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Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Karen Wimmer
KAREN WIMMER
Urbandale
The youngest is not supposed to go first. But, on Feb. 6, 2022, Karen Wimmer, 66, died from acute myeloid leukemia.
Karen, from Urbandale, was committed to her family, her husband, Bill Wimmer; her adult sons, Alex and Jon Teig; their father, Bob Teig; her older brother and sisters, Craig, Nancy and Cathy and their families; and nieces and nephews two generations deep. She was born in Des Moines and raised by her parents, Bill and Letha Lettington, on the East Side.
Karen was committed to her profession. She graduated from AIB's school of court reporting in Des Moines and completed her career in 2017, when she retired as an official reporter in Iowa District Court in Cedar Rapids. Karen was past president of the Iowa Court Reporters' Association and served on the board of the National Court Reporters' Association. She helped establish a new court reporter program at Des Moines Area Community College and brought others to the profession she loved.
Karen was committed to her community. She volunteered with the Cedar Rapids Public Schools and was a member of the Cedar Rapids Science Station board of directors, Junior League in Cedar Rapids and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in West Des Moines.
In July 2021, Karen was diagnosed with leukemia, and she received the best possible care from all the staff of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics.
On Jan. 27, Karen decided it was time to go home. No more fighting; life as it was given to her had won – as it should. Life would not be a gift if we were entitled to demand more. Karen accepted the end of her gift with courage and grace. She was cared for by EveryStep Hospice when she died at home in her sleep.
Karen's body will be committed to its final resting place next to her parents at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery in Des Moines following a funeral Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church on Thursday, Feb. 10, at 10 a.m. Visitation: 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Iowa Court Reporter Association, National Court Reporter Foundation or EveryStep Hospice in Karen's name. Online condolences may be expressed at www.caldwellparrish.com.
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