Karen R. Johnson

She was born June 14, 1942, in River Falls, Wisconsin, a daughter of the late Gordon and Alice (Smith) Evenson. She was a 1960 graduate of Escanaba High School and earned a diploma in nursing from Augustana Hospital in Chicago, Ill.

Karen was employed as a nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital in Marquette from 1963 to 1968, Dr. Wallace G. Pearce, Sr’s. medical practice from 1968 to 1971 and a private medial practice in Florida. She moved to Guam for five years before returning to Florida where she worked for the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection from 1986 to 2007. She returned to Marquette in 2011 to live with her daughter.

She was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church, bowled in five leagues in Guam and enjoyed reading, cooking, baking and singing in the church choir.

Karen is survived by her son, Scott (Jennifer) Johnson of Marquette; grandchildren, Alyssa Dupras, Lukas Johnson, Nate Johnson, Danielle, Dillon and Dallas Wiertella; a great-grandchild, Guy Sleasman; siblings, Fred (Nancy) Evenson of Lansing, Mich., Peggy Finger of Midland, Mich. and Sam Schick of San Antonio, Texas; nieces and nephews, Heidi Evenson, Danny (Cathy) Evenson, Travis Evenson, Erin (Jim) Bowen and Jeff Finger; and several cousins. She was preceded in death by her father, Gordon in 1989, mother, Alice in 2003 and daughter, Pamela in 2015.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, August 14, at 4 p.m. in the Canale-Tonella Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Lupus Foundation and Lake Superior Life Care & Hospice.

Memories of Karen may be shared at canalefuneral.com