her children were the highlight of her life. Sarah was born in Duncan, Oklahoma on December 14, 1984, and Joshua Bryant was also born in Duncan, Oklahoma on February 19, 1986. Karen was a terrific mother and she will be terribly missed. Becoming a grandmother to Colten David Mathes, Sarah’s son, was the joy of her life. She will be sharing her large teddy bear collection with him now. Karen was diagnosed with stomach cancer in March 2004 and had successful surgery and cancer free for four years and eight months. She was diagnosed with the cancer in September 2008, having successful surgery on September 29, 2008, but Karen got pneumonia and suffered a debilitating stroke on October 12, 2008 and passed away in Denver. She was 44 years and 5 months old. Karen is preceded in death by our parents Clarence Pelser and Melody Adams, her sister Carol, her nephew David James Paintin. She is also proceeded by her grandfathers Robert Anglen and William Pelser and her grandmother Vera Smith. Karen is deeply mourned by her children Sarah, Nick, and Joshua, her grandson Colten David Mathes and his Father Tim Mathes. Also surviving are her sisters Mary and Sam, Joyce and Vicki, and her nephew Ezra, Our sweet Grandma Ruby Thiessen. Her aunts Sandra and John, Bonnie and Jim, Florence, Veva, and Donna and Louis. Uncles Vernon and Doris, Donald and Cindy, and Chuck. Karens special friend Art Roberts and her adopted sister Valeril Boone and many cousins and friends. Karen’s family wishes to thank everyone for their support over the years and especially in our time of need. Memorial services for Karen were held on Monday, October 20, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at the Love Funeral Home in Burlington with Pastor Ron Lee officiating. Memorials may be made in her name to the Center for Basic Cancer Research and may be left at the Bank of the West, Burlington, Colorado.