Karen Marie (Urli) Antin

ROME, Wis. — Karen Marie (Urli) Antin, 76, wonderful and much-loved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, passed away peacefully Aug. 14, 2019, at home in the town of Rome, Adams County, surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Montreal on Aug. 8, 1943, to Lawrence “Dan” and Elma (Turunen) Urli, Karen graduated from J.E. Murphy High School in Hurley in 1961 and from Suomi College, now Finlandia University, in Hancock, Mich., in 1963.

She went on to Northern Michigan University, graduating with a degree in social work in 1966.

She married her high school sweetheart, Rick Antin, in 1966. She raised three children.

Her passion to serve was shown in her work serving the elderly in nursing homes in many of the dozen cities and towns the family lived in over the years. She returned to school later at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, earning her masters in speech pathology.

Her skills and compassion led her to extend her calling, working with patients facing a range of challenges from strokes to severe head trauma. For years, Karen worked with a young girl with both mental and physical disabilities who continued to have a very special place in her heart.

In retirement, she found great joy spending time with family and friends. She loved playing golf and bridge, volunteering with Woodland Lutheran Church in Nekoosa and singing in choir, trekking with her hiking group, quilting and knitting with friends, and doing extensive travel in the family’s R.V.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Elma; and brother, Larry.

She is survived by her husband, Rick; children, Scott (Kristin), Kari (Chris), and Kristin (Shawn); grandchildren, Carter, Cooper, Mylie and Nolan; sisters, Patricia Mattek and Deborah (Slawek) Jaroszkiewicz; sister-in-law, Pirkko Urli; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. with visitation starting at 9:30 a.m., on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at Woodland Lutheran Church, 280 14th Ave., in Nekoosa.

Interment service will follow on Friday, Aug. 30, in Ironwood, Mich. at 1 p.m. at the Urli lot, Block 65, in the Riverside Cemetery.

Memorial donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, Woodland Lutheran Church of Nekoosa, and Ascension at Home at ascensionathome.com.