Karen Kragh Starleaf
July 6, 1938 – July 24, 2018
Starleaf, as she was known in later years, was the daughter of Harold Gordon and Irene May (Collins) Kragh. She was born in Santa Monica, California and was graduated from Santa Ana High School in California and California State University, Fullerton.
She taught elementary school students for 20 years in Southern California. After her stopped car was struck by a van, neck and shoulder pain made teaching no longer feasible. She subsequently trained and served as a hospice volunteer.
After a 7-year stopover in Washington State, she moved to her favorite town of Corvallis in 1995. Increasingly home-bound in recent years, she ran bingo games for the elderly for 10 years and also served R.S.V.P. as a phone tracker for volunteer hours for over 20 years. Maintenance and nurturing of her Little Library was one of her joys, along with periodic visits to Depoe Bay and, especially, her back yard with birds, squirrels, chicorees, raccoons, possums and other critters.
She leaves behind her husband, Ron Davis; daughter Monica Starleaf and her husband Volker Weiss of Maui, Hawaii; granddaughters Marina Riker and her husband Paul Neidhardt, of Victoria, Texas, and Ruby Riker of Portland, Oregon.
Starleaf died peacefully at home. The family wishes to thank Lumina Hospice & Palliative Care for their services, and Compassion and Choices for their kind support. Thanks also to the support of Dakini Gardens Sangha and Visiting Angels for easing her transition.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to her favorite charities: Chintimini Wildlife Center and the Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis.
No services are planned. A gathering of friends and family to honor her life will occur at her home in Corvallis on Saturday, July 28. Please contact the family for details.
Starleaf VSED 