Karen Lee McCuen, 41, of Baker City died Jan. 15, 2005, at her home.
Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Mountain Foursquare Gospel Church, 1837 Third St. Pastor Gene Saunders will officiate. Friends are invited to join the family after the service for a luncheon at the church.
Karen was born on Aug. 7, 1963, in Baker City to Benjamin Thomas and Ida Marie Beers Hudecek. Karen was raised in Baker City and attended Baker High School. After completing her GED in 1984, Karen moved to Portland and attended college to further her education.
She married Bill McCuen on Jan. 27, 2004, at the Blue Mountain Foursquare Gospel Church in Baker City. The couple met at a support meeting and Bill asked Karen to marry him in June of 1993. They had a very good and strong relationship.
Karen loved her work, and took much pride in all of her occupations. She worked at her church as the secretary, at the Baker House as a drug and alcohol counselor, and at home as a housewife. She also ran a diaper service in Baker City.
Karen spent her free time camping and fishing. She loved music and was known for her dancing at A.A., New Years, Christmas, Thanksgiving and large gatherings. She enjoyed beadwork, selling it at flea markets; arts and crafts; and helping Bill work on cars and the pickup truck.
Karen took pride in her garden and flowers; she always kept a beautiful garden. Karen was very active in A.A. and N.A. She was a member of the Blue Mountain Gospel Church.
Friends knew Karen as friendly, outgoing and the first to offer help. You could always count on her to be direct and to not hold back her opinions.
Survivors include her husband, Bill; her children, Anastasia McDermott of Milton Freewater, Cassandra McDermott of Pendleton, Jackie Mankins of Bend, and Brandon Honner of Haines; her sister, Lori Osborne of Reno, Nev.; and her brother, Tommy Hudecek of Baker City.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Blue Mountain Foursquare Gospel Church through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, January 21, 2005
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor