Karen Jean Anderson

Karen J. Anderson, of Dayton, Iowa, passed away on Friday, November 15, 2024, at Grandview Health Care Center in Dayton. 

A private family graveside service will be held at the Dayton Cemetery. Rev. Rod Meyer will officiate. Carson ~ Stapp Funeral Home in Dayton has been entrusted with the arrangements. www.carsonstappfuneralhome.com

Karen Jean Quist was born on March 24, 1941, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, the daughter of Carl “Ryal” and Martha Helena (Ekblad) Quist. She graduated with the Harcourt High School class of 1959, and furthered her education at Tobin Business College in Des Moines.

On April 1, 1960, she was united in marriage to Larry D. Nelson. They were blessed with three children, Daniel, Susan, and Daren. They later divorced.

Karen married Dean Anderson at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Dayton on November 26, 1982. The couple had lived in Iowa, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas, where Dean managed and set up mergers for grain Coops. Karen had worked at Job Service of Iowa, as a banker in Colorado, and later in administration for Oklahoma City University until retiring in 1997. She returned to Dayton in 2019, to be closer to her family.

She is preceded in death by her parents, and husband, Dean Anderson, on March 7, 2011.

Survivors include her children, Daniel (Traci) Nelson of Boone, Iowa, Susan (Craig) Cooper of Dayton, Iowa, and Daren Nelson of Ottumwa, Iowa; step-children, Gary (Jean) Anderson of Oskaloosa, Iowa; Cathy (Don) Nyren of Harcourt, Iowa, Sue Travis of Dayton, Iowa, and Jody Anderson of Des Moines, Iowa; several grandchildren and great grandchildren.