Obituary of Karen Lea Conner

Karen L. Conner Newton Karen Lea Conner, 69, of Newton, passed away Saturday evening, Jan. 14, 2012, at the Skiff Hospice Monarch Wing in Newton. Memorial services for Karen will be 2:30 p.m. - Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, at Pence ~ Reese Funeral Home in Newton, with Rev. Dotty Black officiating. A visitation with the family at the funeral home, will be held one hour prior to the services. Karen, the daughter of Jack J. Gearhart and Vera M. Coulter, was born Jan. 3, 1943, in Marshalltown. She attended school in LaGrand, graduating from Laurel Senior High School. She went on to attend Business College in Cedar Rapids and NASAP in California In 1964 Karen was united in marriage with Fred Lehnhardt in Nevada, IA. She had also lived in Oxanrd, Ca; Pittsburg, CA; Grants Pass, OR; Salem, OR; moving back to Laurel and then to Newton. She was employed as a secretary, newspaper reporter and as a freelance writer. She devoted her life to her family and friends, and was a member of the Four Square Church in Newton. In 1978, Karen married David George Conner in Southern California. She enjoyed reading, writing, crafts, animals, movies and her collection of cows. Karen was preceded in death by her parents and her step father David Shepard. Those left to honor Karen's memory include her sons: Kurt (Nancy) Lehnhardt, Karl Lehnhardt and Brian (Kim) Lehnhardt; her six grandchildren; her half-brother Mark Shepard; and her many friends.