Karen Renee Edmonds, loving wife, mother, sister and daughter, passed away peacefully on Friday, Oct. 29. Karen was born in Garden Grove, Calif., on April 24, 1963, to John M. and Edna Ruth Motter.
At about age 7, Karen, her parents,and her siblings, Neola and Steve, moved to Colorado Springs, Colo. Later, Karen moved to Pagosa Springs, Colo., in her early teens to live with her dad, John, and graduated from Pagosa Springs High School in 1981.
Karen’s family grew in 1984 when her dad married Vicki and added three siblings, Scott, Holly and Matthew Cunningham.
Karen attended Brigham Young University before serving on a mission in France. After her mission, Karen joined her dad and family in Marble Falls, Texas, where she met her future husband, Bruce Edmonds. She later graduated from BYU with a degree in English and married Bruce Edmonds on May 5, 1989, in the Manti Utah Temple of The Church of Latter-Day Saints. The had two beautiful daughters, Alyssa Renee and Lydia Annabelle.
Following in her father’s footsteps, Karen became a prolific writer. After taking numerous trips to Europe researching the Reformation, Karen authored two books in a planned historical fiction series called “Shining City on a Hill.” Karen devoted most of her time to her husband and daughters. She loved hiking and camping in the San Juan Mountains. She also had a passion for mountain biking with her family.
Karen is survived by her husband, G. Bruce Edmonds; her daughters, Alyssa and Lydia; her parents, John and Vicki Motter; her siblings, Neola Motter, Steve (Carla) Motter, Scott (Terri) Cunningham, Holly (Mark) Everett and Matthew (Millianne) Cunningham. She is also survived by her nephews, Andrew, Evan, Cole (Monika) Everett; Bryson (Abigail), Hayden, and Hudson Cunningham; nieces Anne Everett and Gracen Cunningham; a grandmother; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Karen was preceded in death by her mother, Edna Ruth Motter.
“What a Beautiful Life Services” will be held on Friday, Nov. 5, at the Bayfield Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 11 a.m. The chapel is located at 2011 U.S. Highway 160B, Bayfield, CO 81122.
