Karen Lee Schwall

Karen attended Millbrook Elementary and Millbrook High Schools and later graduated from East Carolina University. She dedicated her life to teaching 4th and 6th grades for the Raleigh Public Schools and Wake County Schools for 37 years until she retired on July 1, 2003.

After the death of her parents, she moved back to the family home at Timberlake in Raleigh where she grew up. She loved animals and enjoyed her dog, January and her cats, Rascal, Samantha, and Kiki. She supported all agencies that rescued animals so when a feral mother cat that lived near her had 5 kittens, she captured them and thought they could go live on a farm. That did not happen, so she then had 9 cats. We started calling her The Cat Lady. Besides enjoying her animals, Karen enjoyed going to Raleigh Auctions with her neighbors and was very active with the Timberlake Associations serving on the Board for many years.

Karen was predeceased by her father, Eugene Edward Schwall and her mother Katherine Fuller Schwall. She never married. Karen is survived by her brother Eric Eugene Schwall of Cary, her sister-in-law Helen Lamb Schwall of Cary, and her only niece, Kristin Katherine Schwall of Raleigh.

The family is grateful for the medical care and kindness of the nursing and Hospice staff at Pruitt Health in Raleigh for the last 7 years.

Condolences may be sent to the family at 1106 Ashford Lane, Cary, NC 27511.

A memorial service will be held at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 1:00 pm. The family receive friends prior to the service starting at noon. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Second Chance Pet Adoptions-6003 Chapel Hill Road, #133, Raleigh, NC 27607 or Wake County SPCA-200 Petfinder Lane, Raleigh, NC 27603.