Karen Lee Ellis

Karen Lee Ellis (née Segsworth) was born in Aurora, Illinois, and spent her growing-up years in El Paso, Texas, as the big sister of six younger brothers and sisters She enjoyed singing and playing the accordion, often during church services. She became fluent in Spanish when she spent a summer in Mexico with friends. When she met Ron Ellis, stationed at nearby Ft Bliss, she knew right away that she wanted to marry him and on January 31, 1971, they said their vows. They moved several times while Ron was building his business acumen, spending time in Texas, Ohio, Missouri and Georgia, before settling in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Together, they raised two daughters, Stephanie and Deanna, who eventually added sons-in-law and four grandchildren to the family.Karen was gifted in keeping a thread of beauty running through her activities whether it was gardening, singing and playing music, fashioning clothes, and decorating and keeping a home. She loved both reading books and studying the history of words. She delighted in hosting tea parties for her daughters, grand daughters and friends and enjoyed playing card and board games. Her linguistic talents were an asset to the travel agency she worked for and made her hard to beat in a game of Scrabble.She is remembered and missed by her family: husband Ron Ellis, daughters Stephanie Lauritzen and Deanna Trobaugh and grandchildren, Madelyn Dunham, Mackenzie Lauritzen, Oliver Trobaugh and Philip Trobaugh, her four Segsworth brothers, David, Loran, Paul, and Bryan and sisters Janna Bare and Marcia Britthouer along with extended family members.