Karen Marie Lee's Obituary
Karen Marie Lee, 51, of Alliance, and Charlotte, N.C., passed away on May 21, 2005, after battling lupus for many years and pancreatic cancer in the last months of her life. Karen was born at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, CA on July 22, 1953 to Robert Alan and Jeannie Rae (Streiff) Lee. She is survived by her mother Jeannie Rae (Streiff) Lee of Alliance, her sister Kristi A. (Lee) Starnes of Kensington, and her brother John F. Lee of Alliance. She is also survived by four nephews, one niece, three grand-nephews, and one grand-niece. Her father Robert Alan Lee preceded her in death. Karen grew up in Alliance and was a 1971 graduate of Alliance High School. She was a member of orchestra and marching band during her school career, and played in the Alliance High School Orchestra, Marching Band, Concert Band, and Pep Band. Karen was a resident of North Carolina for most of her adult life. She graduated with honors from Coastal Carolina Community College in Jacksonville, NC, in 1980 with an AAS in Electronic Data Processing, being elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Theta Pi Chapter. Her entire professional career was spent with IT Systems in the banking industry, retiring with over 20 years service with the Bank of America in Charlotte, NC as a Technical Systems Engineer, Production Support Manager, Global Finance Technical Manager, Vice President in Global Finance and Corporate Information. While living in Hawaii Karen obtained her private pilots license and was also a licensed glider pilot. She was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Soaring Society of America, and Bermuda High Soaring School in Lancaster, SC. Her happiest free time was spent soaring, and she also did fine needlework and many other crafts. Karen was quite active with several charities, the most dear to her heart being Cornerstone Church, the Southwest Indian Foundation, the Billy Graham Ministries, Sons of Norway, and several genealogical societies. God, family, and service to others held the most importance in her life. Memorial Services will be held at St. Paul s Lutheran Church in Alliance on Wednesday, June 1, 2005, at 7:00 p.m., with the Rev. Frank Gross Jr. officiating. There are no calling hours. The Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
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