Karen Dammann

KAREN DAMMANN was born to Alfred and Wanda (Bode) Briggs on September 4, 1954 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She was raised in Luverne, Minnesota where she received her education, After she graduated from Luverne High School in 1973, Karen cared for her uncle Gilbert in his home in Luverne. On August 18, 1973, she was united in marriage to Douglas Dammann at First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. Following their marriage, they lived in Luverne and then moved to Tama, Iowa for a short time before returning to Luverne. In 1974, they moved to Pipestone, Minnesota where Karen operated her own daycare for about five years. In 1979, she became employed at Bayliner Marine. She continued to work there until 1989 when she began selling real estate for Star Realty in Pipestone. She later sold for Winter Realty/Century 21 in Pipestone. In June, 2004, she and her husband moved to Cottage Grove, Minnesota where she continued to sell real estate for Re/Max. They recently moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1999, Karen was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; and in September, 2000, she went into remission. In November, 2010, she was diagnosed with a reoccurrence of cancer. She went into hospice care on July 2, 2011. On Thursday, August 11, 2011, Karen died at the Pipestone County Hospice House at the age of 56 years, 11 months and seven days.

While living in Pipestone, Karen was a member of First Lutheran Church. She enjoyed reading. She was a big fan of movies and usually saw several movies each week with her husband at the local theatre in Woodbury. She also enjoyed walking. She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren and playing games with them.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband, Doug Dammann of St. Paul, Minnesota; two daughters, Amy and her husband Darrin Tinklenberg and Wendy and her husband Ryan Melby, both of Pipestone, Minnesota; seven grandchildren; her mother, Wanda Briggs of Luverne, Minnesota; two sisters, Peggy and her husband Jon Kopp of Kenneth, Minnesota and Barb Briggs of Luverne, Minnesota; two brothers, Ronald Briggs of Luverne, Minnesota and Stephen Briggs of Owatonna, Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her son, Cory; her father, Alfred; one brother, Richard; an infant sister, Karol; and her niece, Penny Bradley.