After struggling with cancer, Karen Jensen Bell passed away in the early morning hours at her home in Hibbard on Sunday, October 20, 2013. Karen was born on November 8, 1935, to Edna Berger Jensen, and Lavon Jensen in Hibbard, Idaho. Karen survived many health problems during her life, scarlet fever when she two months old and a ruptured gall bladder when she was sixteen, but she firmly believed she was here for a reason, and that reason was to marry and raise her children, which she counted as among her greatest blessings.

When Karen was two years old she and her parents moved to Butte, Montana, where her father worked in the mine. They returned to Hibbard in 1941, just before her sister, Julee, was born. Karen attended Hibbard Elementary school through eighth grade, where she was a cheerleader for three years for the basketball team. At her eighth grade graduation, Karen was one of two valedictorians, and sang in a quartet. She was also a Junior Varsity cheerleader when she attended Madison High School. Karen enjoyed plays and while in high school she performed in the senior play, playing the part of a Russian actress, a part she had great fun performing. After high school, Karen attended Ricks College where she studied interior design, which, as anyone who has been in her home will agree, was one of her passions in life. Karen created a beautiful, comfortable, and peaceful home for her family.

Karen met her future husband, Brent Bell, while she was in the sixth grade. Karen remembered looking up at the balcony in the school gym and seeing a handsome, dark-haired boy who watched her dance. Their mothers would later tell them they actually met at the young ages of two and three at a birthday party for one of Brent's cousins. Brent and Karen started dating in high school and they were voted the "Sweetheart Couple" at a dance. When Karen was in the hospital with her ruptured gall bladder, Brent would go to see her and bring her flowers. Brent and Karen were married on April 20, 1956, in the Idaho Falls Temple. On their way home from their honeymoon to Disneyland, California, they stopped in Idaho Falls and spent their last five dollars on a chicken dinner.

Brent and Karen were never afraid of hard work, and worked extremely hard all of their lives to be able to live their dreams of having a ranch and raising registered Black Angus cattle, and traveling. When Karen was young, she dreamed about going to Switzerland where her grandmother and grandfather Berger had immigrated from, to England where her Grandmother Jensen's family had come from, and she wanted to see Pompeii, Italy. She was so thrilled to be able to say that she had been to all of them, and traveled to many other places with Brent and her children.

Karen was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and loved her callings as both a Sunday School and Primary teacher. She was a Den Mother for eight years, served in the Primary and Young Women's Presidency, and also in the Relief Society as both a teacher and in the presidency, along with being a Visiting Teacher.

Karen is survived by her sister, Julee (Gary) Peterson; her children, Shayne, Bryant, and Brett Bell, Michelle (Blair) Coates, and Sharla (Craig) Ashby; her grandchildren, Justin (Shelli), Chance (Alicia), Eraleigh, and Timmerie Bell; Chase (Renee), and Phillip Coates, Shon and Ian Ashby; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her daughter Shawna, her husband Brent, and her parents. In the words of Karen: "So – I feel the promise of a warm day! I will plant my roses and watch my sunsets. I will love my cats! I will watch the snowfall. I will love my bend in the river. I will remember all the good times, and never resist painting a rainbow. I have always loved rainbows! I was told on the day I was born there were rainbows!"

A viewing will be held at Flamm Funeral Home from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23. Funeral services will be held at the Henry's Fork ward building located in Plano, on Thursday, October 24, at 11:00 a.m. A viewing will be held from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. preceding the funeral. Interment will be in the Rexburg Cemetery. The family wishes to express their thanks to all of their family and friends who have worked to make Karen's burden lighter during these last difficult years.