Karen, aka Karen Giesa Sherwood, excelled at gymnastics in high school; her inverted aerials on the trampoline were exhilarating (and scary). After graduating from Interlake, she attended Western Washington University in Bellingham. At WWU, she became involved with the Campus Christian Fellowship, where she met many of her lifelong friends. Karen’s professional career spanned five decades, and included a wide range of employers, including Real Networks, Starbucks, Tomorrow’s Hope, and most recently, Nordstrom. She retired in 2018.
Aside from a short residence in Bellingham in the early 80s, Karen lived her entire life in her beloved Bellevue. She adored her kids. When they were young, Karen, Kristen, and Brian could often be found driving down the street, windows down, belting out oldies at the top of their lungs. Karen was always quick to host the cookie decorating parties, birthday parties, and impromptu neighborhood dinners. She loved creating memories.
Karen’s last residence was in downtown Bellevue, near Meydenbauer Bay Park. She enjoyed many lifelong friendships from school and from work, and remained close with cousins throughout her life. She was active in her bible study group at Kelsey Creek Church. Her passions included sharing Jesus Christ’s story and the hope of salvation with anyone she met. Karen was an avid reader - particularly the Bible.
On Monday, January 2, 2023, Karen Giesa Sherwood passed away quietly at her home. She was 67. She is survived by her daughter, Kristen Kiene (Richard), grandchildren Kellen and Noah, and her brother Rick Giesa (Melissa). Karen’s son, Brian, passed in 2002.
Her obituary can be found here.
