Karen Kay (Waits) Kronberg

Karen was born June 7, 1944 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska to Kenneth E Waits and Faye Bernice (Hudson) Waits. She graduated from Gering High School in 1962 and attended beautician school.

Karen married Stephen Edward Kronberg of Scottsbluff, Nebraska in Gering, Nebraska on December 26, 1965, when she was 21 years old. The young couple moved to Kansas City, Missouri for Stephen’s job with the Food and Drug Administration. After several more job-related moves, they landed in Yakima, Washington, where their twin sons, Scott Roy and Sean Kenneth, were born on August 12, 1974. The family settled in Lake Forest Park, Washington (outside Seattle) in 1976, where Karen and Stephen raised their family and have resided to this day.

Karen began her career as an office administrator with a lending company in Kansas City and she continued working throughout the couple’s various moves over the next 10 years. When the twins were born, she dedicated herself to raising her sons and volunteering at their schools, where she was very active in the PTA. When her boys were grown and raising their own families, Karen went to work for Meridian Women’s Health in Seattle for 15 years, where she enjoyed interacting daily with new mothers and their newborn babies. Her favorite part of the job was holding the newborns during their mothers’ appointments with the doctors.

In retirement Karen and Stephen enjoyed being dedicated grandparents and volunteering with local groups. They were active members of their local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and amateur radio groups, and relished watching their grandchildren grow up quickly.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Stephen Kronberg, son Scott Kronberg (Broomfield, Colorado) his wife Kelly Anne Miller, son Sean Kronberg (Issaquah, Washington) his wife Tracey Nielsen (Leavitt), her brother Ron Lee Waits (Westminster, Colorado), three loving granddaughters, Annika Nielsen Kronberg (Issaquah, Washington), Remy Kaydence Kronberg (Broomfield, Colorado) and Camden Elise Kronberg (Broomfield, Colorado).

Karen and Stephen were married nearly 55 years. Karen will always be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother and caring friend to so many.

In remembrance of Karen, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, well wishes be shared with the family in the form of donations to an ALS charity or a charity of their choice in Karen’s name.