Obituary for Karen Ann Kupersmith
Karen Ann Kupersmith passed away peacefully at her home in Hillsdale, KS on Friday, October 2, 2020, due to complications from Alzheimer’s. She was 71 years old. Visitation for Karen will be 1:00-3:00 p.m. Thursday, October 8, 2020 at Bruce Funeral Home, 712 S. Webster, Spring Hill, KS 66083 (913)-592-2244. Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association for research. Condolences may be left at www.brucefuneralhome.com
Karen was a blue-eyed, blond-haired, bundle of joy born to Harold Lawrence Burnett and Marie Helen (Budy) on Friday, September 9, 1949 at Bethany Hospital in Kansas City, KS. After seven glorious years as an only child, her brother, Andrew Louis was born, followed three years later by sister Deborah Elaine. Karen attended Christ the King Grade School, Bishop Ward High School and graduated from the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, KS in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics. She met her soul mate and life partner, Robert (Bob) Joseph Kupersmith in 1968 at Big Mike’s Tavern in Shawnee, KS. Bob and his buddies rudely attempted to confiscate a couple of chairs that Karen and her friends attended at their own table. Karen, who wasn’t one to let anything slide, confronted Bob about the chairs and long story short, they fell in love. They married on Saturday, September 9, 1972 at Christ the King Church in Kansas City, KS and soon after bought their first house on Cherry Street in Kansas City, MO. They settled quickly into married life and had their first child, Becky, in 1976, followed three years later by twin sons, Jeff and Jim. After the house on Cherry became too small, they moved into a bigger home just a few blocks away where they spent every weekend fixing and remodeling, a passion they shared. Karen was brilliant, she could easily visualize a space and quickly detail out what it would take to make it better. She was the architect and the foreman for every project. In 1985, they stopped remodeling and decided it was time to build their first home. They bought one acre of land in Stilwell, KS and built a beautiful four-bedroom cabin-style home, complete with cedar siding. Karen loved this home and was proud of the life they built. Her and Bob and the kids and family and friends spent hours sitting on the front porch talking and enjoying the good life. Karen was an avid quilter and designed and created many beautiful quilts that she loved gifting to family. For years she was the leader of the local 4-H club and the editor of the Blue Valley Quilters Guild newsletter. She spent countless hours teaching her kids how to cook, how to bake, how to sew, how to needlepoint, how to knit, how to garden, how to raise chickens and how to properly clean a bathroom. She was driven and she never let her kids give up, if your first strawberry rhubarb pie didn’t come out purple ribbon quality, you kept making them until one did. She was an amazing mom and did everything she could to prepare her kids for life, she gave them skills that are all but forgotten in this day and age, she made them better adults. After raising their kids in Stilwell, they decided to sell and build their forever home in Hillsdale, KS. They bought three acres of land and Karen designed a home that had everything she ever dreamed, including a front porch that put every other front porch to shame, it was the life force of the home. It was a place where stories were told, decisions were made, and issues were resolved. Up until the end, Dad wheeled her out to the porch every evening to share a glass of wine and reminisce about the good life they shared. Karen and Bob worked together in the concrete industry and were blessed to spend nearly ten years travelling throughout the United States and Canada for business and also pleasure. They visited all but five states and enjoyed every minute of it, they experienced the beauty of the world together. When they were home, Karen enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. She did her best to never miss a game, a concert or a Christmas pageant.
Besides her parents, Karen is preceded in death by her brother Andy and furry friends Jennifer, Flash, Thunder, Hulk, Emmy, Brutus, Buddy, Frankie, Henry, Homer and Margie. She loved her pets and leaves behind Jack and Jill to entertain my Dad, much to his chagrin. Left to carry her beautiful memories are her loving husband, Bob, her children Rebecca Green (Nate Green Sr.) of Kansas City, MO; Jeff Kupersmith of Hillsdale, KS; Jim Kupersmith (Jenni Kupersmth) of Dallas, TX; her sister, Deb, of Kansas City, MO; and her grandchildren, Daelan West, Rowan West, Nate Green II, Jordan West and Finley Kupersmith.
Karen was a blue-eyed, blond-haired, bundle of joy born to Harold Lawrence Burnett and Marie Helen (Budy) on Friday, September 9, 1949 at Bethany Hospital in Kansas City, KS. After seven glorious years as an only child, her brother, Andrew Louis was born, followed three years later by sister Deborah Elaine. Karen attended Christ the King Grade School, Bishop Ward High School and graduated from the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, KS in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics. She met her soul mate and life partner, Robert (Bob) Joseph Kupersmith in 1968 at Big Mike’s Tavern in Shawnee, KS. Bob and his buddies rudely attempted to confiscate a couple of chairs that Karen and her friends attended at their own table. Karen, who wasn’t one to let anything slide, confronted Bob about the chairs and long story short, they fell in love. They married on Saturday, September 9, 1972 at Christ the King Church in Kansas City, KS and soon after bought their first house on Cherry Street in Kansas City, MO. They settled quickly into married life and had their first child, Becky, in 1976, followed three years later by twin sons, Jeff and Jim. After the house on Cherry became too small, they moved into a bigger home just a few blocks away where they spent every weekend fixing and remodeling, a passion they shared. Karen was brilliant, she could easily visualize a space and quickly detail out what it would take to make it better. She was the architect and the foreman for every project. In 1985, they stopped remodeling and decided it was time to build their first home. They bought one acre of land in Stilwell, KS and built a beautiful four-bedroom cabin-style home, complete with cedar siding. Karen loved this home and was proud of the life they built. Her and Bob and the kids and family and friends spent hours sitting on the front porch talking and enjoying the good life. Karen was an avid quilter and designed and created many beautiful quilts that she loved gifting to family. For years she was the leader of the local 4-H club and the editor of the Blue Valley Quilters Guild newsletter. She spent countless hours teaching her kids how to cook, how to bake, how to sew, how to needlepoint, how to knit, how to garden, how to raise chickens and how to properly clean a bathroom. She was driven and she never let her kids give up, if your first strawberry rhubarb pie didn’t come out purple ribbon quality, you kept making them until one did. She was an amazing mom and did everything she could to prepare her kids for life, she gave them skills that are all but forgotten in this day and age, she made them better adults. After raising their kids in Stilwell, they decided to sell and build their forever home in Hillsdale, KS. They bought three acres of land and Karen designed a home that had everything she ever dreamed, including a front porch that put every other front porch to shame, it was the life force of the home. It was a place where stories were told, decisions were made, and issues were resolved. Up until the end, Dad wheeled her out to the porch every evening to share a glass of wine and reminisce about the good life they shared. Karen and Bob worked together in the concrete industry and were blessed to spend nearly ten years travelling throughout the United States and Canada for business and also pleasure. They visited all but five states and enjoyed every minute of it, they experienced the beauty of the world together. When they were home, Karen enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. She did her best to never miss a game, a concert or a Christmas pageant.
Besides her parents, Karen is preceded in death by her brother Andy and furry friends Jennifer, Flash, Thunder, Hulk, Emmy, Brutus, Buddy, Frankie, Henry, Homer and Margie. She loved her pets and leaves behind Jack and Jill to entertain my Dad, much to his chagrin. Left to carry her beautiful memories are her loving husband, Bob, her children Rebecca Green (Nate Green Sr.) of Kansas City, MO; Jeff Kupersmith of Hillsdale, KS; Jim Kupersmith (Jenni Kupersmth) of Dallas, TX; her sister, Deb, of Kansas City, MO; and her grandchildren, Daelan West, Rowan West, Nate Green II, Jordan West and Finley Kupersmith.