Karen Adams

Karen Deanne (Lupher) Adams, 84, died March 30, 2024, at her home in Wichita.

Visitation will be Friday, April 5, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Ward Funeral Home in Washington.

A funeral service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, April 6, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Greenleaf.

Burial will be in Greenleaf City Cemetery.

She was born on Aug. 12, 1939, to Clovis (Kelly) and Irma Lupher. She attended Fairview, a small country school ,and later attended and graduated from Greenleaf High School in 1957.

She was baptized on Aug. 27, 1939, at St Peters Lutheran Church, Barnes, and confirmed March 29, 1953, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Greenleaf.

She attended Weaver Airline School in Kansas City. After graduating she was sent to Washington DC to work for Eastern Airlines. She left the airlines and moved to Richmond, VA where she worked as a teletype operator for several years. She later became a bus driver, which would be her love, for over 53 years.

She married her husband, Richard, on May 4, 1958. They have three boys, Richard (Rick), Rodney and Ronald. She has two granddaughters, Jennifer Brooke and Ashleigh Elyse.

When the couple moved to Salina she drove a bus for Heartland Early Education until she was 82. She also volunteered at the Stiefel Theatre in Salina.

She had a short modeling career at the age of 70, modeling for Christopher & Banks.

She attended Christ the King Lutheran Church in Salina.

Karen was preceded in death by her husband Richard, parents Kelly and Irma Lupher, brother-in-law’s Kenny Tiemeyer and Stanley Mueller, niece Kelli Lynn Cairns, nephew Todd Cairns.

She is survived by her three children Rick Adams, Lindsborg KS, Rod Adams, Salina KS and Ronald Adams, Wichita, KS. Granddaughters Jennifer (Alan) Engle, Jacksonville FL and Ashleigh Adams, Lincoln NE. Siblings Gale (Doris) Lupher, Greenleaf KS, Myrna (Stanley) Cairns, Greenleaf KS, Linda (Martin) Merrill, Waterville KS, Vicki (Dan) Rempe, Lincoln NE, Fred (Linda) Lupher, Lincoln NE, Debbie Tiemeyer, Omaha NE, Rhonda Mueller, Frankfort KS, Tony Lupher, Vacaville CA and Shelli (Jim) Osborne Blue Rapids.

Washington County News • April 4, 2024