Karen Marie Conley

1964 - 2014

Karen Marie Conley

October 25, 1964 ~ September 23, 2014

On September 23rd, 2014, heaven gained another angel in Karen after complications from open heart surgery. She was 49 years old.

Karen was born in Seattle on October 25th, 1964 to Art & Arlene Palmerton, who were wonderful parents that she loved and adored. Karen grew up in Bellevue, WA, graduated from Interlake High School and Western Washington University in Bellingham where she met the love of her life, David Conley. Karen & David were married in 1988 and they truly lived happily ever after...

Karen got to live out her childhood dream of working side by side with her dad Art, running the family business, Cope Construction Company. Karen was a Partner and Vice-President of the company until 1996, when her dad and mentor died of cancer. She became President of the company and successfully ran Cope Construction for the next 15 years.

Inspired by the need to fight back against cancer after losing her dad, Karen became a passionate and dedicated volunteer for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Issaquah. Over the last 14 years, she helped motivate and lead a team of dedicated volunteers and the Issaquah Community to raise over 3 million dollars for the fight against cancer. She also formed and was captain of Team Aloha, which over that same period, raised over $580,000 to help cancer researchers find a cure! She loved working with the youth involved with the Issaquah RFL and inspiring them to finish the fight!

Karen was an avid shopper and enjoyed spending Saturdays at the mall with her mom Arlene. She attended Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Bellevue, WA where she played in the Hand Bell Choir, played hand drums for the Worship Team, volunteered leading numerous committees and loved worshipping God. She also enjoyed vacationing with family, traveling and spending time with family and friends. She will be remembered for her ever present smile and positive outlook on life.

Karen is survived by her devoted and loving family, husband David Conley, mom Arlene Palmerton, brothers Wayne Fisher and Jay Seale, sisters Sheri Miksa and Hope Lockwood and numerous nieces and nephews, all whom she loved very much!

Being passionate about the fight against cancer, Karen would have wanted donations to go towards finding a cure to finish the fight. Donations can be made to the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Issaquah in Karen's name.

A family graveside service and burial was held Wednesday, October 1st, 2014 at Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Bellevue WA. A celebration of Karen's most awesome life was held at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Bellevue WA on Saturday, October 25th, which would have been her 50th birthday,

Karen was generally awesome! She was a loving wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. To say that she will be missed is an understatement. She was a light in this world and lived her life for God through faith, hope and love. Everything she did, she did out of love...