KAREN C. MAGNUSSEN, 76, of rural Larrabee, Iowa, passed away at her home on Friday evening, March 20, 2015, surrounded by her family. Family was Karen's life.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, March 24th, at 10:30 a.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Robin Thomas will officiate. Burial will be in the Cedar Cemetery at Larrabee, Iowa. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. at the funeral home on Tuesday. Visitation will be on Monday from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Karen was born on July 19, 1938 at Cherokee, Iowa to Ronald & Lois (Simmons) Becker. She spent her early childhood in the Aurelia, Iowa area where her family farmed. Karen attended grade school in the Aurelia schools. The family moved to a farm south of Cherokee and she graduated Cherokee High School in 1956. She was married to Robert Loucks and to this union, four children were born; Sheri, Mike, Steve and Kathi. She was later divorced. In later years she attended LPN School in Cherokee. Karen enjoyed her nursing career, working at the Sioux Valley Memorial Hospital and the Cherokee Mental Health Institute. She loved helping others. She was married to Dale Magnussen on August 22, 1970 at Cherokee, Iowa. They had 44 wonderful years together. Dale and Karen enjoyed gardening together over the years. Karen was a huge canner and a great cook. She loved sharing these with her family and friends. She loved her flowers, watching and feeding the birds, genealogy, cooking, baking, time spent with family, especially the grandchildren. Karen was a phenomenal wife, mother, second mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She was a member of the Larrabee United Methodist Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a daughter-in-law Lisa Loucks, mother-in-law and father-in-law Olga & August Magnussen, and a brother-in-law Jerry Magnussen.

Karen is survived by her husband Dale of Larrabee, Iowa; four children: Sheri (Rod) Nissen of Estherville, Iowa; Mike (Nia) Loucks of Swisher, Iowa; Steve Loucks of Aurelia, Iowa; Kathi (Kevin) Halder of Cherokee, Iowa; 9 grandchildren: Laura, Whitney and Kyle Halder; Amanda, Chelsea and Amber Loucks; Jessica (Ben) Wolfe; Nathan (Heather) Loucks and Jeremy Loucks; 2 great grandchildren: Adella and Kelton Loucks; three brothers: Jim (Bette) Becker of Naples, Florida; Russell (Angy) Becker of Cherokee, Iowa; Terry (Denise) Becker of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin; brother-in-law Paul (Sharon) Magnussen of Milford, Iowa; two sisters-in-law: Ruby (Jack) Rupp of Ida Grove, Iowa; Janice (Bob) Werthman of Cherokee, Iowa; also several nieces, nephews and many friends.