Karen Folkens

Funeral services for Karen Marie Folkens, of Morris, will be held on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. at Assumption Catholic Church in Morris. Father Todd Schneider will be celebrating the Mass. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Morris.

There will be a live stream of Karen’s service starting at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, December 17th, 2020. To view the service, go to the Pedersen Funeral Home website, scroll to the bottom of Karen’s page, and click the link.

While maintaining social distancing guidelines, we are now able to accommodate gatherings of up to 250 people. The use of face masks by attendees is required, and we will continue taking the necessary steps to keep our facility clean. For those who prefer or require continued precautions, webcasting and/or livestreaming is available in most situations.

Karen Marie Folkens was born on June 16, 1940 to John and Lulu (Matheson) Skoog in Graceville, Minnesota and graduated from Graceville High School in 1958. During high school, she met the love of her life, Bernie Folkens and the two were united in marriage on October 10, 1959 in Barry, MN by Father LeMay. These “high school sweethearts” were married for the next 43 years. From this union, came three beautiful children, Mark, Mike and Misty. The couple settled in Morris, MN in 1965. Karen started as a stay-at-home mom and then began her career with the Public Health Nursing Service as a nursing aid in 1972. Eventually she became Fiscal Office Manager, a role in which she took great pride. Karen lost her beloved Bernie in 2003. After 38 years of service at Public Health, Karen retired in 2010.

Karen had a zest for life and loved spending her time with her family and friends. During her younger years, she enjoyed watching her kids’ sporting events, bowling with the gals, playing cards on the weekends and attending endless craft fairs with her dear sister. As grandchildren came along, Karen found great joy in watching them grow and taking every chance she could to spoil them. In retirement, Karen went on many coffee and dinner dates with her besties and loved spending time shopping. During the holidays, “Christmas Karen,” as she was so affectionately named, was known for her charming decorations and delightful goodies, especially tea ring and fudge. Karen cared deeply about the people she loved and will be greatly missed as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend.

Karen passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 12, 2020, at Sanford Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota after 80 wonderful years of life.

She is survived by her children: Mark (Judy) Folkens of St. Cloud, Michael (Theresa) Folkens of Janesville, Wisconsin, and Misty Kvidera of Fargo, North Dakota; her grandchildren: Amber (Jeremy) Young, Matthew (Rachel) Folkens, Chad (Anna) Folkens, Jacob Folkens, Justin (Amanda) Folkens, Jessica (Lorenzo Johnson) Folkens, Luke Folkens, Kyle Kvidera, Kally Kvidera, Michael Folkens, and Kaden Kvidera; nine great-children; brother Kenny (Lois) Skoog of Graceville; sister Char (Lenny) Hanson of Morris; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband Bernard Folkens; granddaughter Sammi Folkens; parents John and Lulu Skoog; and brother Roger Skoog.