On Friday, October 21, 2022, Karen Jean Woolsey (Isakson) passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home in Sanger, California, at the age of 87 due to natural causes. 

 

Karen was born on August 14, 1935, to Nelson Theodore Isakson and Evelyn Willamina Neuteboom in Ogden, Utah. She grew up in Washington Terrace and received her primary education there. On June 1, 1956, she married Robert Cecil Woolsey. 

 

While never receiving a college degree, she was interested in lifelong learning and took many classes at the college level including many business courses at Steven Henager’s Business College and Weber State University. She was a skilled homemaker and provided well for her family. Karen worked for the Internal Revenue Service in Ogden, Utah and later was transferred to the Fresno, California Internal Revenue Service Center. After returning to Utah, she worked for many years at Hill Air Force Base. 

 

Despite challenges with mental health for much of her adult life, Karen managed to raise her three children while enjoying hobbies such as painting, cross-stitch, sewing, home decoration, and gardening. She was an excellent seamstress, often making clothes from her own patterns, and her home and yard were immaculate. Karen was an extremely hard worker and very thrifty.  She did many things to beautify her home with very few resources. Later in life she loved to travel, taking frequent road trips. 

 

She is survived by her children, Carey (Judy) Woolsey, Leigh Ann (Ronald) Martin, Julie (Dale, deceased) Hageman, twelve grandsons, and 24 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings Wayne Richard Isakson, Gary Robert Isakson, and Patsy Ann Isakson; husband Robert Cecil Woolsey; son-in-law Gary Dale Hageman; and grandson Matthew Robert Woolsey.