Karen L Risley

Karen Louise Risley, 62, passed away unexpectedly on January 1, 2013 at Saint Joseph Hospital. In lieu of flowers Karen requested donations be made to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge: 239 Turpentine Creek Lane, Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632. A Celebration of Karen’s life will be held at 6:30 P.M on January 21, 2013 at Faith Presbyterian Church, 8301 James A. Reed Road Raytown, MO 64138, 816-353-3378. Casual dress; of course.

Karen was born in Kansas City, MO. She graduated from Northeast High School in 1968 where she was involved in many activities, but her favorite was the Trailblazers Drum and Bugle Corp. where she was the Drum Majorette. Throughout her life she held many jobs: She was an E.M.T. and firefighter in Holt, MO. She worked in various positions at Lathrop, Commerce, Mercantile and U.M.B. banks. Karen was most recently employed at the I.R.S. for the last 13 years and was anticipating retirement.

Karen was a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. She didn't like to dress up and particularly hated dresses! She had a love of life and never met a stranger; she made people feel right at home and welcomed many new friends into our home. Karen enjoyed camping, canoeing, hiking, travelling, cooking, baking, making candy arrangements and watching football. She was a lifelong Chiefs fan and for the last few years, a Mizzou Tigers football fan. She was positively apoplectic when they joined the S.E.C. as it ended the Boarder Wars with K.U. as well as ending her good-natured taunting of her K.U. co-workers.

Her favorite artists were Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond, The BeeGees and Bette Midler, but was open to many different kinds of music. Her favorite movies were Breakfast at Tiffanys, Steel Magnolias, Bridges of Madison County, Ghost and Dirty Dancing. Karen ardently collected M&M memorabilia of all kinds from clothing to figurines and displayed them proudly. Her favorite pastime was smoking meats and grilling. When we got married my gift to her, per her request, was a side cabinet smoker. She recently got her current favorite; a combination wood/charcoal and propane grill. Karen’s favorite color was yellow and whenever she sent flowers they were always yellow roses.

Karen and I fell in love with Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas and have visited and volunteered there for several years; most recently on her birthday for their Halloween Spooktacular. Every time we went down there we had to go to Autumn Breeze restaurant where she got the best lobster. Karen had her own outlook on life and her wishes were to not have a funeral or church service, but a cookout and a Celebration of Life which will be held at a later date and will be announced when the weather is better. She wanted cremation and for her ashes to be scattered.

Karen is survived by her husband Ralph of the home; parents, John & Elanor Stover of Climax Springs; a brother, Eddie & wife Karen; a sister, Debbie Jackson; a son, James Robinson; a daughter, April Stephenson & husband Kurt; a stepson, Lee Risley & wife Kaitlin; stepdaughters, Lora Jacobsen & husband Dustin and Brie Wells & husband Corey. Karen didn't like the term stepson or stepdaughter and loved them as her own. She also leaves behind her cats, Chessie & Sugar (both rescues); many nieces; nephews and grandchildren who knew her as NaNa.

I have lost the love of my life; Karen was the best thing to ever happen to me. We shared our life; married for just under 14 years and were friends for several years before that. Two things she really wanted to do before she got too old to enjoy them were taking an Alaskan cruise close to the glaciers and returning to the East Coast to stay at Niagra Falls, neither of which she was able to accomplish.