Karen Jonnelle Evenson

Karen Jonnelle Evenson, age 84, formerly of Benson, Minnesota, died Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at Trinity Care Center in Farmington, Minnesota. Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ in Benson, Minnesota, with the funeral service to follow at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be in the Swenoda Lutheran Church Cemetery in rural Benson, Minnesota

Karen Jonnelle (Amundson) Evenson was born in New London, Minnesota, to Oscar and Carrie (Mitchell) Amundson. As a child, her family relocated to Frankfurt, South Dakota, where she attended school through the tenth grade and graduated from nearby Redfield in 1959. In 1960, Karen moved to Benson, Minnesota, and began her long career at the Swift County (First Security) Bank.

Friends and family introduced Karen to Chuck Evenson. They married at the Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ in Benson in January 1967. Chuck worked as a foreman at Lorenz Manufacturing and Karen worked at the bank as a secretary, and together they raised their family of his, hers, and ours (and all the dogs). The family moved to Glencoe, Minnesota, in 1969/1970 for two years while Chuck went to Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis and Karen worked in the McLeod County Auditor’s Office. After Chuck finished his training, they moved back to Benson where Chuck, with much help and support from Karen, opened his own business. Karen returned to the bank where over the years she was promoted to a loan officer position; she loved helping her customers.

In addition to being active in the business community, Karen was heavily involved with her church, teaching Sunday school and confirmation classes for many years. She always looked forward to the annual chicken dinner at the church with all the ladies working together to prepare a wonderful meal. Karen volunteered her time and compassion as a hospice volunteer and hospice Chaplin, and with Habitat for Humanity for many years. Karen helped facilitate the opening of the Heartland Girls Ranch in 1992 and continued on with the board for several years. She was a foster mom to three young women.

Karen loved to travel. As a young family, they camped at local lakes in the summer and traveled to visit their many relatives. She and Chuck went to Denmark to visit their foreign exchange student Arkalo Pedersen and his family.

Chuck died in 1988, but Karen continued with her travel adventures to Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and several trips to Mindanao, Philippines, to visit a sister church of Pilgrim Congregational.

In 2003, after two years of study, Karen became a licensed lay minister with the United Church of Christ and went to work at two small Congregational churches in Graceville and Ortonville, Minnesota. She led bible study classes every week and served as a mentor to several people over the years. She authored the children’s book The Tear in 2015. Karen retired from the bank in 2006 after 45 years and from the church in 2015 after 12 years of ministry.

Karen is survived by her children and stepchildren: Kari (Jeff) Allen, Charles (Janice) Evenson, Mark (Connie) Evenson, Marie (Kevin) Pulkrabek, and Corrine Evenson; siblings: Roald Amundson, Frank (Donna) Amundson, and Cheryle Kriese; sister-in-law Judy Niklason; grandchildren: Sean, Alyssa, Erin, Courtney, Cayler, Celyst, Melissa, Zachary, and Ryan; and nine great-grandchildren.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Charles; siblings George (Paulette) Owen, Jon Owen, Arlen (Joan) Amundson, and Winston (Toby) Amundson; brother-in-law Gene Kriese, and sister-in-law Irene Amundson.

Blessed be her memory.