Karolyn Ann Weiss

Karolyn Ann (Testerman/Lipe) Weiss was born at home on August 19, 1950, in rural Saginaw, Missouri. She passed away peacefully at her home in Gladstone, Missouri, on September 27, 2025, after battling cancer for nearly two years.

Karolyn dedicated over 45 years to nursing, touching the hearts of her patients, their families, and her coworkers while working in nursing homes and home health care across three states. She didn’t let her fibromyalgia stop her from caring for others, often spending time outside of work to help her patients or simply keep them company. She frequently prayed for or with her patients, sharing with them her love for the Lord.

In 1974, Karolyn met her husband, Eric, while working in a nursing home in Joplin, Missouri. Eric was captivated by the nurse with long hair and beautiful blue eyes (who had just received her nursing license the week before) who brought his federal review team the patient files. They started dating, fell in love, and married within a year. Over the next 50 years they moved 17 times (counting apartments and houses) throughout Missouri, Texas, and Washington State before returning to Missouri at the end of 2019.

Karolyn deeply loved her family—her husband, her children, her grandchildren, and her parents, whom she visited often even after moving away. She later regularly visited her parents’ graves in Seneca, Missouri, and reflected on the happy times of growing up on their farm outside Joplin.

Karolyn (or Karol Ann, as she preferred) delighted in hummingbirds (as did her mother), blue skies, the color of autumn leaves, Ethiopian cuisine, and her two favorite dogs, Malcolm Andrew (Cocker Spaniel) and Samuel Andrew (Miniature Schnauzer). She enjoyed writing about her childhood and her family. She had a lifelong interest in American history, particularly the Civil War and the lives of the presidents and their wives. She twice visited Washington, D.C., went with her daughter Erica to Prague and Boston, and toured Germany and other parts of Europe with Eric. She loved the years that she and Eric lived near Seattle and their son Jon-Michael and his family, being present for her grandson’s adoption. She was especially grateful that her daughter Jordan came to live with her and Eric during her illness.

Karolyn was preceded in death by her parents, Lester Testerman and Betty (Emery) Testerman, and her brother, Lonnie Testerman.

Karolyn is survived by her loving husband of 50 years, Eric Weiss; their children, Jon-Michael Richardson (Gary), Erica Hogan (Matt), and Jordan Weiss; and their grandchildren, London Weiss, Brooklyn-BelAir Moos, Gray Hogan, and Wyatt Richardson.

A Graveside Service will be held at 12 p.m., Thursday, October 9 at White Chapel Memorial Gardens, 6600 NE Antioch Rd, Gladstone, MO, 64119.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to:

Saint Luke’s Foundation, ATTN: Home Care & Hospice, 901 E 104TH ST, STE #100S, KANSAS CITY, MO 64131

Note: In memory of Karolyn Weiss

Or online at:

https://saintlukeskc.org/giving/saint-lukes-foundation

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