Karen Ann (Meyer) Ellenbecker, 79
Karen Ann (Meyer) Ellenbecker, 79, passed away surrounded by loved ones on October 4, 2020, at her home on Lake Dubay.
A private family Mass of a Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 10, 2020, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Stevens Point. The service will be streamed live on Holy Spirit’s Facebook page. There will be no public visitation or mass for Karen. Burial will be held at a later date.
Karen was born to Clarence and Hattie Meyer in Milwaukee. They moved to Edgar, Wis. when she was 5 years old, where she attended local schools and graduated from Edgar high school in 1958.
Karen married her best friend, Sid, on September 10, 1960. They just celebrated 60 years of marriage. They raised their family in Stevens Point and moved to Lake DuBay in 1991.
In addition to being a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, Karen also loved sewing, baking, cooking, gardening, hiking, skiing, pontoon boat rides on Lake DuBay, and reading (she was one of the original members of the Lake DuBay book club). Karen and Sid have many wonderful memories of their travels together. They spent 13 years after their retirement hiking and enjoying the hills of Sedona, Ariz.
Karen was employed at Wausau Insurance and Rural Mutual Insurance in Madison while her husband was in pharmacy school. When her children started school she worked as a merchandiser for a number of different greeting companies, she finished her career as a supervisor for Hallmark.
When not with her family you could find her volunteering. She enjoyed serving in her community at Washington School, St. Stanislaus Church (now Holy Spirit), and was a Meals on Wheels volunteer for 25 years. In the later years, she especially enjoyed helping first-graders at Washington School with basic reading skills.
Karen’s greatest legacy was her welcoming spirit, everyone she met was welcomed and loved. You were never a stranger, always a friend. Karen and Sid loved entertaining and inviting people into their home to stay, to enjoy a boat ride, or to share a meal. Her giving heart will be greatly missed.
Karen will be missed by her husband, Sidney, of 60 years; sons Todd (Gail) Ellenbecker, Scottsdale, Ariz., Terry (Tina) Ellenbecker, Hortonville, Wis.; grandson Jaryd (Emily) Ellenbecker, Madison; grandaughter Kacie (Cody) Ahrens of Allenton, Wis.; and soon-to-be great-grandson Ahrens.
Karen joins her daughter, Tracy, and her mother and father, Hattie and Clarence Meyer, in heaven.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial is established for Holy Spirit Parish and the Parkinson’s foundation. Karen was affected by the disease for 29 yrs.
The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Ascension Hospice of Plover. A special thank you to Julie, Megan, and Allison for the great tender compassionate care they gave Karen over the past 10 months. They would also like to thank their special friends from the Middle East for all the calls, prayers, and love.
Throughout her entire life, Karen held an unwavering faith in God, which she shared with her family and friends. Anyone who knew her was truly blessed.
Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.shudafuneral.com.