Karen Cox

KAREN COX

Monticello

Karen Cox, 84, died peacefully Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, at her home surrounded by her family.

Public visitation will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, at the Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello, where a private family service will be held on Monday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of choice.

Masks must be worn and fitted properly over the nose and mouth at all times to enter the funeral home. Social distancing needs to be practiced as well.

Surviving are her husband, Dean; four children, Lori Smith, Dean Jr. (Beth) Cox, Michael (Erin) Cox and Kerri (Tyler) Fountain; six grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; her brother, Roger Bright; and a sister, Vicki (Herb) Marr.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Cathy Jo Cox Bohlken; and a granddaughter, Ellie.

Karen Vergean Cox was born Aug. 20, 1936, at Oxford Junction, Iowa. She was the daughter of Glenn and Eleanor Shedeck, Bright. Karen graduated from the Oxford Junction High School in 1954, where she was a honorable mention all-state forward on the Oxford Junction basketball team. She continued her education at St. Luke's Nursing Academy in Davenport..

Karen married Dean Cox on June 7, 1957, at the United Methodist Church, Oxford Junction. She worked at the Jackson County Hospital in Maquoketa until she moved to Japan to join Dean, who was serving in the U.S. Air Force. The couple lived in Carrollton, Ohio, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Cedar Rapids before moving to Monticello in 1975. In 1984, Karen and Dean started Karde's Convenience Store in Monticello.

Karen and Dean loved to dance to Lawrence Welk on Saturday nights. She had been a Rainbow Mother and loved to cook and bake. She loved her cats, even though she was allergic to them. Karen also loved to watch Iowa basketball games, garden, boating and fishing in her spare time.