I am so very sorry to hear my dearest friend from my

Childhood, Karen Knoblauch Brewington has died.

We were best buddies all through our childhood and

Even were in each others wedding.  She was just the

Best friend to me.   I am sorry we lived so far apart and were

Not able to see each other for many years.  My deepest

Sympathy to all of you.  Sincerely, Linda Hundhausen Ciosek

847-882-0414.

Thank you Miss Karen I’m honored to have learned from you as a student. You were right, I made it. 

Sending love before my next tour,

-Ashé

On behalf of my family, please accept our deepest sympathies on the passing of Karen. We will always remember her fondly as she was such an influence on our children. Our kids, Vickie and Kyle spent many hours and years under her tutelage of such a talented teacher. Karen sparked a love for tap dancing that has lasted their entire lives.   Again, my family and I are so very sorry for your loss.

Deanna, Chris, Vickie and Kyle Rudolph

Karen, Judy and me Jo Ann Oellermann were bff at Southwest High School. We were Alpha  Phi sorority during our Southwest High School  from 1959. Thru January 1962  graduation

When I danced in college and my teacher or director would give me feedback, I always said, "thank you" because that's what Ms. Karen taught us. Feedback is a gift. Someone only gives it if they care enough about you to want you to be better. But I guess not everyone taught that, because my teachers and directors always looked surprised!

This continued at work. My managers and colleagues were always surprised when I responded to their feedback with, "Thank you." But it came naturally to me, because that's what Ms. Karen taught us.

Needless to say, I said thank you to Ms. Karen a lot over the years - there was a lot to correct. But can we ever thank her enough for what she gave to us? The discipline she taught us. The community she helped us create. The joy she brought to us through incredible choreography.

Thank you Ms. Karen. We are so grateful for everything you gave to us. You're gone but constantly remembered by your students, and because we have a step named after you 😉

Flap heel heel pull heel toe heel pull heel flap heel heel toe heel! I bet there are many of us here who can still recite that one!

I am saddened by the news that Karen passed. In the twenty years I worked with her at the Dance Center, I found her to be talented, concerned about her students, and fun to be with. She worked tirelessly for the studio. I will remember with a smile our time together.

The Brewingtons lived next door to our family from the time we moved to Fenton, when I was 10.  I babysat for the boys, and the entire family were like family of ours.  To this day, when I would visit my mom, and saw Karen outside, she would always call over to me....Hello, Ruth Ann.  And we would meet and catch up for a few minutes.  Karen will be truly missed.  God speed!

I love these pictures of Karen! They show the ever-present twinkle in her eye. She  was a beautiful, happy, kind, talented, exuberant individual.  Karen was so funny, energetic, charismatic, and down-to-earth.  She loved to dance and to share her love and knowledge with her students. She was an excellent teacher. Karen was also a positive role model in so many dancers’ lives during their formative years. 

Karen taught each of my three daughters.  I can see Karen grinning and jumping around with the girls during animal action.  I remember her putting on old records and dancing to oldies but goodies in the corner.  Boogie, Woogie Bugle Boy is front and center when it comes to my Karen memories as well. She was so dynamic. You  could always spot a Karen routine at a recital performance! She left her unique, brilliant mark on everything she touched. 

Karen talked to me many, many times about her sons. She was so proud of you three. Her eyes would light up  telling me about your travels and how much she enjoyed spending time with you as adults.  I have always deeply admired her strength and resilience in raising her sons and focusing on the positive in life. 

Karen made the world a better place. She will continue to live on through all who loved her including her sons, her sister,  and all of her dance students and their families. 

Karen was a show person. Everything  about her was appealing.  We’re brokenhearted, but her memories will live on. 

Thank you, Karen. God bless you and yours.

Miss Karen was always there for her former dancers.  Every spring she would ask where they were competing and she would make time to be there and cheer them on.  This is one of my favorite photos of Miss Karen when she came out to support our daughter at a competition almost five years ago.  We will miss her energy and support and our deepest sympathy goes out to her family.

I went from a shy girl, who had her eyes glued on the floor, to a confident young lady thanks to Ms. Karen. She brought me out of my shell and onto the stage when she taught me a solo tap competition piece to "In the Mood." Thanks to her, not only do I love to tap dancing and performing to this day, but I also have more confidence in myself. Every time I do the Ms. Karen step, I'll think of you.

Hearing of Miss Karen’s death hit me quite hard, which surprised me considering that I haven’t seen her since 2008. But then I thought about why I would be feeling this way and it made complete sense. Miss Karen was my dance teacher from 1991-2001, and during that time, she had quite an impact on my life. In ’93, she asked me to try out for, I believe, the first competition group for Dance Center, or at least the Ballwin studio. I was so intimidated, but I wanted to prove myself so badly. I practiced constantly, and to this day, I can still perform “This Joint is Jumpin’” in its entirety. We were so young when we brought that dance to competition, between 9-11 years, but she expected perfection, and we gave it to her and reaped the rewards, going all the way to San Antonio for the Showstopper National Competition. Dave Bommarito, the studio owner at the time would say, “That routine is dynamite!” She wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. She didn’t sugar coat her criticisms… she told it like it was with her raspy voice. She would stop the music if she heard a mistake, and we would repeat the steps over and over again until we got it right. She would get so excited with a clap and a "YES!" when we’d finally nail it. I appreciated how she challenged us; I felt it really showed how much she cared and her belief in us that we could always improve. She loved tel tone taps and dancing with props, push brooms, jump ropes, chairs. She drew inspiration from the greats like Gregory Hines, Gene Kelly, and Fred Astair. I loved the theatrical Vaudeville and Broadway style tap dances we would do on occasion. I always enjoyed performing her choreography and I’m so grateful for great tap technique that I can still use to this day. Making music with my feet has been one of my greatest joys in life. Thank you, Miss Karen, for being an important person in my life.

Hearing of Miss Karen's death hit me quite hard, which surprised me considering that I haven't seen her since 2008. But then I thought about why I would be feeling this way and it made complete sense. Miss Karen was my dance teacher from 1991-2001, and during that time, she had quite an impact on my life. In '93, she asked me to try out for, I believe, the first competition group for Dance Center, or at least the Ballwin studio. I was so intimidated, but I wanted to prove myself so badly. I practiced constantly, and to this day, I can still perform " This Joint is Jumpin'" in it's entirety. We were so young when we brought that dance to competition, between 9-11 years, but she expected perfection, and we gave it to her and reaped the rewards. We went all the way to San Antonio for the Showstopper Nationals. Dave Bommarito, the studio owner at the time would say, " That routine is dynamite!" She wasn't everyone's cup of tea. She didn't sugar coat her criticisms...she told it like it was with her raspy voice. She would stop the music if she heard a mistake, and we would repeat the steps over and over again until we got it right. She would get so excited with a clap and a "YES!" when we'd finally nail it. I appreciated how she challenged us; I felt it showed how much she cared and her belief in us that we could always improve. She loved tel tone taps and dancing with props, push brooms, jump ropes, chairs. She drew inspiration from the greats like Gregory Hines, Gene Kelly, and Fred Astair. I loved the theatrical Vaudeville and Broadway style tap dances we would do on occasion. I loved performing her choreography and I'm so grateful for great tap technique that I can still use to this day. Making music with my feet has been one of my greatest joys in life, and I owe that to Miss Karen. Thank you for being an important part of my life.

Miss Karen was a wonderful teacher! She fostered a love of dance for so many, but also fostered lifelong friendships among her many students. In moments of deep thought or problem solving I find myself inadvertently doing “The Karen Step” which is forever ingrained in my muscle memory. Hearing certain songs also stimulates the innate memory of her choreography and the correlating memories shared in the studio, recitals, and competitions. She had an impact on so many and provided us with many life lessons on determination, discipline, time management, and creativity. We always wanted to get it right whenever we were with her and I’ll forever think of her with every count of “5,6,7,8”.

Dearest Miss Karen…Thank you for all your gifts and talents you shared. 20 yrs later your choreography is still remembered and danced perfectly when one of the songs comes on. 
Until we meet again in a better place.  
Keeping your family in our hearts and prayers. 
Love, 
Jen Sandefur
Jessica Sandefur Crawford

It’s hard to name just one memory with Miss Karen. She impacted so much of my life & continues to do so to this day. Miss Karen was my first dance teacher at 3 years old & I was lucky to have her all the way through my senior year. She informed me what my derrière was. She taught me that if I fall down to sign my name on the floor then get right back up and keep going. She’s the reason my feet randomly break out into tap (specifically at the grocery store, she told us to practice while we shop & it stuck). She showed me how to be discipline & that I can always strive for more. She was tough but in the best way. She held her students to a high standard & would accept nothing less. She’d randomly become inspired by one specific move and make us drill it until we could execute it (I can fish flop like no other but must admit I never nailed a switch leap). She choreographed in her sleep, she often showed up to class with an elaborate story about her dreams telling her what the dance needed. She loved a prop & a hat & a small little hip hop section where she could sneak it in. Bc of her I can tap dance while twirling a broom, I’m pretty good at jumping rope, & I’ve done a dance to just about every genre of song you can think of. Miss Karen was the first person to really push me & give me opportunities. She helped instill the love of dance in me that I carry to this day. So much of who I am is bc of her & seriously how lucky am I to have had such a strong woman influence so much of my life. I would never be in New York pursuing dance if it were not for her. I wanted to be able to call her one day & tell her I did it, we did it. I wanted her in the audience to share the success. The last conversation I had with her she told me to “keep going” & I will never stop. It breaks my heart that I can’t make it to STL to celebrate her life. I wish I could thank her one more time. Miss Karen was a force and I will be forever grateful that I got to grow up learning from her.

I will forever thank Miss Karen for igniting my love for dance. Her wisdom, kindness, and humor in and out of the studio is something I have carried on with me throughout the years. Every time I put on a pair of tap shoes, I think of her and the constant love and support she gave to each and every one of her students. She will be greatly missed.

Just wanted your family to know how sad we are about your passing.  Will always remember those wonderful lunches with you and your sister.

Remembering Miss Karen with great love and affection. I will always thank her for sharing the joy of dance with me, and remember her with a smile.

Our daughter was so lucky to have Miss Karen as a dance teacher. She exuded a kind of no-nonsense affection for all her students, and her playful spirit made classes both fun and instructive. Most of all, she was generous—with her expertise and her caring. She will be missed.

What a privilege it was to observe Karen teach her love of dance to her students, with her endless energy, technique, and that sparkle in her eye.  We are so very glad we signed our daughter up for her first tap class so many years ago, and will forever be grateful to Karen for imparting a joy in dance our daughter carries with her still.   Our thoughts are with her friends and family.

Karen and I have been buddies for over 30 yrs.  The time I spent with her will always be a treasure.  She took both my children under her wing and taught them enough to fly.  I am forever grateful.
I will miss "girl time" at our burger place and will think of her every time I drive by.
I'll miss you.

Kate

I knew Karen through dance. Everyone knows she was a great teacher,  but I was always impressed with how lovingly she taught kids with special needs. She was a classy woman who was always young at heart. My sympathies to the family!

OBITUARIO

Karen Jean Brewington

30 junio, 1943 – 1 febrero, 2024

Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary

Muestre su apoyo

Comparta Un Recuerdo

Comparta
Un Obituario

Obtenga actualizaciones

Servicios