Karen Elaine McDougall

KAREN ELAINE MCDOUGALL PASSED AWAY ON FEBRUARY 23, 2025 AT HER HOME IN LAQUINTA, CALIFORNIA DUE TO COMPLICATIONS FOLLOWING A STROKE. SHE WAS 81 YEARS OLD. KAREN WAS SURROUNDED BY CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO LOVINGLY SHARED THE LAST 7 DAYS OF HER LIFE IN AN EXTRAORDINARY HOSPICE EXPERIENCE TOGETHER WITH HER. SHE WAS BORN ON AUGUST 23, 1943 IN LOS ANGELES, ONE OF SEVEN CHILDREN OF ELDON AND PATRICIA CAMPEAU.

KAREN GRADUATED FROM ST MICHAELS HIGH SCHOOL IN LOS ANGELES AND TRAINED AND WORKED AS A DENTAL ASSISTANT FOR ORAL SURGERY IN INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA. SHE MET HER HUSBAND NATT ON A WATERSKIING DATE AT LONG BEACH MARINE STADIUM IN 1962. THE TWO WERE MARRIED ON AUGUST 27, 1966 AT ST PHILLIP THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN PASADENA AND CELEBRATED 58 YEARS TOGETHER THIS PAST SUMMER.

AS A YOUNG WIFE AND MOTHER, KAREN ANCHORED HER GROWING FAMILY THROUGHOUT MANY MOVES TO VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION SITES AROUND THE US. SHE LIVED IN 8 STATES-CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, ALASKA, GEORGIA, VIRGINIA, IDAHO, HAWAII AND MINNESOTA-BEFORE SETTLING DOWN IN LAKE OSWEGO IN 1986.SHE ONCE WILLINGLY MOVED WITH HER SMALL CHILDREN TO BE IN KETCHIKAN, ALASKA, TRANSITING ON AN AMPHIBIOUS FLOAT PLANE TO FERRY THEM TO LIVE ON AN ISLAND THERE IN COMPANY HOUSING.SHE AND HER HUSBAND BEGAN THEIR OWN CONSTRUCTION FIRM IN 1988, WITH KAREN BEING CORPORATE SECRETARY UNTIL RETIREMENT IN 2015. HER FAVORITE STATES WERE TWO EXTREMES-MINNESOTA AND HAWAII. SHE JUDGED THEM NOT BY THE WEATHER BUT BY THE FRIENDS SHE MADE WHILE LIVING THERE.

KAREN WAS PRIMARILY THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOME, PROVIDING FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER, AND SUPPORT FOR HER FAMILY OF FOUR CHILDREN AND A HUSBAND-WHICH EVENTUALLY GREW TO 3 MORE FAMILIES WITH 6 GRANDCHILDREN- NO MATTER WHERE THEY WERE. SHE ALWAYS HAD AN ANSWER TO THE “WHAT’S FOR DINNER” QUESTION.

SHE WAS A WOMAN OF FAITH, FINDING STRENGTH IN HER CATHOLIC UPBRINGING AND USING IT TO PROVIDE MEANING TO EVERYONE’S LIVES AND DAILY STRUGGLES THROUGHOUT HER TIME. SHE VOLUNTEERED AT JESUIT HIGH, OUR LADY OF THE LAKE, AND BIRTHRITE. SHE WAS A EUCHARISTIC MINISTER AND LECTOR WHO TOOK COMMUNION TO THE SICK. SHE CHAIRED THE CATHOLIC CHARITIES CELEBRATION IN 2008. SHE WAS A FAITHFUL CATHOLIC PERSON, ALWAYS MINDFUL OF HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER CREATOR.

KAREN WAS ACTIVE AS WELL, RUNNING WITH SPECIAL FRIENDS IN HAWAII, WALKING THE LOOP IN THE DESERT, PLAYING TENNIS FOR YEARS AT NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ALONG THE WAY BEFORE SUCCUMBING TO GOLF AND HER MUCH ENJOYED NINE HOLERS GROUP AT WAVERLEY. SHE TREASURED MAUNA KEA SUNSETS AND LATE IN LIFE RODE A MULE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GRAND CANYON AND HIKED THE CAMINO IN SPAIN JUST TO KEEP GOING. SHE MADE AND KEPT A LOT OF FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY.

KAREN IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND NATT AND THEIR FOUR CHILDREN AND SIX GRANDCHILDREN: JENNIFER (NICK AND NATALIE), BEND; FR. JEFFREY MCDOUGALL S.J., SEATTLE; MICHAEL AND KELLY (DAVID AND ALYSSA), BEAVERTON; AND MARK AND CHRISTINA (FIONA AND LUCY), SAN JOSE.

A ROSARY WILL BE SAID FOR KAREN AT 7:30 PM ON SUNDAY MARCH 9 IN THE CHAPEL AT WIEFELS FUNERAL HOME IN PALM SPRINGS, 690 S. VELLA ROAD.

A MEMORIAL MASS WILL BE OFFERED FOR KAREN AT 9:30 AM ON MONDAY, MARCH 10 AT ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LAQUINTA, CALIFORNIA.

A ROSARY WILL BE SAID FOR KAREN AT 7:30 PM ON TUESDAY, MARCH 11 AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LAKE OSWEGO, OREGON.

KAREN’S FUNERAL MASS WILL BE OFFERED AT 10:30 AM ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 AT OUR LADY OF THE LAKE IN LAKE OSWEGO, OREGON, FOLLOWED BY INTERMENT AT THE FAMILY MAUSOLEUM AT MT CALVARY CEMETERY IN PORTLAND.

RECEPTIONS WILL BE HELD AFTER BOTH MASSES AT THE MCDOUGALL HOME IN LAQUINTA AND AT WAVERLEY COUNTRY CLUB IN PORTLAND.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, DONATIONS MAY BE MADE TO THE SEATTLE NATIVITY SCHOOL IN HONOR OF KAREN’S LIFE.

THE ENTIRE MCDOUGALL FAMILY IS MOST APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE PRAYERS AND SUPPORT PROVIDED FOR KAREN THESE LAST FEW WEEKS.