Karen Kathryn Hovey, 76, St. Cloud

February 8,1943 - August 23, 2019

Karen Kathryn Hovey, 76 was called home to rest on Friday, August 23, 2019 in the comfort of her home surrounded by devoted family and friends.

Funeral services will be Wednesday August 28, 2019 at 1:00 PM at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in DeWitt, Iowa. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Internment will be at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Petersville, Iowa. Funeral arrangements were made by Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN.

Karen was born February 8th, 1943 to Ray and Lola (Bowman) Goodall in Maquoketa, Iowa. She graduated from St. Joseph’s Catholic School in DeWitt, IA and cosmetology school in Clinton, IA. She married Robert Hovey in 1963 and they had 4 children. They raised their family in Davenport and Long Grove, IA until 1979 when they moved to St. Cloud, MN. In Iowa, she worked as a beautician alongside her mother in DeWitt and in salons in Davenport, had an in-home daycare, worked in retail at Ardan’s and as a home health aide. In MN she received her degree in Materials Management and worked for Archie’s Discount Store. She was called back to her passion of caring for others and opened her heart and home to countless children and adults in need of a loving nurturing home in the St. Cloud area. Karen enjoyed reading, garage sales, casino trips, travel, time at her lake cabin with family, friends and especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Karen is most known for her enormous heart and love for others, honesty, deep faith and heartwarming smile. She was recently described as a “story changer” because of the way she positively impacted the lives of everyone she met.

She is survived by Her children: Chris Hovey – St. Cloud, MN; Sue (Paul) Robinson - St. Cloud MN; Trish Hovey - Vancouver, WA; Jennifer (Doug) Reiter - Tierney St. Augusta, MN; Nikki Roundtree – St. Paul, MN; Grandchildren Melissa, Justin, Jessi, Jordan, Zack, Jacob, Lexi, Libby, Halia, Kaydence, Tierney and Kya, Lindsey, Robert, Renessa; 7 great-grandchildren; Sister, Madonna (Mike) Ryan - Naperville, IL; In-Laws Kay (Hovey) Tooker – Eagle Point OR, Judy Hovey – Eldridge, IA, Max and Bonnie Hovey – DeWitt, IA, Bev and Charlie Trimble, Superior, AZ Phil and Judy Hovey Bellevue, IA and many wonderful nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ray and Lola Goodall.

In lieu of flowers and in the spirit of Karen’s loving heart the family asks that you perform a random act of kindness in her name.