Karen Josephine Wilkie (Johnson). Beloved Daughter, Mother, Grandmother. 

Born on November 25, 1944 to Carnie Johnson and Clarice Johnson (Pederson) passed away on Sunday evening July 2, 2023 after a long and strong fight with Parkinson’s Disease. She is preceded in death by her parents and her sons Benjamin and Adam.

Karen was born in South Minneapolis and spent her whole life living there. She attended Cooper Elementary School, Sanford Junior High and South High School and graduated in the class of 1962. She met her husband Daniel Wilkie at South High and they married on May 1, 1965.

Karen was an only child and always wanted a big family. She was blessed with five children.

Benjamin Daniel (1966-2021)

Andrea Jane (1968, m. Jedd Beach)

Erika Joan (1970)

Nathan Peter Wayne (1972)

Adam Matthew (1975-2013)

And two grandchildren; Isabella Beach (1999) and Asher Beach (2001). 

She loved her children and grandchildren tremendously.

Karen was a stay at home until 1980 when she returned the workforce part time at Fairview Hospital in Minneapolis. She went on to return to school in 1990 at Saint Paul Technical College and earned her Civil Engineering Technician degree. She thrived in the college setting. She was talented in the fields of mathematics & science. She then worked for the Minnesota Department of Transportation until she retired in 2004. She was suffering from early Parkinson’s disease at the time but did not know it.

In addition to her intelligence in mathematics & science, she was also a gardener, a cook, a dancer, a musician and devout sports fan. 

As a young girl, she was a tap dancer. Later in life, if the mood and the music were right, she would break into a little “shuffle ball change” in the middle of the kitchen floor.  But you can't dance without some good music. She loved music! Folk, country, ragtime, Cajun/zydeco…  Simon & Garfunkel, Peter Paul & Mary, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson…  and any number of versions of Jolie Blonde…  It was a joy to watch her pick out a tune on her mandolin or the piano. 

If it wasn’t music in the background, it was the Minnesota Twins or the Minnesota Timberwolves on the radio. She, Ben & Adam as well as her father Carnie were nothing less than Superfans!

She enjoyed cooking. She made the most delicious raspberry jam and muffins with berries she grew. She loved fish & potatoes, pickles, cheese and cookies like a good Norwegian. No Christmas is complete without Swedish meatballs, herring & Lefse!!

She touched our lives in so many wonderful ways. 

She was loved and will be missed. 

 She is forever in our hearts.

Rest in peace Mom. 

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/karen-wilkie-johnson/obituary/

Copy