Karen Elaine Clark the daughter of Walter and Violet (Linder) Newman, was born on April 19, 1941 at Red Oak, Iowa and passed away at her home in Rio Rancho, New Mexico on July 4, 2007.

Karen attended and was confirmed at Fremont Lutheran Church. Karen graduated from Shenandoah High School in Shenandoah, Iowa, in 1959. Karen graduated from Colorado State Teachers College in 1963. She married and later divorced. Most of her life she worked at California State University at Northridge. She retired in January of 2003. Karen and her friend Murry Grossman recently had moved to their new home in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

Karen enjoyed collecting Beanie Babies and stuffed animals, shopping for gifts for her sister and relatives, going to performances and doing crossword puzzles. She loved her cats, Velcro and Princess. Karen enjoyed returning to Iowa and her sister's farm where they grew up. Christmas holiday traditions were particularly special.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her sister, Glennys Anderson; nephew Dan Anderson and daughter Marissa; nieces Angela Shaw and husband George, Shannon Hilker and husband Randy and son Ian all of Shenandoah, Iowa; niece Annette Brown and husband David and daughters, Carissa and Amanda of Boone, Iowa; niece Nancy Kripal and husband John of Silver City, Iowa; niece Brenda Quesada and husband Tom and children Chelsea and Chad of Denver, Colorado; great niece Jessica Kuntzweiler and children Dakota and Gracie of Oakland, Iowa, great nephew Steven Braymen of Ames, Iowa and many cousins and friends. She is also survived by her dear friend Murry Grossman of Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

Memorial services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 23, 2007 at Fremont Lutheran Church in Nyman, Iowa. Words of comfort were given by Pastor John Swenson. Soloist Jackie DeVries was accompanied by Christy Walker. Music selections were "On Eagles Wings" and "Children of the Heavenly Father". Inurnment was in Mount Hope Cemetery in Nyman, Iowa. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.hackettlivingston.com . Hackett-Livingston Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.