Karen Stepan

Karen J. Stepan, 50, died May 10, 2011, in Tucson. She was born May 15, 1960, in Harvey, Ill., to Jim and Nancy Stepan. She grew up in the South Chicago suburbs.

Dr. Stepan was educated at Michigan State, Chicago Osteopathic and completed her pediatrics residency at UC San Diego. Education and career moves carried her through the San Francisco Bay area, San Diego and Sacramento before landing in Flagstaff. She was one of the founding partners of Mountain View Pediatrics, where she worked for 15 years. Always an advocate for maternal child services, she served as chairman of pediatrics at Flagstaff Medical Center and was the force behind the establishment of the FMC Breast Feeding Center. Her retirement was the community's loss.

She loved sports as both a spectator and participant. She skied, hiked and was an avid tennis player. She devoted her energies to Flagstaff soccer -- club and high school.

Dr. Stepan and her husband, Tim Bonatus, raised three wonderful daughters Taylor, Kendall and Devyn Bonatus. She always thought the girls were her greatest accomplishment.

In recent years, she battled an unknown progressive neurologic disorder that robbed her of her career and mobility. She was supported by family and friends -- with special thanks to her devoted mother who cared for her. She is already greatly missed.

Dr. Stepan is survived by her husband, Tim Bonatus, of Flagstaff; daughters Taylor, Kendall and Devyn Bonatus, all of Flagstaff; mother Nancy Stepan of Flagstaff; and brother Kevin Stepan of Austin, Texas. She was preceded in death by her father, Jim Stepan.

A celebration of life service will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Flagstaff Federated Community Church, followed by a reception at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Odyssey Hospice, 750 E. Williams Circle, Suite 300, Tucson AZ 85718.