A teacher, farm wife and mother who found joy in making music and nurturing her family, Karen Jean (Rosendahl) Stryker died October 29, 2026, in Holdrege, Nebraska. She was 88 years old.

Karen was born April 11, 1938, to John and Frances (Norsworthy) Rosendahl in the family home near Brule, Nebraska. Soon after her birth, her parents and older brother, Laurence, moved to Lincoln County, near Brady, where her younger sister, Beverly, was born a couple of years later.

She attended country schools as an elementary and junior high student and enjoyed taking part in plays and musical productions. She was chosen for a lead part in her junior class play at Gothenburg High School, where she graduated in 1956. She went one year to Kearney Normal School (now the University of Nebraska-Kearney), and then became a teacher. She taught two years (1957-59) at Pleasant Valley School in rural Lincoln County and another year (1959-60) at White School in rural Custer County.

Karen married Donald LaVern Stryker June 14, 1959, at Banner Church near Brady. She and LaVern lived on a small farm in Custer County, 13 miles southwest of Callaway, and became parents of four children: Tad, Lance, Dirk and Jeana. They recall that she made matching shirts for the boys and their father as they grew and sewed matching outfits for herself and her daughter.

Karen was with LaVern and family 14 years until he died in a farm truck accident on November 12, 1973. She decided to stay on the farm, where she continued to raise her young family to adulthood. Karen eventually lived on the farm 51 more years as a widow, enjoying her many friends, impacting the community with her Christian faith, her soprano singing voice and her independent, spunky personality. She was elected to three terms on the Callaway school board. She was a Cub Scout den mother and music leader for the Starlets 4-H Club.

She also led music during the children’s Sunday school hour for many years at Morning Star Church, just two miles south of the family farm, and was involved in the church’s missionary society and the local women’s club. She was a pianist at Morning Star for decades, and continued to play occasionally up through her 85th birthday.

Karen worked as a cook for more than 20 years at the Good Samaritan Center in Callaway, starting in 1989. She was known for her tasty meals, for talking and joking with the residents, filling many a work shift for others and wearing a Santa hat in the kitchen around the Christmas holiday.

As a child, she helped care for three orphaned skunks and fed the calves of her father’s milk cows. In adulthood, she gained even more enthusiasm for the care of baby farm animals, and it was a common sight to see newborn calves and lambs on her front porch on a cold winter night. She saw to it that most of the cattle and sheep on the family farm had unique names.

She is survived by three sons: Tad (Jean) Stryker of Lincoln; Lance (Diane) Stryker of Callaway and Dirk (Peg) Stryker of Callaway; and one daughter: Jeana (Daren) Popple of Funk, Nebraska; 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, LaVern, her parents and siblings.

A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, November 4, at 10 a.m. at Callaway Community Church, followed by a graveside service at Stop Table Cemetery, and a lunch at Callaway Community Church.

A Memorial Book Signing will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, from 5-7 p.m. at the Callaway Community Church in Callaway.

Memorial gifts are suggested to Morning Star Church of Callaway, or KJLT Christian Radio in North Platte.

Timm-Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Callaway is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements. Please share online condolences with the family by visiting: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com