Karen Anderson

Karen Anderson [KE7DOG-SK] aged 63, passed away in her Bountiful, Utah home on February 14, 2017.  She suffered Cardiac Tamponade.  She passed very quickly and did not suffer.

Karen was born on December 11, 1953 at Fort Ord, California (a proud California native), to her parents, Norman and Faith Anderson.  Her father referred to her as being Army issued.  Growing up with a father in the military, her family traveled a lot across the country and she lived in 30 states before she was 15.  Her parents, and younger brother, Nels Anderson, preceded her in death.  Karen had been widowed twice.

She spent much of her youth living on both coasts; her family called themselves “bi-coastal."  She lived in New Jersey as a child, before returning to and settling down in California.  She moved to Utah in 2006 to live with her youngest daughter.  While there she caught the eye of their next-door neighbor.  The two soon started going out and they married on December 31, 2009.  She said she had to “wait ‘til he was old enough."

Karen earned four Associates degrees later in her life, yet preferred to work with her hands creating personalized works of art.  She was known for her hand carved ostrich eggs and was especially proud of her more recent work with stained glass styled mirrors.  Most of her pieces were personally inspired gifts for family and friends, but there were many items made to be donated to charity auctions.  She worked for days on each piece, hand forming items to place into her eggs, painting many miniatures with a single strand of horse hair.

Karen was trained in Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) and became active in the local Emergency Management arena, joining and participating in several organizations, including Northern Utah VOAD, Davis County ARES, and the Bountiful Citizens Council.  She received the Davis County Citizen Corps Council 2012 Volunteer of the Year award.  Karen was a ham radio operator and had been secretly training to upgrade her license to surprise her husband, who is also a ham operator.  Karen and her husband were often seen at Bountiful City Council meetings, and had been married by the Mayor of Bountiful, “Mayor Joe”, in the Council Chambers. 

Karen enjoyed wearing t-shirts that expressed her spunky personal attitude, always looking to bring a smile to those admiring them.  Her famous t-shirts will be turned into pillows and given to family and friends as remembrances.  Her indomitable spirit will be sorely missed.  She held family dear and would never let them give up on themselves.  She was the light of her family.  The middle, middle child.

She is survived by her husband, Gary Davis; two daughters, Serena and Deirdre; her unofficially adopted son, Thaddeus; five grandchildren: Michael, Mathew, Joshua, Kayla and Rayne and four great-grandchildren: Christopher, Donovan, Claire and Delaney (who was born on Karen’s birthday in 2015); two brothers, Leif and John; and three sisters: Kirsten, Deirdre and Astrid.  She unofficially adopted many people during her lifetime, and once they were in her life they never left her heart.

Karen was always thinking of others, sending care packages to people in need, putting together packages for the food pantry (including food for hungry pets).  Whenever she was near a claw machine, someone was getting a new toy.  She shopped for odd and eclectic items to send to family and friends across the country.  When one of her boxes arrived, everyone knew they were in for a treat.  She had a soft spot for veterans, animals, Boys & Girls Clubs, active duty military and law enforcement, emergency professionals and oftentimes just a wayward stranger.  She would wish not to receive flowers or donations, rather that someone compelled would follow in her example and give to someone else in need.

A gathering of remembrance for her friends in Utah will be held on March 11, 2017 at the Murray Boys & Girls Club at 244 East Myrtle Street in Murray, Utah.  The gathering will begin at 2:00 PM.  Opportunity will be available to record memories of Karen to be played back at the family’s celebration of her life, happening on June 24, 2017 in California.