Karen A. Oren

Oren, Karen A.MCFARLAND - Karen A. Oren, age 73, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011, at Don and Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center in Fitchburg, after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer. She was born at Stoughton Hospital in Stoughton on Feb. 11, 1937, the daughter of Ted and Amy (Stennes) Cook. Karen married her high school sweetheart, Phillip H. Oren, at Christ Lutheran Church in Stoughton, on Oct. 19, 1957. She was involved in the travel industry beginning in 1955 with training in Minneapolis. She earned the designation Certified Travel Counselor and was a lifetime member of The Travel Institute. Karen worked in various travel agencies in and around Madison and forged the way for generations of women business owners to come by founding Chalet Travel in Stoughton in 1974. She especially enjoyed arranging and escorting tours for various groups. Her extensive travel brought her great pleasure as she had many opportunities to explore God's creation. Karen's most enjoyable experiences were sharing activities with her treasured grandchildren, family and family gatherings, time with friends and entertaining in their home. She enjoyed her loving Christian family and many faithful friends, serving the Lord as a lifetime member of Christ Lutheran Church through teaching Sunday School, as a member of Elizabeth Circle, and member and officer of the Christ Lutheran Endowment Foundation and countless other activities. Karen served on and was an officer of the Stoughton Hospital Board of Directors and was a member of POSH (Partners of Stoughton Hospital). She was a member of Daughters of the Nile, McFarland Lioness Club, and life member of the Stoughton Historical Museum. Her other pleasures included bridge, euchre, stitchery and ladies luncheon groups and times she spent bowling, skiing, golfing, and her years as a Girl Scout and Brownie leader. She enjoyed spending time with her lifelong FESPK friends, Mary Lou, Lois, Georgia, Re, Sylvia, Barbara, Margit, LaVonne and Susie. Karen is survived by her husband Phillip; daughters, Kristi Everson, Madison, and Susan (Rick) Selvey, Elkhorn; grandchildren, Kelsie Everson, Lynne Everson, Connor Selvey and Wade Selvey; sister, Carolyn (William) Slaney, Stoughton; special niece and nephew, Bethany Huwe and Timothy Edwards; aunt, Viola Cantwell, Stoughton; AFS daughter, Anni Kalaudi Papadooli, Greece; sister-in-law, Linda Jenkins, Madison, and her son Scott and his family; brother and sister-in-law, Peter and Terri Oren, Madison, and their children, Shawn and Mindy and their families; many dear friends and family. She was preceded in death by her parents; mother and father-in-law, Harold and Elizabeth Oren; brother-in-law, Kenneth "Whitey" Jenkins; and grand niece, Amelia Huwe. Funeral services will be held at CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH, 700 County Rd. B, Stoughton, at 11 a.m., on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011, with Pastor Paula Geister-Jones presiding. Burial will be at Town of Dunn Burying Ground. Visitation will be at the church on Friday, Jan. 28, 2011 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., and on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Karen and her family wish to express their sincere thanks to Dr. Joyce Brehm, Dr. Edward Prendergast, Pastor Paula Geister-Jones, the entire HospiceCare staff, and a special thanks to Dr. Howard Bailey at UW Carbone Cancer Center for his endless compassion and guidance as she made her journey. Memorials may be made in Karen's name to HospiceCare Inc. or Christ Lutheran Endowment Foundation. Memorials: Memorials may be made in Karen's name to HospiceCare Inc. or Christ Lutheran Endowment Foundation. Cemetery: Burial will be at Town of Dunn Burying Ground. Visitation: Visitation will be at the church on Friday, Jan. 28, 2011 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., and on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Service: Funeral services will be held at CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH, 700 County Rd. B, Stoughton, at 11 a.m., on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011, with Pastor Paula Geister-Jones presiding.