Our dear mother Karen left us on the early morning of May 9, just shy of her 84th birthday. Karen spent most of her young life on Crane Road in Oakdale, graduating from Oakdale High School in 1957. Karen enjoyed doing things with her life-long friends Sylvia Broderick, Pat Woodward, Diane Miller, and Dixie Henderson. She cherished her beloved horse, Midge, winning many ribbons in the Oakdale Rodeo Parade in the ‘60s. Karen attended Modesto Junior College and was one of the founding members of the MJC Ski Club spending many fun weekends at Dodge Ridge. After a few years in the El Dorado area the family moved back to Oakdale, building a home, raising two sons and a daughter while working in Modesto as a Bacteriologist for John Ingles Frozen Foods and later retiring from Merchant Logistics.

Karen loved taking care of livestock, fishing, camping, taking trips to Big Trees, Pinecrest and Yosemite and fun times with the Rudder Wranglers flying club at Oakdale Airport. Later in life she was always up for a good penny machine at the casino. Karen was preceded in death by her parents Mel and Jane Rowan, brother, Mel Rowan, son Steven Echelberger. She leaves behind her husband of 37 years, Virgil Nielsen, son Doug Echelberger and daughter Jill Gust. She had five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Per her wishes, there will be no service.

The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader

The Riverbank (Calif.) News

June 21, 2023