Her funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 31, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. at WestWay Christian Church in Scottsbluff with Pastor Joe Petersen officiating. Interment will follow at Redington Cemetery in Redington, NE. Visitation will be an hour prior services on Tuesday at the church. Memorials may be given to the family for future designation. Online condolences may be left at www.dugankramer.com. Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Karen was born on April 3, 1960 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska to John and Patricia (Phillips) Rice. She graduated Bridgeport High School in 1978. She attended Western Nebraska Community College graduating in 1980, Chadron State College receiving her BS in 1983 and MA in 1991. She lived out her love of teaching at Bridgeport, Scottsbluff, Harrisburg, Mitchell and Sidney. Karen began her employment at UNL Extension as a nutritionist 2002. Then, in 2007 Karen began work as the student services coordinator at the UNMC College of Nursing Scottsbluff campus and has been in this position since.
Karen was united in marriage to Jerry Schledewitz on December 30, 1978 in Bridgeport, Nebraska. They lived in Scottsbluff, Chadron, Bridgeport, and Redington on her parent’s farm until 2009 moving to Gering.
Karen enjoyed music, loved attending the Hills Alive Music Festival in Rapid City. She helped at Camp Rock and led three different life groups. Karen was a compassionate person and very generous to her family and friends. She loved her family, especially her grandkids.
She is survived by her mother Patricia Rice; sisters Kay Rice and Lana Sides; husband Jerry Schledewitz; son Dustin (Erin) Schledewitz and daughter Kelsey (James) Miller; grandchildren Preston, Livie, Harper, Elijah, Evangeline, Matthias and Finley and several nieces and nephews.
Karen was preceded in death by her father John Rice, grandparents Helen and Patrick Phillips and Mary Lou and Clark Rice.
