Karen Stoddard

Karen Lee Stoddard, aka “Madre”, lived in Corvallis, OR when she passed away on February 21, 2018 following a long, courageous battle with cancer. She was born May 23, 1948 in Long Beach, CA. When she was just 3 years old, her mother passed away. Her father, Bernie Hanenberger, married Hazel Omega Murray Hanenberger Palazzolo. Hazel adopted Karen and raised her as her own. Karen graduated from Cupertino High School and started working for the phone company as an operator shortly after graduation. She ended up making it her career and retiring after over 30 years of being with the company. She married Roy Palmer when she was 18 years old and together they had an outstanding son, Jason Palmer. Jason was the absolute light of her life. Karen, over the years, became known as “Madre”. She ‘adopted’ all of her son Jason’s friends and treated them as her own as soon as they walked through her door. She welcomed everyone into her home and became like a second mom to many throughout the years. Karen enjoyed several hobbies in her retirement. She sold Avon forever, The Red Hat Club, and loved tending to her flower garden during the spring and summer. She was also an avid cat lover and had the joy and love of many kitties throughout her life. Most of the cats she had were strays who found and adopted Karen. She truly had a soft spot for cats in need of a loving home. Her other passion in life was shopping. Not just shopping though, but bargain shopping! She was a coupon queen and was always on the hunt for the best deal, with the best coupon, and with the most store points! She often shared this passion with others by offering to go shopping with, or even shopping for, several of her friends. If she overheard a friend mentioning something they needed, she would immediately start looking through ads and her coupon purse to find them the best deal possible. If she was out and about and spotted something that was on sale that she knew one of her friends used or needed, she would call and excitedly tell them about it, or just pick it up for them and drop it by their house. She loved the thrill of finding a bargain, and sharing the bargains she found with her friends gave her such joy! She was always thinking about others and their needs. Karen was a beloved friend to so many, and her generous, caring spirit will be greatly missed. Karen was preceded in death by her mother and by her son, Jason. Karen is survived by her sister Julia Palazzolo and brother Bernie Hanenberger. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Heartland Humane Society or to any other cat rescue organization.

Tributes

Karen Stoddard

May 23, 1948 - February 21, 2018