KAREN STROM

Karen Marlene Strom of Braham Minnesota, passed away on Monday, July 24 at Elmhurst Commons. She was 81 years old.

Karen was born October 3, 1941, along with a twin sister Carol, to parents Lyle and Aileen (Sims) Rasmussen at home in Bruce, Wisconsin. She grew up on the family farm, the seventh of twelve siblings.  She attended Bruce Elementary and graduated high school in 1959. After high school, Karen moved to Anoka, Minnesota where she had a job as a nanny. She met Rudy Rasmussen in Isanti, Minnesota. They married at the Catholic Church in Cambridge, on June 25, 1960, and were blessed with three children. This marriage later ended in 1985. At that time Karen was working at MinnCo Credit Union as a teller. She met Kenneth L. Strom in 1986 and they were married at Cambridge Lutheran Church on March 21, 1987. They lived on the farm in rural Cambridge, Minnesota until Ken’s passing in 1997.  She then moved to Braham, where she resided until her death.

Karen always tried to put God first in her life. She was very active at the Long Lake Lutheran Church and later attended Braham Ev. Lutheran. She worked with the youth for many years as a Sunday school teacher, young Lutheran leader, softball coach, clowning ministry, and much more. It was important to her, that her children and others had a good insight of Christ.

Karen loved cross country skiing with the family, sewing for her three children, and trips to Wild River State Park.  She loved traveling to Albany, New York; Plano, Illinois; Bruce, Wisconsin; and Alaska. The apples of her eye were her three grandchildren, Dave, Nick and Jenna. She will be missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Kenneth, three brothers, Dick, Mike and Jim Rasmussen, and sister Blanche Krager.

Karen is survived by her children, David (Trina) Rasmussen, Dean (Chris) Rasmussen, Pamela (Larry) Anderson: grandchildren, David Rasmussen, Nicholas Rasmussen (Alysha), Jenna Rasmussen (James);  9 great grandchildren; brothers, Neil (Madge) Rasmussen, Donald (Nancy) Rasmussen, Larry (Bev) Rasmussen; sisters, Clara (Ervin) DeMarco, Carol Hoium, Joan (Bill) Krager, and Nancy Rasmussen; sister-in-law Mary Ellen Rasmussen; special friend Mike Gustafson; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

 A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at the Hamilton Funeral Homes - Rock Chapel in Braham with Rick Martens officiating.

A Memorial Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

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