A-85-17

Obituary

 

Karen Sue Evans Thompson was called home to the Lord on February 21, 2022. Karen was born April 3, 1951 to Henry and Ruth Ashmore in Bakersfield, California.
Karen grew up in Shafter, attending Richland Elementary and Shafter High School. It was there in Shafter, where she would meet one of her greatest loves of her life, Steven Dale Evans. Karen and Steve were married on May 11, 1968 and went on to have two beautiful daughters, Karri and Terri. Karen and Steve loved each other deeply and were married for 40 years.
Karen was a homemaker for the majority of her life but she also worked in retail and at Shafter Flowers for several years (she always had that amazing green thumb!!). She also was well known for her amazing house cleaning services all over town. She attended Church of God for most of her life and was a longtime member of Shafter Women’s Aglow. She was a true Prayer Warrior!! Many people counted on that fact!! Ministry was a part of her life in many ways, including when she and Steve both served in ministry as Pastors at Carrington Convalescent Home in Shafter.
If you knew Karen, you knew how deep her love ran for God and Family. You knew that you could count on her to be on her knees paying, interceding and fighting for her loved ones and family. Often, you could find her on her little porch with Steve and her girls singing beautiful hymns for the whole neighborhood to hear. “It was important, she said, for us to let our light shine.”
Karen and Steve continued their love and lives together until Steve’s passing in October 2008.
Even still, God had some very special plans for Karen when eight years later she reconnected with her High School sweetheart Mike. Karen and Michael Alan Thompson were married on October 15, 2016. He too, became another of her greatest loves. And oh, how he spoiled her!! They may have only had five beautiful years together but they were inseparable and they made every moment count.
One last tribute to her love that needs mentioning, is the many handwritten prayers and scriptures pouring over her family that she wrote down on any scratch paper, journals, or junk mail envelopes she could find. She taped them everywhere from the refrigerator to mirrors, hallways, doors, lamp shades and even under pillows. These are now some of her families most treasured gifts left by her. A true and beautiful testimony of her depth of love for God and family.
Karen was the sweetest, silliest, and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister. Her gentle soft hands, powerful prayers and tender touch will be greatly missed.
Karen is preceded in death by her first husband, Steven Evans, her father, Ed Ashmore, her mother, Ruth Mc Carter, her Step-father, Quinon Mc Carter, brothers, Bill, Steve, Jackie, and Gordon, and sister Buna.
Karen is survived by her husband, Michael Thompson, her daughters, Karri and husband Dee Crow and Terri and husband Stephen Hammond, her step-sons: Brian Thompson, Michael Thompson Jr., Matthew Thompson, David Thompson, Steven Thompson and Timothy Thompson, her step daughters, Erin Thompson and Amiee Perry, her sisters, Kay Clark and Sherry Lauderdale, her grandchildren, Tony Crow, Jordan Renuk, Katelyn Najera, Joshua Hammond, Armond Henderson, 11 Great-Grandchildren and many more family and friends.