Karen Ellen Van Buskirk

Karen Van Buskirk, 82, of Indianola, passed away Saturday, January 11, 2025 in Ankeny, IA. Mass of Christian burial will held 11 a.m., Friday, January 17, 2025, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Indianola. Burial of cremains will take place in the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Des Moines. Visitation will be held prior to Mass from 10 to 11 a.m., at the church. Rosary will be recited at 9:30 prior to visitation at the church.
Karen grew up in Mason City, Iowa. She had an early interest in art and followed in her mother's footsteps in nursing.
She married David Richard Ulrick in 1962 and raised 3 children; Kristine, Kelly and Michael. They parted ways in 1975 but remained friends and shared in parenting. Karen instilled her independence in her children while a single mom. She wasn't afraid to try new things from fixing a broken fence to learning to belly dance, her courageous spirit shined. She was a nature lover and inspired her kids with spending much of their childhood exploring the outdoors. They grew a backyard vegetable garden, picked mulberries for morning cereal, and went on tent camping vacations.
The family moved to Des Moines as she accepted a job with the Veterans Administration hospital. She remarried in 1981 to Gary Van Buskirk. Karen and Gary had many adventures including building a lake home on Sun Valley Lake in Iowa.
Karen was a master gardener and belonged to several gardening clubs. She enjoyed helping design landscapes and gardens for public spaces. She expressed her talents in art through acrylic painting, porcelain art, and water colors. She found joy in bird watching, flower gardening, and having a dog by her side.
After Gary's death in 2019, Karen found a special friendship in Patrick Rist also a recent widow and longtime friend from the lake. They enjoyed gardening together, music concerts, and dinners out.
Karen loved meeting new people and valued her friendships. Her smile was infectious and was glad to lend an ear or share some advice. She cherished boasting about all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her most treasured part of life.
Karen is survived by her children, Kristine (Dan) Parsons of Ames, Iowa, Kelly Ulrick Blackledge of Park Rapids, MN, Michael Ulrick of Fort Collins, Colorado; grandchildren, Christopher Parsons, Sarah Parsons, DJ Parsons; great-grandchildren: Lettie Parsons, Paisley Parsons; sisters, Janice Alexander, Diane Goodrich, Mary Kassinos, Jane Hurd; special friend, Patrick Rist. She is preceded in death by her husband, Gary Van Buskirk; son, Christopher Ulrick; parents, Ellen and Emerson Anderson.
Memorials may be given in her name to Red Cloud School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, Animal Rescue League of Iowa or St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church.
Red Cloud School:
https://support.mahpiyaluta.org/page/50158/donate/1
Animal Rescue League of Iowa :
https://secure.arl-iowa.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3302&3302.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T