Karen Sue (Fowler) Grove

Karen, being the ultimate hostess for all occasions, would cordially invite everyone/anyone to join us at her Tribute/Celebration of Life.

Karen Fowler was born April 19, 1941, in Webster City, Iowa, the daughter of Francis (Bud) and Ardath (Ardy) Fowler. Along with her older sister, Sondra, Karen was raised on the family farm north of Blairsburg where she learned the merits of a hard day’s work, a strong sense of morality and ethics and the value of Faith and Family. All of which became the cornerstone of her life.

Through a combination of fate, luck and a little help from the modern English alphabet, Karen first met a little boy in kindergarten named Jimmy Grove when they shared a nap mat together and later dated throughout high school. This divine intervention was due to the proximity of the first letters of their last names (Fowler [F]/Grove [G]). Had Karen’s last name been Zowler, instead of Fowler, who knows how things might have turned out. Karen and Jim would later discover that their mothers were in the hospital giving birth at virtually the same time. Jim and Karen were born just 10 days apart. They have in fact spent their ENTIRE lives together.

Karen attended and graduated as Valedictorian from Blairsburg Consolidated Schools in 1959 where she participated in basketball, mixed chorus, 4H, band (French horn) and was the Blairsburg Queen for various local events. Karen Fowler married Jim Grove on September 2, 1961, and soon thereafter started their family, ultimately having four children (Terry, Tamara, Michael, and Andrew) and settling in Spencer, Iowa. During their early years in Spencer, Jim’s primary focus was the ownership responsibilities of the Spencer School of Business while Karen established herself as the family matriarch. This was a role where Karen clearly thrived as the family’s bookkeeper, disciplinarian, cook, housekeeper, event coordinator, referee, counselor, chauffeur, mentor, etc. Karen wore many hats, and she wore each of them remarkably well. While in Spencer, Karen had a close community of friends involved with countless social gatherings. In addition to being a fulltime Mother and Wife, Karen also worked outside the home including at the Iowa State University Forestry Department, Santa Claus Associates, Black Hawk County Extension office, United Methodist Church-Spencer, Spencer School of Business (Financial Aid Advisor), several Spencer banks as an account representative.

As a devout Catholic, Karen was heavily involved in the Sacred Heath Catholic Church’s Choir and Finance Committee in Spencer until their move to Grimes, Iowa in 2014 to be closer to their youngest grandchildren, Gabby, and Lucy, and to be near where Jim and Karen grew up.

Karen is survived by her husband, James (Jim) Grove of Grimes, Iowa; her sister and brother-in-law, Sondra and Paul Plager of Rochester, MN; her son and daughter-in-law, Terry and Sharon Grove of Sioux Falls, SD and their children: Connor, Madison and Karsten; daughter and son-in-law, Tamara (Tammy) and Rob Larsen of Battle Lake, MN and their children Samantha (Jason) Calva and Drake Larsen; son and daughter-in-law, Michael (Mike) and Mary Grove of Alexandria, MN and their children Dakota, Jaren, Marisa, Alli and Logan; son and daughter-in-law Andrew (Andy) and Jennifer Grove of Grimes, IA and their children: Gabby and Lucy. Karen is also survived by her beloved great grandsons, Pax and Tenzen Calva, brother-in-law, Jerry (Bev) Grove, sister-in-law, Barb Grove as well as a niece, nephews, cousins, and close friends. Karen was preceded in death by her father and mother, Francis (Bud) and Ardath (Ardy) Fowler, in-laws Donald and Dorothy Grove and brother-in-law, Bill Grove.

Because of Karen’s love of flowers and plants, the family requests that in lieu of contributions/donations, you purchase for your own family a plant or bouquet of flowers in memory of Karen.

Prayers on Karen’s behalf are welcomed and sincerely appreciated.