Karen Elaine (Snyder) Rowe, 75, of Overland Park, KS, died Wednesday, November 28, 2018, at her Care Haven home. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 3rd, at Harvest Ridge Covenant Church, 22015 Midland Drive, Shawnee, KS; burial at Mount Moriah Cemetery. The family will receive guests from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to KU Endowment in support of the Alzheimer’s Disease Center www.kuendowment.org/givenow. Because Karen was a dedicated blood donor who championed numerous blood drives for the Community Blood Center, the family suggests donating blood in Karen’s honor if you are able http://www.savealifenow.org/

Karen was born August 21, 1943, in Kansas City, KS, to Florence M. (Rauter) and Harlan I. Snyder, and was a lifelong Kansas City area resident. She graduated from Wyandotte High School in 1961, and the University of Kansas School of Nursing with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1965. She received her Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance from UMKC in 1987. Karen was a registered nurse who served as a school nurse for over 30 years in districts throughout the Kansas City area. She was a talented cook, musician, and seamstress, who welcomed everyone into her home with grace and compassion. Karen was an active church member and volunteer. Her Christian faith and love of music remained strong even after dementia took hold, which is a comfort to her family. Karen was preceded in death by her loving and dedicated husband of over forty-nine years, Edward A. Rowe.  She is survived by her three children - Elizabeth S. Rowe of Leawood, KS; Elaine K. (Doug) Scheelk of Shawnee, KS; and Marcus E. (Missi) Rowe of Nashville, TN; eight grandchildren - Grant, Greta, and Greyden Gustafson; Samuel and Sophia Rowe; Liv Williams; Mallory and Brooks Scheelk; and her sister, Kathleen G. Gibbs, and family.

Karen gave us many gifts -- most notably faith, love, laughter, and hospitality. She will be greatly missed by everyone whose lives she touched.