Karen Kay Siepert, 84, of Rexburg, died Saturday, April 2, 2022 at home surrounded by family.

After seven years of waiting, R.W. (Bob) Purrington and Elva May Riley Purrington welcomed their first child, Karen Kay. Her arrival in Idaho Falls was not an easy one. She was born with Impetigo and a broken shoulder. When her father went to the nursery to check on his daughter, he discovered they had placed her in the laundry room to die. He promptly hired a private nurse and took her home. Even in infancy, Karen felt the gentle care and love her father would give her all her life.

Karen spent most of her childhood in Pocatello where she attended elementary and Jr High school. As a child she was active in Girl Scouts. She and her little sister Bobbette would sell pumpkins and have watermelon busts with the neighborhood kids. Many hours were spent playing in their playhouse that their father built from shipping crates. In 1951, the family moved to Rexburg when they opened the Rexburg Food Center.

At 14, Karen worked at the Food Center scooping ice cream. Two scoops for a nickel or four for a dime. Eventually she moved up to checking groceries. She graduated from Madison High School in 1955 where she was yearbook editor. She attended Ricks College, Utah State and Graduated from Idaho State with a degree in Elementary Education. Karen taught fifth grade at Archer and Lincoln Elementary Schools.

In 1960 she and her sister spent three months traveling Europe. They visited ten countries and created memories that she recounted over and over through her life. She was introduced to Vernon Siepert while shopping with her sister in West Yellowstone. They dated for seven years and were married on June 15, 1962. They had two daughters, Michelle Kay and Lisa Kay. When Michelle was just a baby she went back to work for her father as a bookkeeper and stayed until her mother became ill in the 1980s.

Because of her compassionate and loving nature, she was always giving service to her community. Some of the projects and organizations she was involved with are the International Folk Dance Festival (18 years), Lions Club, Four Paws Pet Adoptions (18 years), Idaho Travel Council (13 years), ESA Sorority, Rexburg Chamber of Commerce, Business and Professional Women, Pumpkin Walk, Senior Center Newsletter (over 20 years) and others. She loved people and animals.

Her greatest joys were teaching school and working with her father at Rexburg Food Center. She loved the customers and employees and considered many of them extended family. Because of the closeness of the Purrington sisters, their children were more like siblings than cousins and she and Bobbette were moms to all four.

When Food Center closed in 1998, Vernon and Karen opened VK's Meat shop at their home. She often would tell people how many packages of one pound hamburger she had wrapped. It was a lot! They were forced to close the shop after 14 years when Vernon became too ill to continue. Karen always felt Thankful and Blessed and mentioned it several times a day.

Karen is survived by her youngest daughter Lisa of Bonner, Montana, her sister Bobbette (Bob) Carlson, Niece - Jodi (Shane) Johnson of Rexburg and Nephew – Kelly (Tina) Carlson of Rigby. She was proceeded in death by her husband, daughter Michelle and her parents.

The family wishes to thank Encompass Health Care, Nurse Tina Carlson, Chaplain Danny, Gary, Jerico and Melanie for their compassionate care.

Services will be held 11:00 Saturday, April 9th at Flamm Funeral Home. The family will receive friends Saturday mornings from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at the funeral home prior to services.  Interment will be in the Sutton Cemetery.

Services will be streamed at: https://my.gather.app/remember/karen-siepert https://my.gather.app/remember/karen-siepert