Karen (Potter) Schumann

Obituary in the Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Ut:

Death: Karen Potter Schumann Published: Tuesday, July 28, 1998 12:00 a.m. MDT

Karen Potter Schumann died unexpectedly while enjoying an outing with her family on Saturday, July 25, 1998.

Karen was born the fifth child of Dorothy Bennion and Arlin Roberta Potter in San Jose, California on October 1, 1957. She lived her first 14 years in San Jose, California, before moving with her family to Salt Lake City, Utah, where she graduated from Olympus High School in 1976 and later from the University of Utah with a degree in Recreational Therapy. She served in the Sweden Goteborg Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1979 and 1980. She worked as a Recreational Therapist in a nursing home following her return from her mission. In the summer of 1982, she met Thomas Lee Schumann and the couple was sealed for time and eternity on December 4, 1983, in the Jordan River Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After her marriage, Karen and her family lived for six months in Richfield, Utah; two months in Phoenix, Arizona; five years in Idaho Falls, Idaho; two years in Saginaw, Michigan; three years in Evansville, Indiana; and for the last five years in Billings, Montana.Karen was known and loved by many as a loving and caring person who was quick to make friends - a skilled and compassionate listener. She was slow to anger and cared greatly about people and relationships. She loved her Heavenly Father and always wanted to do His will. She served conscientiously all her adult life in a variety of church callings. The day she passed away, she was preparing a lesson for a class the following day.

Karen loved life and enjoyed cross-country skiing, music performing and arranging, hiking and camping. She had recently taken an interest in horses and was compassionate in her care of animals.

Karen is survived by her husband, Dr. Tom Schumann; her four children: Lauralee Schumann, born Nov. 12, 1983; Marianne Schumann, born November 7, 1985; Paul Thomas Schumann, born April 11, 1988; Allison Rae Schumann, born January 5, 1991; also her parents, Arlin and Dorothy Potter of Salt Lake City, Utah; her brother, Kent Potter, of Atlanta, Georgia; three sisters: Jolene Clawson of Detroit, Michigan; Gweneth McNiel of Salt Lake City, Utah; and Anna Jane Jenkins of Phoenix, Arizona. Her family and friends will always remember her positive influence and have her good example to follow as they anticipate a joyous reunion after the resurrection.

An entry from Karen's Journal dated Sunday, November 1, 1992, gives insight to her character and priorities: "All at once I realize my oldest child is nine. It doesn't sound very old. But soon she'll be a young woman and childish laughter will have changed its tune. Nine is half of eighteen and then she'll be gone. And the other children's years go by just as swiftly. Have I laughed enough? Have I played enough, listened enough, and been available enough to hear? Why is it the tasks that consume me in day to day living seem ever-pressingly important to rob me from smiles, tears, and an endless stream of "watch me Mama" that I turn to watch but somehow never quite do? God grant me the wisdom to know what is truly important and the courage to do it."

Funeral services will be held 1 p.m., Wednesday, July 29, 1998 at the Billings East LDS Stake Center, 1640 Broadmoor Dr. Interment will follow at Terrace Gardens Cemetery.