Kari Jeanne (Lee) Abel, age 62, of Bagley MN, passed away on July 19th, 2023 after a courageous second battle with cancer.
Kari was born on December 9th, 1960, to Irvin (PeeWee) and Jeanne (Jacobson) Lee in Bagley MN, the youngest and only daughter of four children. Kari was baptized, confirmed, and married in faith at Faith Lutheran Church in Bagley, MN. During high school, she worked at the family Bagley Mercantile, participated in school choir and band, musicals, was a cheerleader and participated in track. After Kari graduated from Bagley High School in 1979, she went on to study at the University of North Dakota. Kari married Richard Abel (Bagley 1978 graduate) on June 5, 1982. Her and Rick moved to the Sauk Rapids/St. Cloud area for 33 years, where they went on to have three children: Scott, Nicole, and Peter. Kari worked various jobs while raising their family, including having her own basket business, Painted Petals, selling Young Living essential oils and acting as office staff and closing agent for Heartland Title and Title Professionals until her retirement.
In 2015, Kari retired and her and Rick moved back to Bagley, Minnesota and became active members of Grace Free Lutheran Church. In recent years, they split their time between their Bagley home, their cabin in Osage, MN and their retirement community home in Casa Grande, AZ.
Kari was a member of NELL, the Bagley American Legion Auxiliary and a member and treasurer of the Women's Mission Federation. Kari loved singing and playing piano, participating in the MN Center Chorale, multiple church choirs and the Jammers music group in Casa Grande. During her time in Sauk Rapids, she played in a monthly bridge group, loved going to garage sales, going on motorcycle trips with friends, baking various treats (and not sharing her recipes), hosting people at her house, quilting, traveling, being outdoors and spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, family, and friends. You could often find Kari walking outside, with a cup of coffee in her hand, baking in her kitchen or immediately making friends with anyone she encountered. Kari sported various hairstyles over the years and always had complimentary jewelry to match her outfits. Kari was a bright light in this world. Her music, cooking, faith, and friendships will live on in the hearts of all who knew her, and her light will continue to shine through those touched by her.
Kari was predeceased by her father, Irvin (PeeWee), mother, Jeanne, and brothers, Jon and Doug Lee. She is survived by her beloved husband of 41 years, Rick, children Scott (Kaila), Nicole (Rocco), Peter (Mandy) and 10 grandchildren, Wyatt, Anika, Corrine, and Soren Abel, Leo, Alexander, and Aubrey Terrigno and Hayden, Riley, and Colton Abel, brother, Dave (Cindi) Lee, sisters-in-law, Sandi (Jon) Lee, sister-in-law, Penny (Doug) Lee, 23 nieces and nephews and more than 35 great nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at Grace Free Lutheran Church on July 25th at 11AM with luncheon to follow the burial at the American Legion in Bagley, MN. Visitation will be July 24th from 5-7 PM at Cease Family Funeral Home Chapel in Bagley, MN, with a prayer service and sharing of memories at 6:30 p.m. Interment will be at the Bagley City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers and because of Kari's love of music, donations can be sent in memory of Kari to Clearbrook-Gonvick School Music Program at 16770 Clearwater Lake Rd, Clearbrook, MN 56634.
Kari was born on December 9th, 1960, to Irvin (PeeWee) and Jeanne (Jacobson) Lee in Bagley MN, the youngest and only daughter of four children. Kari was baptized, confirmed, and married in faith at Faith Lutheran Church in Bagley, MN. During high school, she worked at the family Bagley Mercantile, participated in school choir and band, musicals, was a cheerleader and participated in track. After Kari graduated from Bagley High School in 1979, she went on to study at the University of North Dakota. Kari married Richard Abel (Bagley 1978 graduate) on June 5, 1982. Her and Rick moved to the Sauk Rapids/St. Cloud area for 33 years, where they went on to have three children: Scott, Nicole, and Peter. Kari worked various jobs while raising their family, including having her own basket business, Painted Petals, selling Young Living essential oils and acting as office staff and closing agent for Heartland Title and Title Professionals until her retirement.
In 2015, Kari retired and her and Rick moved back to Bagley, Minnesota and became active members of Grace Free Lutheran Church. In recent years, they split their time between their Bagley home, their cabin in Osage, MN and their retirement community home in Casa Grande, AZ.
Kari was a member of NELL, the Bagley American Legion Auxiliary and a member and treasurer of the Women's Mission Federation. Kari loved singing and playing piano, participating in the MN Center Chorale, multiple church choirs and the Jammers music group in Casa Grande. During her time in Sauk Rapids, she played in a monthly bridge group, loved going to garage sales, going on motorcycle trips with friends, baking various treats (and not sharing her recipes), hosting people at her house, quilting, traveling, being outdoors and spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, family, and friends. You could often find Kari walking outside, with a cup of coffee in her hand, baking in her kitchen or immediately making friends with anyone she encountered. Kari sported various hairstyles over the years and always had complimentary jewelry to match her outfits. Kari was a bright light in this world. Her music, cooking, faith, and friendships will live on in the hearts of all who knew her, and her light will continue to shine through those touched by her.
Kari was predeceased by her father, Irvin (PeeWee), mother, Jeanne, and brothers, Jon and Doug Lee. She is survived by her beloved husband of 41 years, Rick, children Scott (Kaila), Nicole (Rocco), Peter (Mandy) and 10 grandchildren, Wyatt, Anika, Corrine, and Soren Abel, Leo, Alexander, and Aubrey Terrigno and Hayden, Riley, and Colton Abel, brother, Dave (Cindi) Lee, sisters-in-law, Sandi (Jon) Lee, sister-in-law, Penny (Doug) Lee, 23 nieces and nephews and more than 35 great nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at Grace Free Lutheran Church on July 25th at 11AM with luncheon to follow the burial at the American Legion in Bagley, MN. Visitation will be July 24th from 5-7 PM at Cease Family Funeral Home Chapel in Bagley, MN, with a prayer service and sharing of memories at 6:30 p.m. Interment will be at the Bagley City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers and because of Kari's love of music, donations can be sent in memory of Kari to Clearbrook-Gonvick School Music Program at 16770 Clearwater Lake Rd, Clearbrook, MN 56634.
Kari Jeanne (Lee) Abel, age 62, of Bagley MN, passed away on July 19th, 2023 after a courageous second battle with cancer.
Kari was born on December 9th, 1960, to Irvin (PeeWee) and Jeanne (Jacobson) Lee in Bagley MN, the youngest and only daughter of four children. Kari was baptized, confirmed, and married in faith at Faith Lutheran Church in Bagley, MN. During high school, she worked at the family Bagley Mercantile, participated in school choir and band, musicals, was a cheerleader and participated in track. After Kari graduated from Bagley High School in 1979, she went on to study at the University of North Dakota. Kari married Richard Abel (Bagley 1978 graduate) on June 5, 1982. Her and Rick moved to the Sauk Rapids/St. Cloud area for 33 years, where they went on to have three children: Scott, Nicole, and Peter. Kari worked various jobs while raising their family, including having her own basket business, Painted Petals, selling Young Living essential oils and acting as office staff and closing agent for Heartland Title and Title Professionals until her retirement.
In 2015, Kari retired and her and Rick moved back to Bagley, Minnesota and became active members of Grace Free Lutheran Church. In recent years, they split their time between their Bagley home, their cabin in Osage, MN and their retirement community home in Casa Grande, AZ.
Kari was a member of NELL, the Bagley American Legion Auxiliary and a member and treasurer of the Women's Mission Federation. Kari loved singing and playing piano, participating in the MN Center Chorale, multiple church choirs and the Jammers music group in Casa Grande. During her time in Sauk Rapids, she played in a monthly bridge group, loved going to garage sales, going on motorcycle trips with friends, baking various treats (and not sharing her recipes), hosting people at her house, quilting, traveling, being outdoors and spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, family, and friends. You could often find Kari walking outside, with a cup of coffee in her hand, baking in her kitchen or immediately making friends with anyone she encountered. Kari sported various hairstyles over the years and always had complimentary jewelry to match her outfits. Kari was a bright light in this world. Her music, cooking, faith, and friendships will live on in the hearts of all who knew her, and her light will continue to shine through those touched by her.
Kari was predeceased by her father, Irvin (PeeWee), mother, Jeanne, and brothers, Jon and Doug Lee. She is survived by her beloved husband of 41 years, Rick, children Scott (Kaila), Nicole (Rocco), Peter (Mandy) and 10 grandchildren, Wyatt, Anika, Corrine, and Soren Abel, Leo, Alexander, and Aubrey Terrigno and Hayden, Riley, and Colton Abel, brother, Dave (Cindi) Lee, sisters-in-law, Sandi (Jon) Lee, sister-in-law, Penny (Doug) Lee, 23 nieces and nephews and more than 35 great nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at Grace Free Lutheran Church on July 25th at 11AM with luncheon to follow the burial at the American Legion in Bagley, MN. Visitation will be July 24th from 5-7 PM at Cease Family Funeral Home Chapel in Bagley, MN, with a prayer service and sharing of memories at 6:30 p.m. Interment will be at the Bagley City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers and because of Kari's love of music, donations can be sent in memory of Kari to Clearbrook-Gonvick School Music Program at 16770 Clearwater Lake Rd, Clearbrook, MN 56634.
Kari was born on December 9th, 1960, to Irvin (PeeWee) and Jeanne (Jacobson) Lee in Bagley MN, the youngest and only daughter of four children. Kari was baptized, confirmed, and married in faith at Faith Lutheran Church in Bagley, MN. During high school, she worked at the family Bagley Mercantile, participated in school choir and band, musicals, was a cheerleader and participated in track. After Kari graduated from Bagley High School in 1979, she went on to study at the University of North Dakota. Kari married Richard Abel (Bagley 1978 graduate) on June 5, 1982. Her and Rick moved to the Sauk Rapids/St. Cloud area for 33 years, where they went on to have three children: Scott, Nicole, and Peter. Kari worked various jobs while raising their family, including having her own basket business, Painted Petals, selling Young Living essential oils and acting as office staff and closing agent for Heartland Title and Title Professionals until her retirement.
In 2015, Kari retired and her and Rick moved back to Bagley, Minnesota and became active members of Grace Free Lutheran Church. In recent years, they split their time between their Bagley home, their cabin in Osage, MN and their retirement community home in Casa Grande, AZ.
Kari was a member of NELL, the Bagley American Legion Auxiliary and a member and treasurer of the Women's Mission Federation. Kari loved singing and playing piano, participating in the MN Center Chorale, multiple church choirs and the Jammers music group in Casa Grande. During her time in Sauk Rapids, she played in a monthly bridge group, loved going to garage sales, going on motorcycle trips with friends, baking various treats (and not sharing her recipes), hosting people at her house, quilting, traveling, being outdoors and spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, family, and friends. You could often find Kari walking outside, with a cup of coffee in her hand, baking in her kitchen or immediately making friends with anyone she encountered. Kari sported various hairstyles over the years and always had complimentary jewelry to match her outfits. Kari was a bright light in this world. Her music, cooking, faith, and friendships will live on in the hearts of all who knew her, and her light will continue to shine through those touched by her.
Kari was predeceased by her father, Irvin (PeeWee), mother, Jeanne, and brothers, Jon and Doug Lee. She is survived by her beloved husband of 41 years, Rick, children Scott (Kaila), Nicole (Rocco), Peter (Mandy) and 10 grandchildren, Wyatt, Anika, Corrine, and Soren Abel, Leo, Alexander, and Aubrey Terrigno and Hayden, Riley, and Colton Abel, brother, Dave (Cindi) Lee, sisters-in-law, Sandi (Jon) Lee, sister-in-law, Penny (Doug) Lee, 23 nieces and nephews and more than 35 great nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at Grace Free Lutheran Church on July 25th at 11AM with luncheon to follow the burial at the American Legion in Bagley, MN. Visitation will be July 24th from 5-7 PM at Cease Family Funeral Home Chapel in Bagley, MN, with a prayer service and sharing of memories at 6:30 p.m. Interment will be at the Bagley City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers and because of Kari's love of music, donations can be sent in memory of Kari to Clearbrook-Gonvick School Music Program at 16770 Clearwater Lake Rd, Clearbrook, MN 56634.
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