DULUTH, Minn. — Karen Marie (Saari) Neumann, of Ironwood Township, Michigan, passed away on June 29, 2025, in Duluth, Minnesota, surrounded by family.
Karen was born on June 30, 1944, in Ironwood, Michigan, to parents Rachel (Hill) and Arvo Saari of Ironwood Township. She graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood in 1962.
Shortly after graduation, Karen met her future husband, John Neumann, of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, through her eldest brother, Don. John and Don were on leave from the U.S. Air Force, and John met Karen at a train station, where they shared a pack of Life Savers candy, and the rest was history.
John and Karen married on May 18, 1963, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Ironwood Township and soon moved to Elk City, Oklahoma, for John to continue his service at Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base.
They were blessed with their daughter, Lori, in 1964, and they moved back to Ironwood Township before being blessed with another daughter, Heidi, in 1967.
John and Karen also became foster parents, expanding their family for a few years, and making lifelong connections. Karen was a proud member of St. John's Lutheran Church and taught Sunday school for many years.
During her years as a mother, Karen pursued further education, graduating from Northland College with a bachelor's degree. She worked for many years providing care and support for addiction recovery with the Lac du Flambeau and Lac Vieux Desert Reservations, and with Great Lakes Recovery Centers, until she retired.
Karen was an avid reader and gardener, who loved to camp and be at Lake Superior. Throughout her life, she learned to ride a motorcycle; loved music, including The Eagles, The Carpenters, Bread and many others; and loved to travel. Karen also loved spending time with her husband and daughters, and her four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, teaching them to play baseball and plant flowers, and taking
numerous walks to the "crick" and to have root beer floats.
Karen was preceded in death by parents, Rachel and Arvo Saari; mother in-law, Hildegard Luehrs; brothers-in-law, Richard Neumann and Darrel Kreft; sisters-in-law, Grace Saari and Carol Jean Volkenant; and her dear friend, Sandy Dural.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, John; two daughters, Lori (Paul) DeRosso and Heidi (Stacy) Ofstad; four grandchildren, Cortney Ofstad, Brittany (Matt) Forstrom, Corinne (Bill) Blomberg and Devon (Brooke) DeRosso; and three great-grandchildren, Ray Forstrom, Colton Forstrom and Dax DeRosso. She is also survived by her brothers, Don (Kay) Saari and Roger (Chris) Saari; sister-in-law, Barbara Kreft; foster children, Rachel, Rebecca and Steve; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 12, at 11 a.m., with visitation starting at 10 a.m., at St. John's Lutheran Church on Airport Road in Ironwood Township. A luncheon will follow at Little Finland in Kimball, Wisconsin.
Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield, Michigan, is assisting the family with arrangements.