Karen J. Burgess

Karen was born in Goodman, Wis., on July 22, 1941, to Oswald and Vera (Erickson) Bousley. She was raised in Dunbar, Wis. Karen attended middle school at St. Joan of Arc in Goodman before graduating from Pembine High School, class of 1959. After graduation, she continued her education at “The Cradle,” Infant School of Nursing in Evanston, Ill.

She met and married Earl Nelson. They had four children together: Linda (Ron) Hill of Iron Mountain; Laura (Mike) Kondratuk of Brookings, S.D.; Mike (Sue) Nelson of New Berlin, Wis.; and Daniel (Joann) Nelson of Mukwonago, Wis. Earl and Karen were married for 25 years in Muskego, Wis. They had 12 grandchildren: Jaimie (Matt) Scott, Joseph Hill, Jessica Hill (Robb Johnson), Nathan (Brystal) Kondratuk, Katherine Kondratuk, Michael (Alea) Nelson, Mathew (Amber) Nelson, Linsy Nelson (Antonio Scaffidi), Jake (Shawni) Nelson, Nick (Kayla) Nelson, and Danielle (Greg) Calhoun.

Karen has 20 great-grandchildren: Michael Hill Scott and Gavin Scott, Amelia Sperka, Josslyn Hill, Layla Johnson, Nora, Ellie, and Isaac Kondratuk, Dominic, Isla, and Benjamin Nelson, Vincent, Gianna, and Ace Scaffidi, Carter and Rose Nelson, Natalie and Cade Nelson, and Rowyn and Marlowe Calhoun.

Karen’s second husband was Carl Amos. They were able to travel, seeing many different countries and almost every state in the U.S. They made a lot of memories before Carl lost his battle with leukemia.

Karen’s third husband was Bill Burgess. Married for 25 years, they enjoyed their time together traveling and spending winters in Texas. Their friends in the Fiesta Village became their second family. They loved their dogs and enjoyed returning home to Dunbar, where they worked and socialized at Green Acres.

Karen valued socializing with others and enjoyed music, singing, dancing, and her crossword puzzles. She was passionate about writing poetry. People enjoyed the meals Karen prepared, and she loved cooking for Packer parties and holidays. These were a few examples of how Karen demonstrated her leadership and brought people together in different ways, including serving as a tour director at Fiesta Village.

Karen was preceded in death by her husbands; parents; her sister, Barbara and her husband, Ray Erickson; her brother, Robert, and his wife, Jean Bousley; her brother, Russell, and his wife, Dorris Bousley; her brother, George Bousley; her grandson, Eric Kondratuk; her granddaughter, Angela Nelson; and other nieces and nephews.

Karen is survived by her brother, Jim, and his wife, Sherry Bousley; sister-in-law, Rose Bousley; many nieces and nephews; friends; and Bill’s children and grandchildren.

Visitation will be held Saturday, April 12, from 9 until 11 a.m. at the Jacobs Funeral Home in Iron Mountain. The Memorial Service will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Rev. Fr. Felix Abano will officiate. Burial will take place in the Dunbar Cemetery in Dunbar, at a later date.

Friends may leave condolences and tributes to Karen’s family online at www.jacobsfuneralhomes.com.

The family has chosen Jacobs Funeral Home and Cremation Services to honor Karen’s legacy of life.