Karen Church

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Karen Renee (Facer) Church, age 81, passed away July 20, 2022 at her home in Saratoga Springs after a lingering illness. She was born on June 1, 1941, in Los Angeles, California to Cleone T. Facer and Alice Harriet (Gardner) Facer. She grew up in Malad, Idaho and attended schools in Malad.

After the family moved to Idaho Falls, she attended and graduated from Idaho Falls High School in 1958. After attending Ricks College on a scholarship, she worked as a secretary for engineers and physicists at the Atomic Energy Commission site west of Idaho Falls.

Always involved in music with her lovely singing voice, she helped organize and sing in a women's singing group named The Continentals. Karen sang in numerous church choirs and musicals in Idaho Falls. She assisted her husband in organizing Institute of Religion choirs in Minneapolis and Orem. As a student at BYU she sang in Oratorio Choir, and later sang in A Capella Choir at University of New Mexico. Still later, she sang in Bach Society Choir as it performed with the Minnesota Orchestra. Karen started a ladies' trio, The Golden Oldies, which performed at hospitals, rest homes, and civic events in Utah County. As a volunteer instructor at Orem Institute of Religion, Karen taught a class on the history and doctrine of the LDS Hymns. Karen wrote clever and inspiring songs about each of her children.

She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has remained active and faithful all her life, serving in Primary, Sunday School, Relief Society, and Young Women organizations. Karen loved and served others wherever she was. She loved to be with her family and sing. She loves the Lord and has been a Christlike example of faith and goodness throughout her life.

As a young adult, she served as a missionary in the Southwest Indian Mission where she taught members of the Navajo, Pima, and Papago tribes in Arizona, and members of the Crow Tribe in Montana. She married Lewis Church in the Salt Lake Temple in 1965. They have been married 57 years. Together they had 6 wonderful children - 2 daughters and 4 sons. While rearing her children she found time to attend UVSC (now UVU), then transferred her credits and graduated with a degree in family recreation from BYU. In 2005 - 2006, she and her husband served as missionaries and teachers for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission. In that role she taught doctrine classes as well as piano lessons to many grateful students.

She is survived by her husband of Saratoga Springs, and her beloved children: son Matthew (Shelly) of Lindon, Utah, daughter Kali of St. George, son Lincoln (Kristie) of Syracuse, Utah, son Zachary (Amber) of Eagle Mountain, daughter Tirzah Fullmer (Troy) of Eagle River, Alaska, and son Brigham (Wendy) of Washington, Utah plus 19 marvelous grandchildren and one great grandson. She is also survived by one sister, Gaylene (Ronald) George of Rigby, Idaho, numerous cousins, nieces and nephews, and her faithful dog Dutch. Karen was preceded in death by her parents and three sisters, Gayle, Teresa, and Maxilyn, and one grandson, Deacon.

An evening viewing will be held Tuesday, July 26, 2022 in the Olpin Family Mortuary Chapel, 494 South 300 East, Pleasant Grove. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. in the LDS Centennial Chapel (Saratoga Springs 4th Ward) located at 49 E. Centennial Blvd., Saratoga Springs, UT where family and friends may attend a viewing from 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. prior to the services. Interment will be in the Pleasant Grove City Cemetery.

The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Karen's thoughtful and caring physicians: Dr. Sean Curzon, Dr. Chun Hwang, Dr. Eric Tidwell, Dr. Devon Nelson, and Dr. Paul Gardner and the wonderful staff of Aspen Ridge of Utah Valley in Orem and the nurses and aides of Advanced Health Care Home Health and Hospice, along with the folks at Revere Health Pharmacy and her kind and thoughtful neighbors - all of whom have made her life much easier. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donating to LDS Church General Missionary Fund, to Primary Children's Hospital, or to another worthy charity of your choice. The funeral services will be streamed live from the chapel at https://bthr.live/e/karen-church-memorial.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinmortuary.com.