Karen S. (Burks) Carvell, 70, of Portage passed away April 14, 2026, suddenly and peacefully with her family at her side at Trinity Hospital in Grand Rapids.
Karen was born December 19, 1955 in Niles, MI, the daughter of Tom and Lois (Purucker) Burks. She lived and attended school in Buchanan, MI, graduating in 1974 from Buchanan High School. After graduation, Karen moved to Grand Rapids and attended Davenport College. While living and studying in Grand Rapids she worked for a local ophthalmologist. In 1978, Karen moved to Kalamazoo and continued to work in ophthalmology billing and finance. In September, 1985, she started working at Lakeside Residential Treatment Center in Kalamazoo as an account manager. At Lakeside, she met and worked alongside many of her lifelong friends. Karen was very involved with raising her children, Greg and Vanessa. She attended many sporting, choir and band events, always providing a nurturing atmosphere for her children and many of their friends who would say Karen was their second mom. When Lakeside closed in 2005, Karen worked for a short time at Total Plastics in Kalamazoo and then for the MSU Extension Service for Kalamazoo County, again as an account manager, retiring in August 2019.
Karen married Dave Carvell on June 25, 2005, and together they enjoyed 21 years of family, friends, pool parties with the grandbabes, occasional vacations, and many summer stays in St. Joseph on Lake Michigan, one of her favorite places. Karen was in her happy place on a beach with her feet in the water, and hopefully near a palm tree. She recently enjoyed a beach vacation in Florida with Greg and Vanessa. Lake Michigan sunsets were always a place where she found much peace and solitude.
Karen enjoyed sewing, reading, gardening, and attending to her pet frogs that inhabited her lily pond every summer. Karen got a lot of joy and laughs from the grandbabes’ interest in her “frog family,” and from being a spectator at her grandchildren’s games and performances.
Karen was a lifelong member of Bethany Reformed Church in Kalamazoo, a place of peace and strength for her. She looked forward to regular meetings with her Book Club friends and her Lakeside Ladies lunches.
Karen was very involved with the Huntington’s Disease (HD) Support Group in Kalamazoo, helping with many of the Walks for Hope charity events. She and Dave attended many HD Conferences in the state to show their unwavering support for HD research.
Karen is survived by her husband Dave, her son Greg (Jillian) Hardy of Portage and daughter Vanessa (Ben) Street of Portage; stepdaughters Sara Carvell of Saint Paul, MN and Josh and Tiffany (Carvell) Opper of Fishers, IN; brother Brian (Gayle) Burks of Battle Ground, WA; grandchildren Madison and Dylan Hardy, Sawyer and Raiden Street, and Sophie and Bryce Opper. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Mike Burks.
Karen was a Gift of Life donor. Cremation has taken place. Services to celebrate Karen’s life will be held at Bethany Reformed Church (1833 South Burdick St., Kalamazoo). Visitation will take place Friday, May 1st from 4:00-8:00 p.m. and Saturday May 2nd from 10:00-11:00 a.m. A memorial and Celebration of Life will begin at 11:00 a.m., with a luncheon at the church immediately following. Karen will be laid to rest after the luncheon at Schoolcraft Township Cemetery (333 West Highway St., Vicksburg).
The family would appreciate that memorial contributions be directed to Huntington’s Disease Society of Michigan or Bethany Reformed Church.
