Karen Rae Kaufman, 70

Karen Rae Kaufman,70, went to her heavenly home Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025 at her home near Delmont under hospice care. A funeral service will be held Friday, Feb. 7 at 10:30 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Delmont. Visitation will be Thursday, Feb. 6 from 5 to 7 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Zion Lutheran Church in Delmont.

Karen was born July 6, 1954 to Kenneth and Nora (Hargens) Waltner in Sioux Falls, S.D. She was baptized and confirmed at Salem Mennonite (South) Church near Freeman, S.D. She attended a country school near the farm, graduated from Hurley High School and Mitchell Technical Institute, specializing in Stenography. After graduation, she worked for Fitzel, Crager, and Berg Architects in Sioux Falls. Karen was united in marriage to Wayne Kaufman on Sept. 20, 1975 at Salem Mennonite (South) Church. Together, they farmed near Delmont, where she held important roles being a great farm wife and mom of three children.

Karen was a proud wife, mother and grandmother who loved her Lord and Savior, her hus-band, and her family. She held officer roles in various church organizations and was excited for Sunday gatherings around the table for dinner after church services. Karen spent most of her time tending to her garden and flowers. She was a talented grower with her large vegetable garden to preserve the produce and had beautiful flowers all over the yard and around the house. She made the best plum jelly from her fruit trees and loved her water lily pond with lilies and goldfish that were passed down from her mother. Karen spent a lot of time in “Karen’s Country Kitchen” and welcomed anyone who stopped by to the table, including the silage cutting crew. If she wasn’t in the kitchen or gardens, you would find her sitting on the front porch, out for a drive on the side by side, walking with the dogs and cats, feeding the birds, and watching the hummingbirds and butterflies visit her flowers.

Grateful for having shared her life are her three children; Brett Kaufman of Delmont, Rebecca (DeWayne) Davis of Elizabeth City, N.C., and Christa (Jordan) Helma of Milltown, S.D.; two grandchildren, Shannon (Logon) Fischer of Kaylor, S.D., and Collin Helma of Freeman; and an aunt, Ione Tieszen of Freeman.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Gary.