Karen Lee Parker, 72, Peculiar, Missouri, died Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at her home. Graveside services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, June 27, 2014 at the Lewallen Cemetery in Branson, Missouri. Visitation will be held from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Friday, June 27 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville, Missouri.

Karen was born February 21, 1942 in St. Anthony, Iowa. She married Ted Allen Parker on August 7, 1993. Karen worked as a nurse's aide for the Mental Health Hospital in Illinois for 23 years before retiring in 1984. She then moved to Peculiar and worked as the manager of the Peculiar Drive-In for 22 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ted, on October 5, 2004, her mother, Dawn Brown and stepfather, Willis "Tiny" Brown and one brother, Kenny DeRuiter. She is survived by one sister, Vi Cobern and her husband, Marv, Peculiar, Missouri; two nephews, Matt Cobern and wife, Kelly, Peculiar, Missouri and Shannon Cobern and wife, Dee, Cleveland, Missouri and adopted grandson, James Dunn and wife, Gayle and their child, Riley.