Remembering Our Ancestors: Karen Ann Christman

You find her Find-A-Grave Memorial here.

Karen Ann Christman was born on March 7th, 1942, to a young couple from Glouster, OH, Naomi A. Snyder and James D. Christman, and the three of them lived at the Synder farm together with Naomi’s parents. She remained their only child. Unfortunately, her father died in an accident when she was only two and a half years old, making his funeral visitation and the inevitable gathering of people all dressed in black at the old Snyder farm one of her earliest childhood memories. The photo below was most likely taken at that farm in Glouster, approximately around this time.

About five years later, Karen’s mother Naomi married again, and the new family then lived in Columbus for a while, but latest by 1952, they were back in the hills, living in and around Pleasantville, Fairfield County, OH, where Karen grew up.

She went to school in Pleasantville, was a member of the Oakthorpe Christian Union Church all through her teens, participating in various activities there, and joined the Future Homemakers of America in 1956.

Karen graduated in 1960. This is her graduation photo (below):

Two years later, when she was 20 years old, her mother Naomi passed away, and Karen continued to live with her stepfather and his new family until she met and married Donald E. Denney in 1965. They married in October of 1965 or 1966, settled in their own place outside of Lancaster, OH, and were blessed with two boys.

For twenty years, Karen raised her boys and took them to a Bible Baptist church three times a week, where she enjoyed to sing as well. Her strong faith shaped her values and behavior throughout her adult life.

On July 11th, 1996, Karen lost her husband Donald and moved to Lancaster, Ohio.

In 2000, she met Charles R. Webb, and they married on April 1st, 2000. They lived together until he passed away in 2012. After that, Karen lived by herself with her doggy companion Buddy, whom you can see in the picture below, for whom she cared very much.

On November 4th, 2022 in the morning, Karen passed away altogether unexpectedly, and very quickly. She is survived by her two sons and many grand- and great-grand children.

May her soul Rest in Peace. We love you and miss you, Mom and Grandma.