Karen Leigh Boyd

Karen Leigh Boyd passed away peacefully on August 18, 2024, after bravely battling cancer for two-and-a-half years. Karen was born in Renton, Washington, on November 14, 1951, to Elroy and Beth (Leep) Gullingsrud. She was their second child of four including brothers Herb, Kenneth and Bruce.

Raised in Maple Valley, Karen’s mom and dad always provided plenty of activities to enjoy with snow skiing, water skiing, and boating as regular events. Family vacations included camping and road trips with lots of stops for sightseeing and hiking. At home, there were horses to ride and a varying menagerie of cows, chickens and pigs, along with a couple of dogs and cats, to care for and be entertained by.

Graduating from Tahoma High School in 1970, Karen was briefly married before finding her true talent and passion. After attending the Burnley School of Professional Arts, she set up her graphic arts studio in Issaquah where she applied her skills for many years. The city of Issaquah was one of her biggest repeat clients, with Karen providing the artwork and promotional concepts for the annual Salmon Days festival.

Eventually Karen left behind the stress of finding her next client to keep the bills paid and worked at various retailers until she was hired by the Carpinito Brothers in Kent in 1997. She retired in 2011, but always found time for her passion and continued to draw, paint and sketch.

Before retirement, Karen bought the family home, providing a place for her mom and dad to return from their travels and snowbirding in Arizona. In their later years, Karen became a caregiver for both parents until their passing, her dad in 2017 and her mom in 2020.

Karen is survived by her siblings, Herb (Carol) in California; Ken (Cindy) and Bruce (Tricia) in Washington; seven nieces and nephews, Angie, Joel, Eric, Jonny (Aubrea), Josh (Lindsay), Tyler (Lindsay), Justin (Allison); 11 grandnephews and grandnieces, Mark, Sicily, Zeke, Cason, Braden, Ivy, Nolan, Freja, Cohen, Hugo, and Jonny, Jr.; and four cousins, Jack (Nancy), Heidi (Greg), Jill, and Bobby (Shelly).

In addition to her parents, Karen was preceded in death by her uncles, Ordean, Bud, Frank, Roy and Gordon; aunts, Betty, Freda, Flossie, Carrie, Merril and Ginny; cousins Cheryl and Dick; and niece Andrea.

There will be a brief graveside service at Greenwood Memorial Park, 350 Monroe Ave. NE, Renton, Washington on September 20th, at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Providence Hospice at https://give.providence.org/wa/hospiceseattle/donate