Karen Jean Ellis

1953 - 2009  (55 years)

• Name	Karen Jean Ellis
  Birth	30 Sep 1953	Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, USA
  Gender	Female
  Death	29 May 2009	Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, USA
  Burial	Forest Cemetery, Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, USA
  Person ID	I15926	Tulpehocken Genealogy
  Last Modified	22 Mar 2021

  
  

  Father	Willard Melville Ellis,   b. 7 Jan 1923, Givin, Mahaska County, Iowa, USA d. 30 Aug 2010, Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, USA (Age 87 years)
  Mother	Naomi Jean Faulkner,   b. 23 Jan 1932   d. 17 Aug 2008 (Age 76 years)
  Family ID	F5388	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Karen J. Ellis was the daughter of Willard and Naomi Faulkner Ellis. She was an Oskaloosa High School Graduate and went on to further her education at William Penn College, where she received a B.A. in Human Relations and Psychology in 1975 and then at Drake University, where she received a M.S. in Education - Counseling and Personnel Services in 1989. In 2003, she was awarded an Honorary Ph.D. from Shepperton University, United Kingdom. Karen started her career while still in college as a VISTA Volunteer with the Area XVI Drug Abuse Council and the Lee County Mental Health Center in Keokuk and Fort Madison. She went on to manage a residential program for girls in Farmington, MO and then a women's residential facility with the Southeast Iowa Council for Alcohol and Drug Problems. From 1978 to 1980, she was the Executive Director of the Fort Madison Housing Authority and from 1981 to 1989, she was part of the mental health services team at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines. During and after her graduate studies at Drake, she worked for WorkMed Midwest. There she assessed rehabilitation needs of injured workers, and analyzed work place safety and ergonomics. From 1990 to 1991, she served as the Regional Director/Senior Consultant for two state offices for ERS Rehabilitation Services, a six state private rehabilitation company. Karen worked as an Independent Consultant and worked for the Iowa Council for International Understanding, Des Moines. There she directed local activities of the International Visitor Leadership Program o fthe U.S. Department of State; this program was nominated for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. Karen also provided private mental health counseling and was part of the Mental Health Professional Mobile Crisis Response TEam. Karen taught courses at Drake University and most recently was the Director of Human Resource Management Certificate Program at William Penn University - College for Working Adults. She was also founder and president of KNEW Day, which provided consulting, advocacy and training services to domestic and international entities. Karen moved back to Oskaloosa in January of 2008 to be near her family. Karne was an avid reader and collector of Lighthouses; she also enjoyed cross stitch and was a member of the Rainbow Division - Order of the Eastern Star. Karen was a member of the Central United Methodist Church. Besides her work, Karen's real passion was politics - she devoted countless hours to the Republican Party. Karen passed away at her home in Oskaloosa at the age of 55 years 7 months and 29 days. Her family includes her father, Willard of Oskaloosa; her brother, Kevin, also of Oskaloosa; a niece, Jennifer Ellis of Des moines; a nephew, Craig (Emily) Bahnsen of Des Moines; a great niece, Greta Naomi Bahnsen and close friends, Connie and Gary Alexander of Oskaloosa. Karen was preceded in death by her mother and a brother, Keith Ellis.