Karen Johnson

Karen Lee Johnson, age 71, of Faribault, longtime teacher at Jefferson Elementary School, passed away peacefully on Monday, May 20, 2013 at her home.

Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at the Congregational Church of Faribault United Church of Christ with the Rev. Jan Bodin, officiating. Interment will be held at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Johnsonville Township, Redwood County, MN.

Visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. and at the church on Wednesday for one hour prior to services. There will be no reviewal at the church on Wednesday.

The family prefers that memorials be directed to the National Ovarian Cancer Research Coalition, 2501 Oak Lawn Ave., Suite 435, Dallas, TX 75219, in memory of Karen.

Karen Lee Johnson, the daughter of Earl and Elsie (Donner) Johnson, was born on January 5, 1942 in Tracy, MN. She attended Wabasso High School and graduated with the class of 1960. Following high school Karen attended the University of Minnesota Morris and earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education. Karen's teaching career began in 1966 in Redwood Falls, MN where she taught until 1969. In 1969 she moved to Faribault and started a 31 year career with the Faribault Public Schools. All of those years were at Jefferson Elementary School teaching Third Grade. She was a dedicated teacher to her students and took a personal interest in each of them. Karen retired in 2000. On July 16, 1988 she was united in marriage to George Wickstrom Jr. in Faribault. Karen was a member of several organizations including AAUW, Delta Kappa Gamma, Friends of the Library, District One Hospital Auxiliary, several Bridge Groups, two breakfast clubs and a book club. Karen enjoyed reading, gardening, traveling and her cats. She also volunteered at the Clothes Closet when she was able and helped at many AAUW book sales. She was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Faribault.

She is survived by her husband, George Wickstrom Jr. of Faribault; by seven step children, Adrienne A. Wickstrom of Shoreview, MN, David B. (Joan) Wickstrom of Winona, MN and their children, Emily, Shannon and Laura, Andriette Y. Wickstrom of Storm Lake, IA, Rebecca L. (Richard) Keller of Lino Lakes, MN and their children, Stephanie, Timothy and Kirsten, Evelyn D. (Kevin) Bjork of Stillwater, MN and their children, Bryce, Bryan, Andrew and Sean, Steven L. (Camille) Wickstrom of Chaska, MN and their children, Eleanor and Jack and Lawrence E. (Lissa) Wickstrom of Portland, OR; by her siblings, Lois Schmidt of Renville, MN, LaVon Good of Starbuck, MN and LaVern Johnson of Benson, MN and by nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Lyle Johnson, father and mother-in-law, George Sr. and Vera Wickstrom, aunt-in-law, Marian Kletschka and sister and brother-in-law, Mary Ann and John Liposcak.