Karen Gloria Broeckel

Karen Gloria Broeckel, long time Dusty resident, passed away Sunday, July 24, 2022 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho. She was 80. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, July 30th, at 10:00 AM at the Country Bible Church in Dusty. Burial will follow at the Dusty Cemetery. There will be a viewing for those who wish to on Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM at the Corbeill Funeral Home in Colfax.

Karen was born July 9, 1942 in Colfax to Art and Amelia Broeckel of Dusty, Washington. She grew up near Dusty and graduated from the LaCrosse High School in 1960. Karen attended and graduated from Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) with her Bachelor’s Degree in 1964. She taught school at Parkway, Custer, and Lake Louise Elementary Schools in Tacoma for many years. She taught 4th and 5th grade and finished as a math specialist. After 30 years Karen retired in 1995 and returned to the farm at Dusty in 1996.

She was a longtime contributor to the Whitman County Gazette as the “Dusty News” correspondent. Rarely did she miss a family visit, picnic, wedding, or other family event in the Dusty area that wasn’t “reported” in her column. She enjoyed needlepoint, was an avid reader, and an enthusiastic Seattle Seahawks fan. For a long time, Karen served as the treasurer of the Dusty B.B. Club.

She is survived by her sister, Patty Wieber; nephews John(Camille) Broeckel, Greg (Gwen) Nolan and Brett Wieber; nieces Janet (Vince)Trantolo, JoAnn (Brian)Elrod, Pam Nolan Beasley, and Jamie(Bobby) Halbig; by her great-nephews Landry and Brady Trantolo, Aiden Elrod, Jason and Andrew Nolan, Zach and Austin Beasley, Easton, Ezra and Max Halbig; and great-nieces Lauren Elrod, Emma and Evelyn Halbig; and her great-great-niece Murphy Nolan. Karen was preceded in death by her parents Art and Amelia; infant siblings Donald and JoAnn; by her brother and sister-in-law Al and June, by her sister and brother-in-law Jeanette and Cliff Nolan; her brother-in-law Richard Wieber and a nephew-in-law, Ken Beasley.

Karen requested memorial gifts in her memory be to the Dusty Cemetery, the Country Bible Church, or to a children’s charity. On-line condolences may be left at http://www.corbeillfuneralhomes.com

Corbeill Funeral Home in Colfax is caring for the family.