Karen McLanahan

Karen McLanahan, age 85, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 30. Karen was born in 1940 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, a town along the Oregon Trail. Her parents, Arnold and Doris Broberg, created a very loving family for Karen and her three younger siblings, Janet, Diane, and Gary.

Her father’s job took the family from Nebraska to Denver, CO; Los Angeles, CA; Phoenix, AZ, Seattle, WA and Cincinnati OH. In Seattle, Karen attended Ballard High School. There, she formed many lasting friendships, including with her two best friends (both named Kathy), and served as editor of the high school yearbook. Karen was always creative and even made all of her own clothes.

Karen later moved with her family to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she attended the University of Cincinnati. It was there that she met her future husband, Ronald McLanahan, who had recently returned from the Air Force and enrolled at UC. They married when Karen was just twenty years old and spent the next 65 years together.

Karen supported Ron in his dream of earning an MBA and becoming an FBI agent. She was a talented writer and editor of his papers—just one of the many ways they made a great team. Ron’s career with the FBI began a life marked by frequent moves, which they embraced as part of their shared adventure. No matter where they lived, they were always each other’s home.

Over the years, they lived in many places, including Alexandria, VA; Mobile, AL; Union Springs, AL; New Rochelle, NY; Monterey, CA; Little Ferry, NJ; Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico; Miami, FL; Burke, VA; Medford, NJ; and Fairfax Station, VA. Wherever they went, Karen used her creativity to make each house a home. She had a gift for painting, wallpapering, decorating, and creating warm, welcoming spaces. She became a gifted quilter as well.

Their first child, Steven, was born in Alabama, and their second child, Amy, was born in Florida. Karen was a devoted mother whose support and encouragement remained constant throughout her children’s lives.

Although frequent moves made it difficult to maintain a long-term career outside the home, Karen found great joy in her work at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. As an assistant to the museum curator, she coordinated the docents who guided visitors through the historic home—a role that perfectly matched her love of history and historic houses.

After Ron retired from the FBI, they moved to Chagrin Falls, Ohio, for his second career, before retiring in 1994 to Colorado Springs, Colorado. There, they built their dream home with a view of Pikes Peak. Although they loved their time in Colorado, their priorities shifted after 9/11, and they chose to be closer to their children. They sold their home and relocated to homes in both Reno, Nevada, near their son Steven, and to Dublin, Ohio, near their daughter Amy.

This decision allowed them to be an active and cherished part of their grandchildren’s lives. Karen was a loving and devoted grandmother to Evan, Emma, and Ally. She shared with them her love of reading, sewing, baking, crafting, musicals, movies, games, and travel.

Karen and Ron shared a long and meaningful final chapter, including more than 30 years of retirement. They spent much of that time with family, traveling the country in their RV, exploring sites along the Oregon trail, and simply enjoying being together.

Karen lived for many years with Alzheimer’s disease before it ultimately took her from us.

She is survived by her husband, Ronald; her children, Steven (and his wife Laurie) and Amy (and her husband John); her sisters, Janet and Diane; her grandchildren, Evan, Emma, and Ally; and many other loving family members and friends.

A memorial service will be held for family and friends on Saturday April 11, 2026 at 2:00pm followed by a visitation until 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation in her memory, in the hope of helping other families in the future.