116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
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Saturday, June 11, 2022
Karen Sue Tighe
Age: 69
City: Cedar Rapids
Funeral Home
Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Karen Sue Tighe
Karen Sue Tighe
Cedar Rapids
Karen Sue Tighe, 69, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids. Funeral services: 1 p.m. on Monday, June 13, 2022, at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids, with a visitation beginning at 11 a.m. Burial to follow at Anderson Cemetery, Swisher, Iowa.
Survivors include her husband of 52 years, Michael “Mike” Tighe; mother, Mary Christianson; son, Michael Sean Tighe; grandchildren, Dylan, Rylan and Emerson Tighe; brother, Fred (Nancy) Koontz; and sister, Char Stevens.
Karen was born on April 18, 1953, in West Union, Iowa, the daughter of Freelan and Mary (Brown) Koontz. She graduated from Jefferson High School in 1971. On March 6, 1970, Karen married Michael Tighe. She worked in retail for several years, but her favorite job was taking care of her family at home.
She will be remembered for her big heart, being a mom to many, and a friend to all. Karen loved kids, especially her grandchildren. She made every holiday special, but Christmas was always her favorite. Karen enjoyed watching football, playing the guitar and helping out at Trinity Lutheran School with the third-grade students and the Boy Scouts.
Karen was preceded in death by her father, Freelan; grandson, Peyton; daughter-in-law, Kristin; and sister, Catherine Koch.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Please share your support and memories with Karen’s family on her Tribute Wall at www.stewartbaxter.com under Obituaries.

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