Obituaries : Karen Kaut

Karen Kaut, 79, of Center Point, died Monday, March 11, 2019, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha. Visitation: 9 to 11 a.m.
Friday, March 15, at Center Point United Methodist Church Worship Center. Funeral service: 11 a.m. Friday, March 15, at the worship center. Burial: Center Point Cemetery. Arrangements made by Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Center Point.
Karen was born March 30, 1939, to Hilda (Knoke) and Floyd Stainbrook of Brandon, Iowa. She attended school at Luzerne and Van Horne. On July 1, 1956, she married her high school sweetheart, Ed Kaut, in St. Louis, Mo. They celebrated 60 years together a month before Ed's passing on July 11, 2016. Karen and Ed were the proud and devoted parents of Tim (deceased) and Lori (Bill) Hannen and the proud grandparents of Ashley Hannen.
She was preceded in death by her son, Tim; husband, Ed; parents, Hilda and Floyd; brother, Bill; niece, Maureen Kaut; in-laws; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
In her work life, Karen served the city of Center Point for 20 years, first as deputy clerk and then as the city clerk/treasurer. She was a member of the Center Point United Methodist Church family, the United Methodist Women and the Amazing Grays small group.
She bonded with her friends each morning at the Pizza Place or O'Brien's, where they were treated like family. Karen dearly loved her family and her extended family. She was fiercely loyal to her friends. Her beloved husband, Ed; her dear son, Tim; her incredible and beautiful daughter, Lori; her patient and caring son-in-law, Bill; and the delight of her life, her granddaughter, Ashley, WERE HER HEART. Together with her daughter Lori, who walked with her through it all, her brother, Jim, and his significant other, Tracy, sister, Carla, and her "other brother," Robert, were always there for her. As were her sisters of the heart, Charlotte and Loretta; her dear friends, Linda, Donna and Benita; and her wonderful neighbors as well as the "coffee girls." They got her through Ed's passing and helped her through her illness. She was truly blessed.
Karen never met a dog or cat she didn't love. The only pets she ever called her own were strays and rescue animals. She had a strict rule that she would never watch a movie if the dog died at the end. Her cats, Tonks and Sirius, as well as many other animals through the years, were a great comfort to her.
She wrote about her life in her poems, published for 25 years in "Lyrical Iowa." It became her ministry after the loss of her son, Tim, to reach out to other parents suffering loss.
The family would like to extend a special thank-you to Pastor Susan Higdon of Alice United Methodist Church for her many visits and prayers for hope, courage and faith as well as to staff of Emery Place and the Oldorf Hospice House.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha, American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Iowa City or the donor's choice.
Karen never hesitated to speak out for what she believed to be fair and right. While she was here she tried to make a difference. Now it will be up to you.
Please share a memory of Karen at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.