Karen Louise Dunkel-Davis

We share with great sadness that Karen Louise Dunkel-Davis, 75, went home to be with the Lord in heaven on May 26, 2022 in Bakersfield, California. Karen was born on February 23, 1947 and welcomed into her family by her parents, Dick and Thora Dunkel as well as her older brother, Thomas (Tommy). She grew up on a farm in Fresno where she cared for her baby cows and collie dogs. Her love of dogs continued and she owned many of them through the years. She graduated from Clovis High School in 1964. While in high school, she was voted as Blossom Day Queen, and was a member of the swim team. She loved attending the football and basketball games and especially the dances after! In the summer, she was a lifeguard at the local pool. Karen and her best friend, Sylvia, loved to gallivant around together and often stopped at Foster Freeze for a Pepsi freeze.

After briefly living in a few other cities, Karen returned to the Central Valley, and worked at Kern County Medical Center in Bakersfield for 30 years. She met the love of her life, Richard (Dick) Davis while volunteering as youth softball coaches, and together they raised two sons. Upon retirement they had their dream home built in Bandon, Oregon and lived there for 4 years. She loved being out of the Bakersfield heat and enjoyed the beauty and peace of Bandon. Because family was of utmost important to her, Karen returned to be near them in Bakersfield in 2013 after her husband’s passing a few months earlier.

Karen’s life was filled with much laughter and we can imagine that laughter continuing in heaven now. She was an avid San Francisco Giants and 49ers fan. Her favorite vacation was traveling to San Francisco to cheer for the Giants in person. Karen was happiest when she was spending time with family, and together they made many memories over the years especially at Bass Lake, California. She could always be seen with a Diet Rite and Red Hots candies or sometimes a glass of milk and Oreos cookies.

Karen is survived by her sons, Louie (and Kerrie) Davis of San Antonio, Texas, and Michael (and Shelley) Dunkel of Bakersfield, California, her grandchildren, Lindsay, Mackenzie, Justin, Camden, Hayden, and Reid, her brother Tommy (and Patty) and many family and friends. She is preceded in death by her husband and parents.

Graveside services will be held at Fresno Memorial Gardens on June 11th at 10:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.