In Loving Memory of Karen Marlene Draper, age 73, who passed away at her home on Friday, February 19, 2021. Karen was born April 19, 1947, to Donald and Evelyn (Collins) Eckman in Walker, MN. She attended school in Walker and in California for the few years her family lived there. Over the years, she worked for various businesses in Walker, including the old Luell’s Supper Club, Northern Lights Casino and Next Innovations. She also worked many years for Ah-Gwah-Ching as a Human Services Technician and was an active member of the AFSCME Union.
Karen enjoyed gardening and golfing. She was smart and loved crossword puzzles and watching game shows. She was a whiz at Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, and enjoyed playing solitaire and yahtzee. Karen was gifted as such, she could shoot beams of lasers from her eyes. She is remembered as being fiercely independent and loved listening to music and playing the guitar, piano, and accordion. Family memories include the times she joined her instruments with her family’s fiddle and guitar, and together they sang good ol’ Irish songs and old hillbilly music.
Karen will be greatly missed by her son Russell Carter Draper and Jolene May; grandsons Dustin and Colter Draper; mother Evelyn Eckman; sister Susan Tessmer; and nieces and nephews Donald Tessmer, Deana Sue Tessmer, and Desiree Tessmer, and Louanne Wilse and many other cousins. She was preceded in death by her father Donald Eckman and sisters Jenny and Donna Eckman and niece Dayls Tessmer.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Karen at her residence on Thursday, February 25, 2021, beginning at 5:00pm.
Arrangements are being provided by Whispering Pines Funeral & Cremation Service, Walker, MN.
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