Karen S. Denton

October 10, 1959 -

September 29, 2018

Karen Sue Denton of The Woodlands, Texas lost her battle with breast cancer on September 29, 2018. After being diagnosed in 2009 she fought a tough fight and enjoyed remission for 8 years until being diagnosed in April 2017 with metastasis in the bones. In June of this year the disease attacked her liver and brain. Karen was the toughest person we ever met and never let on how much pain she was in nor did she give in to the disease until Saturday when her liver failed. She fought bravely until the very end making her final goal of celebrating at her grandbaby Emerson's first birthday party the week before!

Karen was born Karen Sue Purdy on October 10, 1959, in Des Moines, Iowa, went to Westchester high school in Houston and was a 1982 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Business Administration.

After meeting her husband, Jordan in 1981 in a Business law class at The University of Texas, they were married in Houston on February 19, 1983.

As a young girl Karen developed a love for DIY projects including sewing her own clothes and crafting that would be a source of joy her whole life. After graduating from college, she went to work in the oil industry and then was able to be a stay at home mom in 1989 when Katie was born. From that point on she was a devoted mother and best friend and life partner to Jordan. Her passion from 1989 on was almost singularly Katie and Jaclyn and she may have been the BEST Mom there ever was.

Her passion in more recent years, since her diagnosis in February 2009, was to raise money to eradicate breast cancer in her daughters' lifetimes. Her most notable achievements were to help raise over $150,000 through fundraisers and walking in the local 5k Komen Race for the Cure, her first in a wheelchair after a mastectomy and 7 months of brutal chemotherapy, the Komen 2011 60 mile walk in Dallas, TX and multiple Avon 39-mile walks. She was fiercely determined and made a point of finishing each race, rain or shine, that she participated in. Thousands of miles walked over the years in early morning trainings and sleeping in tents, roughing it all the time to stay focused on the WHY she was participating.

In lieu of flowers, Karen requested that you donate to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to aid their efforts to promote research and development of Breast Cancer cures and effective treatments. Also, by some incredible coincidence, or not, the Houston Komen Race for The Cure is this Saturday and Karen's sister, Laura Purdy, a breast cancer survivor herself, started a team and we will walk to further Karen's Passion to eliminate this horrid disease. All are welcome to walk or donate to the team, Karen's Krew, or any of her friends and family that will be out there Saturday morning.

She is survived by her husband Jordan, daughters Katie and Jaclyn, grandbabies Ethan and Emerson and her sons-in-law Andy and Geoffrey, her sister Laura, her Mother Donna and step father Andy as well as countless other nieces, close relatives and many friends.

Link for donations - http://info-komen.org/site/TR?fr_id=7384&pg=personal&px=24351559

The Celebration of Karen's Life Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, October 7th at 4:00 pm at Congregation Beth Shalom of The Woodlands 5125 Shadowbend Pl. The Woodlands, TX 77381.