Karen Jo Freed

Karen Freed, 76, passed away on July 13, 2023 from the fast moving effects of Alzheimer's disease. Her beautiful smile and wonderful laugh brought joy to everyone she met.

Karen Jo Bennett was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on May 1, 1947 to Rose Marie (Boehm) and Paul Clement Bennett. She & her father were very proud of their Danish heritage, including his birth name: Herluf Poul Debel Klokker. She traced her Danish family heritage back to her great-great grandfather Count Christian Johan Frederik Ahlefeldt-Laurvig (1789-1856) and enjoyed being a Countess.

Karen lived in Edina until marrying Larry Schroeder. Several years later, they moved to Columbus, MN. During this time, she worked as a grocery clerk in Forest Lake. After Karen and her second husband, David E. Mattson were married, she worked as a restaurant server and then chiropractic assistant. They then owned Hardwood Construction & Hardwood Handlers, which built and sold houses and processed lumber for building materials suppliers.

Karen and John Freed blended their families when they were married in 2001 and lived in Columbus, MN. The two of them enjoyed spending winters at their home in Travelers Rest near Dade City, Florida with many good friends.

She was active in the Lakes Area Business Association since its inception in 1994, serving as its secretary. She enjoyed getting to know other Forest Lake business owners who worked toward a better business climate together.

Karen enjoyed outdoor activities like hunting, camping, horseback riding, walking and cutting wood. She was proficient with firearms and enjoyed teaching gun safety to girls.

It was always special to get family together to make the Prussian heritage recipe for kasnip and to play Shanghai Rummy. Karen loved celebrating holidays, especially hosting the annual Labor Day party. She & John enjoyed traveling, including a trip to Denmark to trace Karen's familyheritage and a cruise to Alaska.

Karen loved to sing and dance at Travelers Rest and enjoyed leading a Bible study there for several years. For nearly 20 years she worked at From the Heart Bible and Gift store and was blessed by its service to the community. The owners, Barb and Mike Nowicki and her coworkers, were close friends in Christ. Karen's strong Christian faith was very important to her and she is now in her special room in Heaven as the Bible promised.

Karen is survived by her loving husband, John and her wonderful children, Steve (Wendy) Schroeder, Michelle (partner Peter Gaylord) Schroeder, and Rob (Mindi) Schroeder and David P. (Jessica) Mattson. Her 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren brought her so much joy. John's children, Josh (Jenny) Freed, Becky (Corey) Brown and Matt (Pippin) Freed, and his 8 grandchildren were also such a blessing.

Karen is also survived by her sister Patty Knoblauch, mother-in-law, Dorothy Freed, and special nieces Sharon Bloom, Susan Lamb and Lee Hanson & her daughter, Shylah Maus. Good friends, Bonnie Tschida and Carol Carlson and many nieces and nephews also enriched her life as did John's extended family. She cherished the friendship of the Bags, who were her coworkers at the chiropractic clinic for many years.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents, brother Robert Bennett, sisters Doris Van Handel, Joyce Brommer and Janice Mueller and her previous husbands, Larry Schroeder and David E. Mattson.

Our family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at Parmly on the Lake and the special hospice staff for their heartfelt care for Karen and her family.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Maranatha Church, 24799 Forest Blvd., Forest Lake, Minnesota on Sunday, August 13th, 2023. Visitation will be at 1 PM with the service at 2 PM. Refreshments and fellowship will follow.