Karen Hoffman

Karen Hoffman, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed peacefully from this life on Sunday, May 5, 2019. We love to think she chose the Lords day to enter into His rest, and that her valiant and chivalrous companion, Leon, opened the door for her one last time, letting her depart through heavens doors. 

She was born in Logan, Utah on August 4, 1942, the second of seven children and first daughter of Alton and June Kingsford.  Karen inherited the love of poetry from her dad, Alton, a love of hard work and thrift from her mother June, and a love of music from both.  She loved each of her siblings and stayed close to them and their children and loved hen parties with her mom and sisters. She was imbued at a young age with a special and unique sense of optimism and knew well how to “accentuate the positive” and always look for that “little patch of blue”.

She met her eternal sweetheart, Leon, on the campus of Utah State University, and their relationship has been a constant love story since the day they met on the dance floor. They were married on her 19th birthday, on August 4, 1961 in the Logan Temple and celebrated 57 anniversaries together. They welcomed six sons and two daughters into their home, and countless other children, all of whom were loved and taught the gospel with great care and example, and of course nurtured with Karen’s famous homemade bread and honey butter.

Karen served two missions with her husband to Pennsylvania and took on the added challenge of learning Spanish for their first mission. She loved all those she served in Pennsylvania, and most loved serving with her sweetheart. 

Karen loved the Lord first, and Leon a close second, and then everyone else who crossed her path.  She adored walking, hiking and dancing with her sweet husband and companion Leon.  And she loved spending time gardening, making quilts with her children and grandchildren and creating 57 memory books for her posterity.  She was ever faithful and ever prayerful, and she loved the quote, “Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.”  Mom, your rent is paid in full.  

Karen is survived by her husband, Leon, children, Earl (Taunna), Clayton, Gary (Brooke), Lyle (Laura), Carla (Jef), Michael (CaMarie), Karie (Steve) and James (Shanti), her sisters Cheryl, Lynette, Lanis, Angie, and brother Douglas, 48 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.  She is enjoying a beautiful reunion with her parents, Alton and June, her brother Clinton, and her granddaughter Lyndsey. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 11:00 am in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel, 2285 South 200 West, Bountiful, Utah.  Friends and family are invited to visit Friday evening 6-8pm at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main Street in Bountiful, and Saturday morning 9:30-10:30am prior to the service at the Chapel.  Interment will follow at the Bountiful City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, may we suggest choosing a random act of kindness or a good cause to donate to. This would perpetuate Karen's passion for service. Your love, thoughts and support in whatever form are so healing and are eternally appreciated. Online condolences and memories can be added by clicking the Tribute Wall tab above.