Karen Ostlund

Born January 4th, 1944, Salt Lake City, Utah

Died November 4th, 2025, Salt Lake City, Utah

Beloved wife, mother, sister and grandmother, Karen Malouf Ostlund, 81, of Salt Lake City passed away on November 4, 2025 after a long illness.A daughter of Helen West and Emil Edward Malouf, she graduated from Highland High School in Salt Lake City in the Class of 1962. Karen matriculated at the University of Utah and graduated in 1966 with a BA degree in English and in 1975 with an MFA in playwriting. She was a prolific writer with stage productions that included "The Guys in Galley" and "Nobody Doesn't Want to get Married."

Karen met her husband Richard Ostlund in the fourth grade but made him wait to get married until they were 27. They had been married 54 years at the time of her passing.

Karen went back to school in St. Louis, Missouri and acquired her teaching certificate from Washington University. She began teaching part time at St. Louis Community College as an adjunct Professor of English. Later she became a full-time Professor of English and went on to become the English Department Chair from 2005-2010.

During this time, Karen also pursued other interests. Training at Robinson's Karate Studio she earned a black belt in karate. Her husband enjoyed helping her practice defense techniques at home but often developed anxiety when invited to "attack me." Karen also started a dinner theater company called ShortCutsToKMOtion with her longtime friend Tina Short. They produced several intimate dinner theater murder mysteries.

Karen retired from teaching English in 2018. Karen and Richard moved from St. Louis back to Salt Lake City in early 2025. Karen is survived by her husband Richard Ostlund, her daughters Leah Ostlund and Ellen Ostlund Lin (son-in-law Dzuka Lin), her sisters Barbara Woods, Dorothy Uherka and Rosanna Peterson, and her beloved grandchildren Kaiya and Lucas Lin.