Karen Bellinger Owen

1949 - 2021

OWEN, Karen Bellinger Karen (Bellinger) Owen was born on June 11, 1949 to loving parents John and Patricia Bellinger of Chicago, Illinois and peacefully passed away, welcomed home to the Lord, on January 15, 2021. She fought a most admirable and courageous fight against Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer, a grim diagnosis she was given three years ago for which she was assigned just three weeks to live. She tackled this challenge head on, with great determination, as she did with everything else in her life. She immediately began researching, reading everything she and her son Steven could get their hands on, seeking out the most experienced doctors, exploring the most up to date options and trials. She even adopted less conventional treatments (dog dewormer, singing bowls, dissonant piano playing, etc.) and left absolutely no stone unturned. And she did all of this under the cloud of the tragic death of her beloved son, Blake, who passed away just four months before her diagnosis. Dealing with that gut wrenching trauma and moving quickly to fight her disease took more courage and physical stamina than most can muster in a lifetime. Karen's efforts were rewarded with three challenging yet wonderful years, as she refused to allow the disease to rob her of living her life. She joyfully celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary with the love of her life, Howard, the births of two more grandchildren, holidays with the family at Camp Owen Colorado and Camp Owen Ozarks, more than 50 birthdays of all her 5 children and 12 grandchildren, and hosted a Valentine's Day tea for 125 of her friends to name just a few. And she did it with the gut and grace and humor that all who knew her to be true. Between these events, Karen managed to write a 300-page memoir of her 35-month cancer journey, Three Weeks to Live, so others with cancer and their families can learn from her experience. That was Karen always thinking of others and how she could make a positive difference in their lives. She also maintained a CaringBridge account throughout her ordeal, updating her friends and family with uplifting and oftentimes humorous accounts of her experience. Aptly signed each time "Karen Sparky Strong." And "Strong" was an understatement of who she was. Karen graduated tenth in her class from Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette, IL. She was the first in her family to graduate college (University of Missouri - Columbia). She continued her education by graduating from Harvard Graduate School of Business' OPM Program. After cofounding and serving as the COO of Builder's Update, she supervised its sale to a subsidiary of Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts of NYC. At the age of 50, she joined an IBM subsidiary as a National Facilities Manager, eventually rising to the role of IBM's Director of Education Worldwide Software, traveling to 65 countries on four continents. Karen was also the president of the Women's Symphony League of Austin and Austin Dance Club, and also a member of the Junior Austin Woman's Club, Austin Woman's Club, The Assembly, Art Guild of Laguna Gloria, and Austin Natural Science Association Guild. She also had many special friends in her Lunch Bunch, Bible Study Group and Book Club. She was a loyal and devoted friend to all and took great pride in her relationships. While Karen's investments of time and energy into business and professional endeavors proved successful and fulfilling, her true feelings of success came from raising her five children. She felt immense pride and celebrated each of their accomplishments, and will be forever missed by Jeff and wife Lisa (Laney, Riley, and Ford), Steven and wife Shannon (Westyn, Liam, Brazos, and Aspen), Scott and wife Elizabeth (Carson and Amelia), and Tiffany and husband Kyle (Ethan and Kalen). Karen is survived by her sisters Jeanne Sogge and Mary Ann Chapman, brothers Glen Bellinger and Gary Bellinger, and numerous nieces and nephews. Karen is predeceased by her granddaughter Averie Isabella Owen and her youngest, cherished son, Blake Andrew Owen. Not far behind the unconditional devotion to her children and grandchildren was the unwavering love she had for her lifelong partner and husband Howard. He proposed to her only two weeks after meeting her as a Freshman at the University of Illinois and after an all too long 36-month courtship (Karen played her hard-to-get game), they married and moved to Austin in 1972 from Chicago creating a life of community and never looked back. Their marriage was magical; one of passion, respect, encouraging individual successes, and not going to bed angry. (Howard did most of the apologizing.) Their role modeling set a strong example for their own children to select partners for long, enduring marriages. Only with the loving, creative, and dedicated care of Joseph Beck, M.D., and Debra Tooker, APNR, of Highlands Oncology Group of NW Arkansas, her brother Gary's Phoenix Laser Systems, and the ever insightful guidance of Elyse Rosen, LCSW, could Karen have stretched three weeks to three years. Her family is forever grateful for their knowledge, tenacity, and care. To see her life in photos, click on https://karensparkystrong.com. A celebration of Karen's life will be held in the future based on Covid recommendations. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Grace Grego Maxwell Dell Children's Mental Health Unit (4900 Mueller Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78723) in memory of Blake Owen or the Central Texas Food Bank (6500 Metropolis Drive, Austin, Texas 78744), causes very close to Karen's heart. It is difficult to put into words Karen's remarkable life and the many people she impacted along her way. Her legacy will live on far beyond her years on earth. May her memory be an eternal blessing to all who knew and loved Karen.