KIFFIAK Karen

KAREN KAY (BOWSER) KIFFIAK of Foremost, beloved wife of Edwin Kiffiak, passed away peacefully at the age of 63, surrounded by loving family on Tuesday, December 4, 2012, after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer.
Karen, loving wife and mother, was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on August 28, 1948. Her family later settled in Orinda, California, where she graduated from high school and she later went on to attend and graduate from San Jose State University. She met her husband, Edwin, on an adventurous trip to Guatemala and later made Foremost, Alberta her home, where she raised her children and embraced farm life. The time she spent working at her first job in Foremost, as the elevator’s first female employee taught her a lot about small town farm lifestyle. She had a devoted, affectionate relationship with her husband that exemplified deep love, commitment and humour. She was passionate about giving back to her faith community at the Foremost Evangelical Free Church and was actively involved up front and behind the scenes in all of the school and sports events her children participated in. Karen was one who always showed up. If she touched your life, you never forgot her. She came to faith in her early 20s when she committed her will and life to serving her LORD and saviour, Jesus Christ. Her deep faith and love for the LORD was paramount in her life and gave her the strength and grace to always put her family and friends first, loving, encouraging, supporting and inspiring them.
Besides her loving husband of 40 years, Edwin, she is survived by daughter Carolyn Anderson (Tim), son Nathan, mother Naomi Faye Bowser, sisters Carol McMains (Robert), Janice Bowen, Lynne Mangels (David), brothers-in-law Dennis Kiffiak (Beatriz), Oral Kiffiak (Joanne), Erna Topliffe, as well as numerous loving nieces, nephews and large extended family.
Karen is predeceased by her father John T Bowser, father-in-law Harry Kiffiak, mother-in-law Margaret Kiffiak, and daughter Rachelle Lynne Kiffiak.
A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, December 8, 2012, at the FOREMOST COMMUNITY HALL, with Pastor Dale Jost officiating and Pastor Conrad Eroersma. A private interment will be held prior to the service at the Foremost Cemetery.
For those who wish, donations in Karen’s memory may be made to Southern Alberta Bible Camp, PO Box 99, Lomond, AB T0L 1G0, Gideon’s Lethbridge Camp, c/o John Regier, 2225 – 27 Ave South, Lethbridge, T1K 6K5, or the Pancreatic Cancer Canada, 136-2446 Bank St., Ste #656, Ottawa, Ontario K1V 1A8.
Send condolences at www.mbfunerals.com.
Martin Bros. Funeral Chapels Ltd.
610 – 4 Street South
Lethbridge, AB T1J 4P3
Phone: (403)328-2361 Fax: (403)382-3623
Toll Free: 1-800-382-2901
www.mbfunerals.com