Karen Messenger

Karen Messenger, beloved wife, mother, sister, and friend, put on her ruby slippers, clicked her heels together, and went home to God, from her earthly home in Mint Hill, North Carolina, on March 3, 2023, at the age of 74. She was born in Emmett, Kansas in 1948, to parents Hubert and Leila Bond, and she was the fourth of seven children. Karen graduated from Emmett High School in 1966. She attended Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri, from which she received a Bachelor of Arts degree, in 1972, with a specialty in Education. During her college career, Karen worked for J.L. Cox, and Son, Inc, in Raytown, Missouri, as an assistant bookkeeper. While attending Rockhurst College, Karen also played basketball for the Raytown Piperettes, an AAU women’s team which was coached and sponsored by Ms. Alberta Lee Cox. Karen competed against international competition as a point guard for the Piperettes in the 1967 and 1971 AAU World Championships, and in the 1967 Pan American games. In 1974, Karen transferred from Raytown, inter-company to Perini Arctic Associates, in Delta Junction, Alaska. Karen lived at the Big Delta Camp, and was the Payroll Supervisor for Section II of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline until 1977, when the job terminated. Just prior to the termination of her pipeline employment, Karen met her future husband, Bob, in Delta Junction. They immediately fell in love with each other, and were married in the military chapel at Fort Greeley, on September 24th, 1977. Karen taught junior high school math on post at Fort Greeley, and also coached both boys’ and girls’ junior high school basketball teams. The following year, Karen and Bob moved to Anchorage, where she worked as an accountant for Alaska Oilfield Services, Inc, for a year. In January 1979, Karen was recruited to be the full charge bookkeeper for Alyeska Electric, Inc., until leaving Alaska with Bob in October of 1979, to live in Charlotte, North Carolina. Karen was the mother of 2 beautiful children, who survive her. Kristen Michele was born shortly after Karen and Bob started housekeeping in North Carolina in 1980. Kevin Robert followed in 1982. The family moved into a house which they built themselves in Mint Hill, N.C, in 1985. Karen took a 12 year break from working to be a stay at home Mom for her children. The family attended Blair Road United Methodist Church during these child raising years. Karen re-entered the working world as a bookkeeper for 10 more years, then as a veterinary receptionist, and finally as a courier for Dash, Inc, before her cancer struck, in the summer of 2016. Karen loved her sports, and she excelled in basketball, softball, and tennis. In her doubles tennis league, team co-captains Karen and her best friend and teammate Linda placed 3rd in the 1990 4.5 National Championship Tournament in Phoenix, AZ. Karen also loved our great outdoors, and she and Bob would often take their family on camping and hiking trips. She enjoyed long bicycle rides with Bob in New England, Kansas, and North Carolina. She and Bob also loved canoeing and kayaking in North Carolina streams and coastal tidewaters. Karen enjoyed traveling, and was fortunate enough to visit many beautiful places around the world, including Italy, Mexico, Costa Rica, China, Canada, but none more so than Kansas; ‘there’s no place like home’, said our Dorothy. Karen took an active role in BSA Troop 144, and later at Belk Cub Scout Day Camp, becoming known as ‘Mother Nature’. She was honored to become the Mother of an Eagle in 2000. During her prolonged illness, Karen loved working jigsaw puzzles and crosswords, and having ‘girl talk’ with her wonderful, dear friend, Connie. Karen is deeply missed by her husband, children, siblings, and all who were blessed to know her love and grace. She was forever a kind and caring person, always ready with a smile and a helping hand. Her legacy will live on through the memories she created with her family and friends, and through the many lives she touched with her generosity and love. Rest in peace, Karen. Besides her husband and children, Karen is survived by her brothers Wayne, Larry, and David, and her sisters Judy Simonds and Kathy Bond. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Danny. Karen’s family chooses to believe that she was met in Heaven by Buster, Nugget, Dusty, Gordon, Sunflower, and Jillian. A funeral and memorial service for Karen will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, April 15th, 2023, at The Blair Road United Methodist Church, 9135 Blair Road, Mint Hill, NC. The Lowe-Neddo Funeral Home of Matthews, North Carolina, will be handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, and to Hospice and Palliative Care of the Charlotte Region The services for Karen will be livestreamed. When available, the recording of the services will be posted here for viewing.