Karen Michael died peacefully on January 8, 2023 with her two daughters by her side.
Born in southern California on November 17, 1945, Karen soon moved with her family to Sacramento, where she resided for nearly all of her life.
After graduating from El Camino High School in 1963, she briefly traveled and protested the Vietnam war before settling in Sacramento, working, and raising her children.
An avid reader, Karen was a fan of fiction, especially the novels of Stephen King. She was an enthusiast of classic rock music, from the Grateful Dead to Bob Dylan to Pink Floyd. But her biggest love of all was for canines; she adored dogs, especially larger breeds such as German Shepherds.
Karen is preceded in death by her brother Stephen Michael, father Kenneth Michael, mother Florence Kiehn, and beloved dogs Sinbad, Matzoh, and Paisley. She is survived by daughters Moriah (Jacob) VanVleet, Johanna (Kristopher) Yegge, grandsons Forrest and Elliot Yegge, stepmother Barbara Michael, and sister Maritza Meurer, as well as her beloved longtime friends.
The family is planning a casual drop-in gathering to take place in Sacramento, likely in late February. If you knew Karen and would like details, please write to:
buttersugarflowers@gmail.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to enjoy a scoop of Karen’s favorite ice cream, French Vanilla. Memorial gifts may be made in her memory to the Sacramento SPCA or Compassion and Choices – both organizations to which she was a longtime donor.
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