Karen P. Eggers

ALEXANDRIA–Karen P. Eggers, 86, of Alexandria, passed away surrounded by family on Thursday, September 7, 2023, after a gallant 8-year fight with Ovarian Cancer, at her home in Alexandria.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at Zion Lutheran Church in Alexandria with Rev. Don Wilke officiating. Inurnment will take place at Greenwood Cemetery in Sauk Centre.

A visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at Lind Family Funeral Home in Alexandria with a time of sharing starting at 8 p.m.. The visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.

Karen was born to Jim and Olive Ross on Walnut Street in Sauk Centre on October 2, 1936. She was baptized in the Christian faith at First Lutheran in Sauk Centre. She grew up in the town and graduated from Sauk Centre High School in 1954. In Sauk Centre, she met the love of her life, Gale Eggers, and they were married on August 29, 1959. After that came four children, six grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren, with a second set of twins on the way this coming fall.

The Ross family (Karen’s maternal side) was the touchy-feely sort, where you had to kiss your aunt on the lips when they came to the small town of Sauk Centre to visit. To Karen, this was communicating through physical touch, and she taught her children that hugging everyone is what you do. If you sensed the person was uncomfortable, you’d hold on a bit longer. Her in-laws, however, were German, so this “hugging” wasn’t natural for them. Over time, it became something they got used to and, at times, kind of enjoyed.

As her children, we relied on that touch to reassure us, even as grown adults, and we relished the sight of that love being passed down to our children and their children. It will be one of the many things we will miss most as she makes it to the goal of our faith, enjoying God’s grace through the death of His son Jesus Christ in His eternal home.

Karen was the consummate Mom, Grandma, and Great Grandma: taking care of us, worrying for us, and offering her life’s lessons when any of our own issues would arise. We didn’t always take her advice, but there was always a potential “I told you so.” However, she understood we had to make our own mistakes.

Karen and her husband, Gale, fought stage 4 ovarian cancer for over eight years. They made many trips to Coon Rapids to see her oncologist and for chemotherapy treatments. They did it together, as they had done everything for 64 years. The end of my mom’s life inevitably affects my dad, Gale, the most. He lost his best friend and partner in crime. They had traveled abroad several times (to Great Britain and Spain) and had seen most of the U.S. But it will be the quiet Sunday evenings, watching British crime shows, that I suspect he will miss most–that presence and warmth of her love right next to him.

She is preceded in death by her parents; brothers Jim, Richard, and Dennis; sisters Dawn, and Nancy.

Karen is survived by her spouse of 64 years, Gale; children Sandra (Tom) of Austin, Texas, Shelley Eggers of Alexandria, David (Connie) Eggers of Moorhead, and Richard (Karen) Eggers of Clearwater; grandchildren, Ryan Russell of Alexandria, Ross (Jennifer) Eggers of St. Louis Park, Tyler Russell of Leander, Texas, Drew (Callie) Eggers of Apple Valley, Jackson Eggers of Burnsville, and Olivia Eggers of Sauk Rapids; great grandchildren Thea Eggers of Apple Valley, Rae Eggers of Apple Valley, Kennedy Eggers of St. Louis Park, Jones Eggers of St. Louis Park, Flynn Eggers of Apple Valley, Viv Eggers Apple Valley, and finally twins to be named later of St. Louis Park; brother Grant (Leann) Ross of Houston, Texas; sister-in-law, Lois Ross of Sauk Centre, and many nieces and nephews with special thanks to Kim, Debbie, and Autumn for your love these last months. Also, thanks to lifelong friends, Linda Dahl, Yvonne Korte, and Lailah Simmer.

Serving as urn bearers will be her grandchildren.

Arrangements provided by Lind Family Funeral & Cremation Services, www.lindfamilyfh.com