Karen I. Kerr

Karen I. Kerr, 87, of Waterloo, formerly of the Forest City and Crystal Lake area, passed away Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Oakwood Care Center in Clear Lake.

A private family service will be held in the summer. Inurnment will be in Oakland Cemetery in Forest City.

Karen Irene Kerr, the daughter of Donald and Helen (Andrews) Brown, was born on February 3, 1938, in Iowa City. She graduated from Forest City High School. Karen was married to Merle Kluver and lived on a farm southeast of Crystal Lake where they raised their children. They later divorced and Karen moved to Waterloo and attended Iowa State Teacher’s College, now UNI, to become a teacher. On February 15, 1977, she married Bill Kerr. They lived in Sigourney where Karen taught school until moving back to Waterloo. Karen taught at Blessed Sacrament School in Waterloo and then became a counselor with the Waterloo School District until her retirement. Karen was a writer and was so proud of having a book published that her license plate displayed AUTHOR. She loved sports, especially pro football and UNI athletic events. The Patriots were her favorite team. There was always a bet going on with her and her kids, which also led to her love of casinos. She went monthly before Covid hit. Karen liked going out to eat and socializing over coffee. She also loved playing board games with family and friends. However, golf was her true love. She spent years playing golf during her summers off from teaching, and later in life enjoying playing with her adult kids.

Karen is survived by her two children, Bruce (Marcia) Kluver of Crystal Lake and Toni (Carl) Eckenrod of Bradenton, FL; four grandchildren, Brett (Heather) Kluver and their two children, Aubrey and Braxton, Amber (Brandon) Heimer, Logan (Allison) Williams and their daughter, Nell, and Carson Williams and his fiancée, McKenna Dabb; three step grandchildren, Alexandria (Connor) Kem and their two children, Bexley and Eleanor, Carlie Eckenrod and her fiancé, Dustin Kalinay, and Austin Eckenrod; a niece, DeeDee Brown; and a nephew, “Junior” Earl Brown.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; sons, Kevin and Tracy Kluver; parents; a brother, “Buster” Earl Brown; and a sister, Barbara Wilde.