Karen Lee Kerns

Karen Lee Kerns (Dorcas), born Wednesday, April 1, 1942, in Toledo, Ohio to Charles Richard Dorcas and Mary Kathleen McVicker, passed away on Monday, February 26, 2024, at the age of 81.

Karen moved to Albuquerque in or around 1954 with her family of three sisters in a remodeled school bus which was parked in the vicinity of Central Avenue and San Mateo. She attended La Mesa Elementary School where she won their Spelling Bee that year, McKinley Middle School, and Sandia High School, where she was elected head cheerleader in her senior year, 1960.

She graduated from UNM in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.  

In 2007, while serving on a committee for a 50-year reunion of Sandia High School, she met her soon to be loving husband, Harry Kerns, who had a crush on her in High School, but was too bashful to ask the most popular girl in school for a date. This time he did not let the opportunity get away. Although she did not want a serious relationship at that time, he persisted and as she would tell her friends later, "He just wore me down." They married on October 4, 2008.

As I have told people, to say that we loved each other would be a gross understatement.  Not many couples can say that after 15 years of marriage we have yet to raise our voice to the other or have a serious disagreement about anything.  Every year for 8-10 years we journeyed to Las Vegas, NV to watch the Lobos play in their basketball tournaments.  Karen liked to be taken out to lunch, which I did as often as she would let me. We enjoy sitting at the breakfast table, her with her hot chocolate and me with my coffee, reading the morning newspaper and discussing the items of interest in the paper.   

Karen was proceeded in death by her daughter, Tammy Kathleen Cameron.  She is survived by her loving husband, Harry Kerns, her three sisters; Sandra Peterson, Jennifer MacDonald and Kathy Prenevost, son; Corey Matthews, daughter; Cari Cathleen Downing, granddaughter; Abbi Lane Downing, grandson; Stephen Jacob Irving and aunt; Susan Dorcas Stapes.

A Memorial Service for Karen will be held on Friday, March 1, 2024; 2:00 p.m., at French Funerals - Westside, 9300 Golf Course Road, NW 87114.

For those unable to attend, please click the link below to view the Service.

https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTcwOTAzMTYyMzEzMDc4NDMmb25lcm9vbS1lbWFpbCZpbnZpdGF0aW9uX3ZpZXdfYnV0dG9u