Karen Kay Oard

Karen Oard, 85, of Topeka, Kansas, was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother, dedicated teacher, adventurous traveler, and fiercely competitive game player. Above all, she was a kind and generous woman who spent her life caring for the people she loved and making their lives a little better.

Born in March 1941 in Coffeyville, Kansas, Karen was the only child of Howard and Rosalie Wise. She grew up in Coffeyville, graduating from Coffeyville High School and attending Coffeyville Junior College before continuing her education at Emporia State University, where she earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in education.

In Coffeyville, Karen met the love of her life, Louis Oard. The two met while serving as ushers at the Coffeyville Calvacade a high school talent show. What began as a chance meeting became a 64-year marriage filled with family, friendship, travel, and countless adventures.

After college, Karen and Louis settled in Topeka, where they raised their two daughters, Cindy and Kay. Karen devoted 30 years to teaching in the Topeka USD 501 school district, touching the lives of generations of students at Maude Bishop, Grant, and Shaner elementary schools, as well as Robinson and Landon middle schools. She also taught preschool while her daughters were young.

Karen was more than a teacher who delivered lessons. She made learning an adventure. Her students sampled foods from around the world, including some unusual delicacies such as alligator, octopus, and squirrel. In one memorable science experiment, students studied how healthy food and junk food affected rats. Karen enlisted her own daughters to help feed the classroom rats on weekends and school holidays. For Karen, education wasn't simply about learning facts or completing an experiment. It was about curiosity, responsibility, and learning to care for something beyond yourself.

Outside the classroom, Karen and Louis shared a love of travel and adventure. Together, they visited all 50 states and explored destinations around the world, including Europe, Australia, and Russia. Their adventures included cruises, riverboat journeys, camping, RV trips, and backpacking in Colorado and Wyoming. They were also enthusiastic square dancers for decades.

Perhaps no place held more family memories than Grand Lake, Oklahoma. Beginning in 1972, the family spent countless summers and holidays at their lake houses, creating traditions that continued well into Karen and Louis's retirement. Days were filled with swimming, fishing, boating, and family time. On one particularly memorable fishing trip, the family caught more than 100 white bass, with Karen patiently removing most of them from the hooks. It was typical of Karen: everyone else could enjoy the adventure, and she would help make it happen.

Karen was also a gardener and baker. She and Louis maintained an impressive garden, and she carried on the baking traditions learned from her mother. Her cinnamon rolls and especially her legendary tart cherry pie, made with cherries from her own tree, were family favorites.

But if there was one thing Karen truly loved, it was a good game — particularly one she could win. Cards, marbles, Mexican Train, and just about any other game were opportunities for friendly competition. She delighted in beating family and friends. Games after dinner were a nightly ritual, keeping her mind active and, more importantly, bringing the people she loved together.

Karen expressed her love through time, patience, and thoughtful attention. She was the peacemaker, the loyal friend, and the glue that held family and friendships together. When someone had a dream or an idea, Karen often quietly figured out how to make it happen. She was a devoted mother to Cindy and Kay, teaching them the importance of love, caring, and taking responsibility for their actions. She passed her love of embroidery on to Kay, a pastime she returned to later in life.

She was an equally devoted grandmother to her only grandson, Chris, whom she lovingly cared for throughout his life. She also had a special place in her heart for her granddog, Cookie.

Karen's kindness extended well beyond her family. She cared for her own mother through the challenges of blindness and Alzheimer's disease, and after retiring from teaching, she spent years volunteering at Lendonwood Gardens in Grove, Oklahoma.

Karen never needed grand gestures to show people how much they mattered. She showed it by listening, helping, spending time together, and always being there when someone needed her. Her family and friends will miss her gentle spirit, her steady presence, her generosity, and, perhaps most of all, the challenge of trying to beat her at a game.

Karen is survived by her husband, Louis Oard, her daughters, Cindy Castellano (Brad) and Kay Pujol; and her grandson, Chris Shields. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Karen will be cremated under the care of Dove Cremations and Funerals in Topeka. A celebration of her life will be held in Topeka; details will be announced.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Lendonwood Gardens in Grove, Oklahoma.

Karen's legacy lives on in the family she loved, the students she inspired, the friendships she nurtured, and the countless small acts of kindness that made life better for everyone around her.