Beloved Daughter, Sister, Friend, Earth Mother, Goddess, Lover, and Friend of the Port Townsend Community.
Karen was the third oldest of six, born to a musician and a dancer, Jack and Muriel Rose. She grew up in St. Paul and graduated from Hill Murray High School in 1963.
She started a career in modeling, and to supplement her income took a temporary job as a flight attendant with Northwest Orient Airlines. This became her life work as she spent 45 years in the industry as the company became Northwest Airlines and finally merged with Delta Airlines.
Karen was a world traveler. She was an animal lover par excellence. Her llamas, alpacas, and dear little dachshunds were her constant companions for her life. Her love of her llamas led to a successful business career.
She was a fiber artist, a master spinner, a knitter, and a weaver. She also was a designer, seamstress, and music lover. She enjoyed cooking, especially for her friends who would gather with her. She did it all and with gusto!
Karen created Rosebud Ranch and Fiber Studios when she moved to Port Townsend 20 years ago. She raised llamas, alpacas, and emus, sheared them, spun their wool, and designed and made clothing and other items she sold locally and on her internet site.
She was a part of the yearly Local Farm Tour and opened Rosebud Ranch to share her passion for her work and lifestyle.
She loved the annual Wooden Boat Festival and often shared this with her younger sister, Theresa, who would drive out from Minnesota to visit her.
Theresa gave Karen her first dachshund puppy Hans, and she fell in love. They were her constant companions for the rest of her life, and her last beloved dog, Bella, now lives in pure contentment with Martha, her whippets, and her 13 llamas.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Muriel Rose, and her brothers Ronald Rose and Steve Rose.
She is survived by her brothers Jack (Lorraine) Rose and Chris (Becky) Rose of Minnesota and her sister Theresa (Connie) Rose of Mexico and Minnesota, and many nieces and nephews. She is survived, as well, by Martha Fulton (and her daughter Megan) her lifelong friend who managed her care and estate for the last two years, Numahka Swan, who helped with Karen's care, her alpacas/llama, and her estate, Kerri Hartman and Laura Lee Deluca, her friends from the fiber community who stepped in as caregivers when she needed help, and Kristin Cooper, who was instrumental in supporting her to get the help she needed. Also, her many friends and neighbors from Port Townsend and the fiber community. She loved you all!
A celebration of life will be hosted by the Bazaar Girls Yarn Shop and Fibre Emporium in Brigid's Loft (above the yarn shop), 280 Quincy Street, Port Townsend on Sept. 8 at 1 p.m. There will be food, and time to share stories with the family. Her ashes will be scattered in Puget Sound where she loved and spent her happiest days and years. Memorials can be made in Karen's memory to the Humane Society, Alzheimer Research and the Local Farm Tour in Port Townsend.
Come Celebrate Karen!
