Karen was born October 8, 1954 in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Elsworth and Margaret (Price) Price. She was raised a Jehovahs Witness and confirmed in the Jewish Faith. She attended Elementary School in Parma, Ohio until she was 10 years old, moved to Arizona in 5th grade to 10th grade and attended Vail School in Vail, Arizona and attended 11th and 12th grade, graduating Santa Rita High School. Karen received a scholarship and went to Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona, where she received her diploma as a Practical Nurse and took a two day test to receive her Practical Nursing License. She worked at the VA Hospital in Tucson during her long nursing career.

During her high school and college years, she worked as a medical secretary. Then she worked as a nurse for 28 years in Arizona and Minnesota. Karen was exceptionally good working with terminally ill patients insuring their last days were comfortable and near pain free. She always made sure someone was with them when they passed. She worked at Oakland Park Nursing Home in Thief River Falls benefiting and enhancing the patients quality of life and the nursing structure. She was injured on the job while working at a full care nursing home facility in Rochester at Samaritan Bethany Heights in 1999 when she was assisting to lift a patient when the staff were short and had been permanently disabled since then. Since her disability, she focused on her family and raising her grandchildren that she had taken in and enhancing their quality of life until her death.

Karens family always came first, but her other great passion was for cross stitching and collecting patterns. She had many cross stitching friends all over the world that she corresponded and traded with. With her disability, the computer and internet was a major release and joy for her. She was and still is a mentor for all aspiring nurses and especially her daughter, Keren. Karen always kept up to date on all the new nursing techniques and medical breakthroughs.

She was a member of nursing groups and cross stitch clubs locally and internationally.

Karen was married to Jeffrey F. Bloom for a short time, then met her life long loving husband, Kent Joel Hanson in 1979, married in 1984 and were happily married and deeply in love until her death.

Karen is survived by her husband, Kent of Thief River Falls, MN; three children: Lance Joshua Hanson of Tucson, Arizona, Keren Annette Bloom (Daniel) Mapes of Spring Valley, MN and Kendra Annette Hanson of Thief River Falls, MN; two grandchildren: Joshua Lance Hanson of Spring Valley, MN and Brittany Annette Hanson of Thief River Falls, MN; her mother, Margaret Mary Price of Tucson, AZ; two brothers: William Earl Chipkesh of Tucson, AZ and William Price Ebis of Fayette, Tennessee; two sisters: Cassandra Peine of Thompson, Ohio and Nadine Rose of Madison, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father, Elsworth Price; Aunt Helen and Aunt Betty; Uncle John and Uncle Steve; her maternal grandparents, John and Anna Nyetrae and paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Zook.