Karen Cox Macfarlane

Karen Cox Macfarlane, a beloved sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, and teacher, passed away peacefully at home on April 8, 2026, surrounded by her family. Her passing brings relief from the loneliness she felt after the loss of her lifelong companion and from physical pain. Karen leaves behind a profound legacy of hard work, knowledge, compassion, love, and, at times, tough love. At her side, her younger sister Martha held her hand, sharing a tender moment reminiscent of their childhood.

Born on March 3, 1939, to Wilbur and Nora Cox, Karen was an exceptionally intelligent child who skipped a grade. She attended Belmont High School near Cambridge, Massachusetts, which provided an excellent foundation for college. Although accepted to Stanford and Wellesley she ultimately chose the University of Utah, where she became President of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and was crowned Homecoming Queen and obtained an English degree. It was there she met the love of her life, Richard Macfarlane. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple in June of 1960.

Karen and Richard shared a deep commitment to service over financial gain, and together they built a life around that value. Together, they raised five children, guided by their devout Mormon faith. They regularly attended church, read scriptures, and prayed together at their Formica kitchen table and by their bed. Karen, reflecting in her autobiography on her role as a stay-at-home mother in the 60s said, "I persevered even as the dishes I washed got dirty again very soon and the clothes I dressed us in required washing, folding, ironing, hanging. Repeat. Repeat." They had complementary parenting styles, and she commented that Richard "chuckled" at minor hardships like 12 degree weather and a flat tire, while she pressed for more and better performance from their children.

With her youngest child in elementary school, Karen embarked on a fulfilling career. She first served as a Placement Director at LDS Business College, a role she thoroughly enjoyed. In her own words, "I got a zing to my step as I mastered the tasks. It was a pleasure to leave my kitchen and to help match people and jobs. Mingling with eager college students and dedicated teachers and staff was so rewarding." She then pursued her MA in British and American Literature at the University of Utah, simultaneously teaching night courses. For over 13 years, she worked full-time at Salt Lake Community College, where she taught business writing. Karen was an exceptional teacher and was recognized as Teacher of the Year, taking her role seriously, embracing cutting-edge technology, and meticulously memorizing all her students' names before each course began. She served on the Institutional Review Board at the University of Utah for over 20 years.

In retirement, Karen embraced her role as a full-time grandparent and great-grandparent with immense joy, helping to raise 13 grandchildren. "Married children's lives are their own but their children are my grandchildren...I absolutely loved everything about this part of my life. I decided everything about being a grandparent would be polished and glorious. It has been."

Nature was a profound source of inspiration, joy, and peace for Karen, and nowhere more so than the Teton Mountain Range. She and Richard returned there again and again over the years — camping trips that continued as recently as last summer — drawn back by something she would have recognized in her favorite author Wallace Stegner's words: "Something will have gone out of us if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed. We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in." In 1999, Karen and Richard were instrumental in ensuring that the 7,300 acre family ranch would never be developed by putting the property in a conservation easement.

Karen was an avid reader with a vast personal library and daily NY Times habit that she kept until the end. She was also a compassionate individual, quietly and regularly serving those in need. She had an eye for potential and saw in her grandson, James Macfarlane, a capability that many special ed teachers could not recognize. She helped teach him to read and hold jobs. She showed warmth and love through her service, and was a talented cook who ensured everyone had their favorite foods.

The past year was challenging for Karen. She profoundly missed her soulmate and husband of 65 years. In addition to her heart condition, she had severe osteoporosis which led to multiple painful bone fractures. She faced these struggles with strength and tenacity, maintaining a sharp and keen mind, staying current and engaged in technology, politics, fashion, and everything in between until her final moments.

What those who loved her will carry forward is not just her warmth, but her expectations — the particular gift of being loved by someone who believed you could always do a little better. Karen is survived by her loving sisters Martha and Susan; her five children: son John and his partner Liz, and children Alexandra, Samantha, Luke, and Charley; Laura and her husband, John Barrus, and their children Michael, Kate, Sarah (Alex and their children Lottie, Kennedy, and Emily), Robert and his wife Stefanie and their son Brody (Emily) and daughter Marin; Wally and Sammie and their sons Will and Roman; and Tom and his children James and Claire.

A Celebration of Life will be held to honor Karen's extraordinary life on May 28th at the Orangerie at Red Butte Gardens at 6:30 PM. RSVP at https://bit.ly/KarenMac

In a final act of service consistent with her lifelong values, Karen donated her body to the University of Utah School of Medicine.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to PBS (https://pbs.org/donate/), Trust for Public Lands (https://www.tpl.org) or the Grand Teton National Park Foundation (https://www.gtnpf.org/), a fitting tribute to a woman who believed, until her last day, in the power of knowledge and an informed public, and the preservation of the wild places she loved.