Karen Kay Collins

Karen Kay Collins, 79, formerly of Gladbrook, passed away Saturday, March 17, 2018, at her home in Newton. A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 24 at the Chapel United Methodist Church, 1597 Abbott Ave., Gladbrook. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 23 at the Anderson Funeral Homes in Marshalltown. Online condolences may be sent to andersonfhs.com.

Karen Kay Cooper was born Oct. 21, 1938, in Marshalltown, to Orin and Ruth (Drury) Cooper. She graduated from Green Mountain High School in 1956. Karen was united in marriage to Philip Collins July 21, 1957, at Carlton Brethren Church in Garwin. To this union, three children were born, Sandra, Linda and David. She later received her cosmetology license from Thompson Beauty School in Des Moines. Karen worked as a sales associate at Hellberg’s Jewelers, an administrative assistant at Ken Wise and as a librarian at the Gladbrook Public Library for more than 10 years. In her free time, Karen enjoyed crocheting, knitting scarves, reading, going to auctions and especially attending her grandchildren’s events and being active in all their lives. She always welcomed guests in her home and made them feel like a member of the family. Karen was a member of Chapel United Methodist Church in Gladbrook.

Karen will be dearly missed by her husband of 60 years, Philip, of Newton; her two children, David (Tanya) Collins of Marshalltown, and Linda (Kyle) Reynolds of Newton; 15 grandchildren; her sisters, Ann (Clark) Uhl of Cedar Falls, and Jane (John) Teevan of Winona Lake, Ind.; an aunt, Mary Norton of Woodbridge, Va.; and an uncle, Jack (Marilyn) Drury of Ozark, Mo. She was preceded in death by her parents; and her daughter, Sandra.