Karen Opheim Lewis

INDEPENDENCE-Karen Rae Opheim Lewis, 67, of Independence and formerly of Tama, passed away Friday, August 29, 2025 at West Village Care Center in Independence. Funeral Services will be held Friday, September 5, 2025 at 10:30 AM at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Tama with a luncheon to follow at the church. Interment will be at St. Olaf Cemetery in Bode, Iowa at 3:30 PM. Visitation will be held Thursday, September 4, 2025, from 5-7 PM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.

Karen was born on August 5, 1958, in Titonka, Iowa, the daughter of Lyle Eugene and Nancy Lou (Larsen) Opheim.

She graduated from Beaman-Conrad-Liscomb High School and attended Marshalltown Community College. In high school, she was proud to be coached by her father and was First Team All-State in track and Third Team All-State in softball.

Karen was married to Terry Lewis for thirteen years and raised three daughters.

Karen helped manage the family farm in Garwin. She had various other jobs throughout her life. She was an avid volunteer in every community she lived in. While living in Tama, she enjoyed watching grandsons, Kyler and Karter in their activities. She survived breast cancer and eventually moved to Marshalltown where she was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. Through her battle, she moved to Independence where she spent her final days enjoying time with her grandchildren. Karen loved visits to the Saathoff farm with grandsons, Weston and Wilson, seeing all the animals. She loved doing diamond art, coloring and spending time with her granddaughters, Ava and Brynlee.

Karen was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Tama.

Survivors include her three daughters, Jamie Kae Welsh of Ankeny and sons, Kyler and Karter Welsh, Shawna Marie (Drew) Burkhardt of Marion and daughters, Ava and Brynlee Burkhardt, and Kelly Diane (Michael) Saathoff of Hazleton and sons, Weston and Wilson Saathoff; brothers, Steve (Becky) Opheim of Henderson, NV, and Mark (Katie) Opheim of Omaha, NE; one sister, Angie (Kirk) Baird of Sergeant Bluff; sister-in-law, Kathy Opheim of Toledo; many nieces and nephews; great nieces and nephews; and great-great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her grandparents; one sister, Kathryn Shultz Spurgeon; and two brothers, Gary Opheim and Tom Opheim.

Memorials may be directed to the family.