Obituary of Karen Sue Brown

Karen Brown, 71, of Boise, Idaho, passed away on September 04, 2023. Karen was born in Bloomington Illinois on December 24, 1951.

Being a child of the 50s and 60s and becoming a young adult of the 70s means that Karen lived a life that was constantly in flux between traditional norms and free-spirited frenzy. She graduated from Normal Community High School in 1970 and was shortly thereafter married to her first husband, Robert Read of Illinois, having a son, Andrew “Andy” Douglas Read. While transitioning from traditional norms to free-spirited, Karen married twice more, with her third marriage being to Clifton "Cliff" Owen Brown III, a young and upcoming rock musician living in Albuquerque New Mexico, in 1978. Having only known each other for 3 weeks prior to their engagement, Karen and Cliff remained married for 8-years and saw the births of their two sons, Clifton "Cliff" Owen Brown IV in 1980 and Nicholas "Nick" Bradley Brown in 1981. Karen eventually moved with her two sons, Cliff and Nick, from Albuquerque to Republic Missouri where she and her sons experienced one of the brightest points in her life. Living directly next door to her sister Sue, brother-in-law Jay, and their daughters Hayley and Brittany meant that this move allowed for countless summer game nights, ball games with her nieces and sons, as well as multiple Christmas trips to Illinois with the entire family hosted by her parents Gladys and Pete as well as her brother Terry. Karen always reflected fondly on this period of her life and it is worth mentioning here. However, like all true free-spirits, nothing lasts forever and Karen moved on again to begin life anew. She married her fourth and final husband, David Connelly of Springfield Missouri. Alas, she was destined to remain a free agent in the sport of love. She preferred it that way and by her 40s had determined that men were mostly pigs and she was better off without.

Being an Illinois native meant she was a Chicago Bears and Cubs fan. A mostly unfortunate passion she passed along to at least one of her sons. She lived vicariously through both of her sons the last couple of years but also succeeded in building new relationships with friends at Life Care Center and Ashley Manor in Boise Idaho. While she was diagnosed with various ailments, including lung cancer in her final year, she continued to socialize, learned to draw and paint, and even attended an airshow with those new friends. She did her best to live and to love her family as long as she could.

For those that new Karen, you know that life could be turbulent. She wrestled with alcoholism and spent most of the last decade of her life sober and free from alcohol. This enabled a relationship with her sons, her grandkids, as well as her siblings. It was a hard-fought battle but one that must be applauded for she was more committed to her family than anything else. Like anyone, she carried flaws and pain, but she had a relationship with her family in the end, which ultimately decides her victory.

Karen was preceded in death by her mother, Gladys Bradley, her father, Donald "Pete" Bradley, her sister, Susan "Sue" Duvall, brother-in-law James “Jay” Duvall, and her eldest son, Andrew "Andy" Read.

Karen is survived by her son Nick Brown, his partner Josh Garrison of Meridian Idaho, son Cliff Brown and daughter-in-law Mandy, two grandkids Clifton Owen Brown “V”, and Polly Jo Brown, nieces Hayley Duvall Shields and her husband Jay of Texas and Brittany Duvall Talbert and her partner Shannon Getman of Missouri; grandnieces and nephew, Kaylyn, Aria and Chase (Jay and Hayley) and brother Terry Bradley of Illinois.