Karen Harter
April 26, 2017
- Share:
-
-
-
Service Details
Karen Rose Harter, 53, died Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at her home with her family at her side after a courageous battle with breast cancer. She was born August 14, 1963 to Bernard and Esther (Meier) Kajewski in Waterloo, Iowa.
Karen graduated from Dunkerton High School and earned her BA from the University of Northern Iowa. She retired from Century Link in 2015 after 22 years of service and was a member of Ss. John & Paul Catholic Church.
Karen was united in marriage to Joe in 1984. She had two children, Amanda (Joe) Tollari and Cory (Tamara) Harter. She was an avid gardener and spent lots of time tending to her many flower gardens. Anyone that knew her was the recipient of a bouquet of her handiwork. But her real passion was tending to her little flowers named Autumn, Colby, Kingston, and Natalia.
We will always love and miss our beautiful wife, mother, and grandmother.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, April 28, 2017 at Ss. John & Paul Catholic Church, 1401 1st Ave S, Altoona, with private burial at Altoona Cemetery. Visitation will be held Thursday, April 27, 2017 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Hamilton’s Altoona Funeral Home, 105 4th St. SW, in Altoona.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hope Lodge, 411 2nd Street NW, Rochester, MN 55904 or Scintillon Institute/MEF2C/Autism Research-Lipton Lab, Attn. Development Department, 6404 Nancy Ridge Drive, San Diego, CA 92121.
Online condolences may be expressed at
www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com
Carmen Smith
04/30/2017
My thoughts and prayers are with Karen's family. She was a very special lady, We both started at the phone company at the same time . She was in my training class where I got to know her sweet nature. Over the years we mostly communicated through Christmas cards and my sister-in-law Gwen who worked with her and kept me updated. God bless you all and hope God and your special memories help your hearts to heal .
Judy Sterns McClain
04/28/2017
Karen was one of the kindest people I ever had the privilege to work with at Qwest. She was kind and encouraging to everyone she met. God Bless her and comfort friends and family.
Terese Kudrna Family
04/28/2017
My thoughts and prayers are with Karen's family and all of the Kajewski families. I will always remember Karen as the sweet, kind and caring person she was - and so strong as she fought her battle with cancer. Her life was cut way too short for all of us, but God must have needed a very special angel in Heaven. Surely she will be watching over all of her loved ones in her same caring ways. Sorry I couldn't be there for her services, but my heart was there with all of you. Love, prayers and lots of hugs to all of her family!
Lori (Nuebel) Falk
04/28/2017
Thoughts and Prayers are with you all at this time. Our loss is heavens gain. Karen's sweet nature and kindness touched so many and will live on....
Sally and Darrell Ludwig
04/27/2017
My sincere sympathy on Karen's passing to Joe and family as well as Esther and Gloria, Tony, Bill, Bob, and Kathy and all of your families. Karen put up a good fight to survive. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you. May she rest in peace.
Greg and Karen Norton
04/27/2017
We only met Karen a few times but we soon learned that she was loved by many. May this beautiful, kind lady rest in peace. Her keen eye for floral arrangements made events extra special, as they were done with great love. Rest in peace.
Kim Benson
04/27/2017
My deepest sympathy to Joe and family. I am so sorry to learn about Karen's passing. Karen was the nicest person I have ever met. I thought often of her and our times together in Texas. We became such good friends. She truly will be missed. I am sorry I could not make it to the funeral, I am out of town. I will always keep Karen in my heart. Love to you all!
Linda Bartlett
04/27/2017
Karen was such a special lady abd a joy to work with. She brightened any room she entered. RIP Karen. My condolences to her family.
Larry and Colleen Thomas
04/27/2017
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Karen's family. She was a wonderful person and I remember her as a very good and caring student at Dunkerton. Hugs to all Karen's family and friends.
Alice Steffen
04/27/2017
MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY GOES TO THE FAMILY OF KAREN , ALSO THE THE kAJEWSKI FAMILY ,, SENDING MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
Maria Downs
04/27/2017
I met Karen at Stoddard. She was very supportive and such an inspiration to the group. She will be greatly missed. Please know that you all are in out thoughts and prayers.
Mark & Fran Timmons
04/27/2017
Joe and family, words can not express the sadness we feel for the loss of Karen. Our friendship will be treasured forever. Karen was a very soft spoken soul. She had a gift of caring for people. We know how much she loved her beautiful family. You will all be in our thoughts & prayers today and as time passes.
JJ and Nick Novak
04/27/2017
I can not even put into words the type of woman Karen was. She is someone I look up to and hope to model my life after. She was so loving, caring, kind, selfless, passionate, and the list goes on and on. When she heard I was getting married she immediately offered up decorations and flowers without even being prompted. They were absolutely gorgeous! Wedding showers and baby showers were incomplete without her flowers! When we were landscaping our first home, Karen offered up any flowers from her garen, no questions asked. Just this past week we were landscaping our new house and Nick said, it is just incomplete without flowers from Karen. You will be missed Karen, and our thoughts and prayers are with you Joe and family.
Dick and Jan Beck
04/26/2017
Harter Family, We know Karen from Support group at John Stoddard. She became our friend and we will miss her kindness and sense of humor. It was our privilege to have known her. Our deepest sympathy to the family.
Kathy Battles
04/26/2017
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family. Karen was one of the sweetest & nicest people I have ever known & worked with. I was so fortunate to have her as a peer, friend and work with her as a foral designer. She will be sorely missed by all her friends.