Karen "Karn" Pope

Karn was born in Denver, Colorado on August 13th, 1939, to Lester Albert Hansen and Agnus Vivian (McCormick/ Levette) Hansen. She was the eldest of two children and was a wonderful big sister to brother, Alan. Karn grew up in Pueblo, Colorado and graduated from Pueblo Central High School in 1957, and attended USC Pueblo Junior college for one year.

On June 7th, 1959, she married the love of her life, Ernest W. Pope at the First Baptist Church in Pueblo. The newlyweds resided in Pueblo for the first year and a half of their marriage, and then moved to Sante Fe, New Mexico. After living in Santa Fe for three years, they relocated to Fort Collins, Colorado where they made their home for the next 60 years and where they raised their three sons Scott, Michael, and Richard. In 2022 Karn and Ernest sold their home in Fort Collins and moved to Haxtun to be closer to their youngest son Richard.

Karn worked as a Deputy Sheriff in Larimer County and was also employed at the CSU Police Department for 10 years. She worked at Sears Department Store for 30 years as a dedicated salesclerk. She was a member of many organizations including White Shrine, and Eastern Star, where she served as Worthy Matron for two years in the Berthoud Chapter. She was very active with the Rainbow Girls as an Advisor, and a Chapter mom to the DeMolay Boys. Karn was a dedicated member of D.A.R where she served many officer positions including Chapter Regent. She especially enjoyed researching, cataloging and taking care of the local Historical Markers. Karn loved being around people. She also enjoyed spending time with her family, traveling, collecting Indian Pottery and Kachina Dolls, Genealogy and she especially enjoyed Country Dancing with her husband Ernest.

Karn is preceded in death by her parents Lester and Vivian, her brother Lester Alan Hansen (Vietnam MIA), her son Michael Pope, and numerous extended family members.

She leaves behind her loving husband of 65 years, Ernest Pope; her son Scott Pope and his wife Tracy, their daughters, Allison Massey (Steven) and Sarah Cammarata (Matthew), Allison’s children Lilly Fletcher and Maddox Pope Lee, Sarah’s son Emmett Fletcher, and Lilly’s son Hudson Fletcher, who is Karn’s great-great grandson; and her son Richard Pope and his wife Tana, their children, Summer Capriola (John Mertz) and Alan Pope (Kendra), Summer’s children Cadince and Jack Mertz, and Alan’s daughter, Amelia Pope. She is further survived by brother-in-law Lloyd Pope (Charlotte) and family; and sister-in-law Sandy Hanson Wilson (Jeff) and family; as well as many more family members included nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Condolences may be sent to Ernest Pope, PO Box 433, Haxtun, Colorado 80731. A Memorial service will be planned for a future date in 2025.