Obituary of Karen Marie Green

Graveside Services for Karen Marie Steward Green of Elsberry, MO will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 2, 2016 at the Elsberry City Cemetery near Elsberry. Rev. Paul Garven, pastor of Elsberry United Methodist Church will officiate. A Celebration of Life Visitation will be held from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Elsberry United Methodist Fellowship Hall. Serving as pallbearers will be Jason Miller, Errol Spratt, Bill Anderson, Jimmy Jeans, Grant Steward, Lee Cheek and Sam Steward. Mrs. Green, 70, passed away Wednesday afternoon, March 30, 2016 at her home, surrounded by loved ones. Born September 25, 1945 in Indianapolis, IN, she was the daughter of John William “Jack” and Doris Jean Smith Steward. The family moved to Elsberry in 1947 where she lived for the remainder of her life. Karen was a 1963 graduate of Elsberry High School. She attended Kirksville State Teachers’ College. Karen was united in marriage on November 29, 1964 to her high school sweetheart, Richard Allen Green. This union was blessed with one daughter, Darcy Jean. Karen earned her B.S. in Education from Lindenwood University in 1977. Before beginning her teaching career, Karen worked at the Bank of Lincoln County and several years as a youth counselor for the Department of Labor. Mrs. Green taught 5th grade for the Lincoln County R-2 School District for 25 years, retiring in 2003. She continued to substitute teach for several more years until her illness kept her at home. Karen was a member of the First Christian Church for a number of years, where she taught Sunday School before joining the First Baptist Church of Elsberry. She was also a member of the Elsberry Study Club, Elsberry Red Hattitudes, and the EHS Alumni Association, where she served on the board. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Doris Steward. Survivors include her loving husband of 51 years, Richard; their daughter, Darcy Cheek and her husband, Lee, of Pittsburgh, PA; and two grandchildren who were the highlight of her life, Ethan and Leah Cheek. Karen is also survived by her brother, Sam Steward and his wife, Joy of Ballwin, MO; two sisters-in-laws: Deanna Blackmore and her husband, Duane, of Arkansas, and Garnet Shelburne of Florida; one brother-in-law, David Brooksher of Mexico, MO; and her special cousins-in-law: Jean and Jim Allen of Elsberry, and Keith and Terri Moudy of Innsbrook, MO. Also mourning the loss of Karen are her two special life-long friends: Deana Langford of Wentzville, MO and Jean Evans Steward of Ballwin; two “gifts of the heart”: Sylvia Gibbs and her children: Gwen and Gavin, and Lisa Larson and her husband, Kyle, along with their children: Claire and Benjamin of Troy, MO. Memorials may be made to the Elsberry R-2 School Library (or) the Alzheimer’s Association in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.