Karen Irene Toedter Lewis

Karen Irene Toedter passed away May 30, 2022, at Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

She was born Oct. 4, 1942, to Irene (Gigstad) and Edward Toedter on the family farm near Easton, Kan. She attended the one-room No. 6 School not far from home through eighth-grade and graduated from Easton High School in 1960.

After two years of full-time employment, she enrolled in Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., where she joined Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority. Over summer vacations during college, she worked in the typing pool at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where she met Lt. Allen Lewis, U.S. Army.

Allen was promoted to captain the fall after they met. They were married June 13, 1965, at St. John’s Lutheran Church near Easton, the same church at which she was baptized (Nov. 1, 1942) and confirmed (June 10, 1956).

When Allen’s time in the U.S. Army was through, they moved to live with his parents for a short time near Rockford, Wash., then to Worley, Idaho, where he began farming.

Karen completed her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Washington State University in 1966 and began teaching first- and second-grades in the Worley School District that fall. She loved working with young children and was still fond of and in contact with many of her students for the remainder of her life.

When Allen and Karen started their family, Karen stepped back from full-time teaching to raise the children and help Allen on the farm. In 1981, they moved to Rockford, Wash., and maintained the farming operation in Washington and Idaho. For more than 30 years, Karen drove truck during harvest, made frequent “parts runs,” and even drove a tractor to disc fields. In addition to the duties of a farm wife, she served as a substitute teacher, was a longtime Sunday school teacher, facilitated many funeral dinners via her congregation’s Women’s Ministry and served on the council at Zion Lutheran Church in Fairfield, Wash.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Irene Toedter; her in-laws, Carl and Cloris Lewis; nephew, Daniel Toedter; several aunts; uncles and dear friends.

She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Allen; son Sean; daughter Laura (Shawn) Lea O’Brien; brother, Melvin (Shirley) Toedter of Leavenworth, Kan.; sister, Marilyn (Larry) Harper of Kansas City, Mo.; two nephews, Lance (Karen) Harper and Steven Toedter; niece, Tanya Harper; sister in-law, Ann Moore; and three grandchildren, Darby, Dylan and Derek O’Brien, of which she was extremely proud

The family would like to express gratitude to the Rockford E.M.T. organization and to Alan Werhan for all his neighborly care. Services will be at 1 p.m. June 13, 2022, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 5810 S. Meadowlane Road, Spokane, Wash. Burial will take place at 3:30 p.m. that same day at Fairview Cemetery in Rockford, Wash.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church of Spokane, Lutherhaven Ministries (Camp Lutherhaven) of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho) or St. John Lutheran Church, 34771 243 St., Easton, Kan., WA 66020, or to a charity of your choice.