The world’s most beloved mother, Karen Marie St. John, was taken up to be with her Lord and Savior on May 10, 2022, with family by her side.
Karen was a young and free spirited 63-year-old Mother, Wife, Sister, Dog Mom, Fur Grandmother, Friend, and Partner in Crime. She was born on July 6, 1958 in Long Beach, California to parents Robert and Jane Sell and had been a proud Oakdale resident for 25 years.
Karen grew up in Lakewood, California and was a big sister to Shirley Knott and brother Glen Sell. She was always a standout student and loved being a cheer and song leader. The running joke within the family was always that “we must have gotten our athletic genes from Mom.” She graduated from Artesia High School in 1976. She met spouse Randy St. John in San Diego, California and they married on July 14, 1984.
It was in all things motherhood where Karen shined. She never missed a thing. She led Girl Scout Troops and babysat all the neighborhood kids. One of the ways she loved others was through cooking food for them. She will always be remembered as one of the most talented at-home chefs. Like many great chefs, you could count on her to have a glass of wine by her side as she created and shared her legendary dishes. This love will forever live on through her most beloved recipes.
As if raising a family wasn’t enough, Karen went back to school and received her Associate’s Degree and was quickly picked up by an accounting firm Atherton & Associates in Modesto, California. She built a family of coworkers that have described her as the “heart of the office.” Always leading by quiet example, she then went on to earn her Enrolled Agent (EA) certificate that she was very proud of and rightly so.
Karen’s faith, loyalty, and unconditional love was felt deeply by all that were blessed to know her. She possessed the beautiful gift of encouragement and lifting others up through their own darkest times. Her beauty and grace was always matched with an inner strength and faith knowing that her Father was catching her every tear (Psalm 56: 8-11). Karen was happiest at the ocean. The love of God’s majestic creation was shared during the most memorable family vacations to places like Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. She was also most at peace playing her piano or listening and dancing to live music. She would be the last one standing at any classic rock concert.
The loss of our sweet Karen leaves a deep void that will be felt for a lifetime. She is survived by her oldest daughter Danielle Norwood of Portland, Oregon, her two sons Trenton and Jordan St. John of Oakdale, California, and spouse Randy St. John also of Oakdale, California.
The family would like to invite all who knew and loved her to a memorial service on June 11, 2022 at LifePoint Church, 120 West Ave., Oakdale. Service will begin at 4 p.m. followed by a celebration of Karen’s life at Bloomingcamp Ranch, 10528 CA 120 Oakdale, California, 95361.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
The Riverbank (Calif.) News
May 25, 2022
