Karen K. Holley

Karen K. Holley passed away on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison.

She was born in Waterloo on April 23, 1936, the daughter of Katherine Bossa. She was the last member of her immediate family.

On October 13, 1984 she was united in marriage to Lawrence (Hank) Holley at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Waterloo. Karen graduated from Waterloo High School in 1954. During her Junior and Senior years, she worked after school, weekends, and holidays as a telephone operator for General Telephone Company. Shortly after graduation she joined the staff of Farmers and Merchants State Bank. She continued her career with them for 35 years, and became an assistant cashier. Karen attended night school at MATC through the American Institute of Banking for five years. She later took a Dale Carnegie course where she received the highest award for achievement. In 1989 she retired to care for her sister, Geraldine. Karen was an avid reader, loved music, enjoyed traveling and visiting and lunching with friends. Her greatest pleasure was being a wife and homemaker. Karen lived her entire life in Waterloo. She was definitely a "small town girl" and felt blessed to have many lifelong friends. After her husband Hank's retirement, they traveled extensively through the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and Mexico. They took over 20 cruises.

Karen is survived by her step-son Larry (Kathy) Holley, cousins Rhonda (Richard) Motl, Nadine (Jose) Varela, Beth (William) Chaussee, Jerolyn (Michael) Thomas, and Dawn Jakubovsky. She is further survived by other relatives, and friends. She is preceded in death by her mother, husband, and her sister Geraldine.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00am on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Epiphany of the Lord Parish in Waterloo with Fr. Vince Brewer presiding. A private burial service will be held at Oak Hill Cemetery in Watertown. It is her wish there be no flowers or plants.

Because Karen and Hank believed in supporting all of the organizations in Waterloo, memorials may be made to Epiphany of the Lord Parish or the charity or Waterloo organization of your choice.