Karen K. Bloomquist, age 78, joined her Savior in heaven on Thursday, June 23, 2022.  She was born March 24, 1944 in South Dakota to Arnold & Mildred Satrum. She loved Jesus, the Bible and people with her whole heart. Her life was one of service and joy, bringing laughter and dedication to the many roles she undertook over the years.

Karen grew up in a loving Christian family with two younger sisters, Joanne and Dorothy. Karen talked to Jesus on her walks to school and as a 7-year-old grasped God's salvation through grace alone. Her family moved to California where she attended California Lutheran College as an English major. From grammar school through college, Karen was active in choirs, band and student government. Little did she know when she was honored to be a bridesmaid at her friend's wedding, she would be paired with the bride's brother as a groomsman and fall in love! Karen and Dan were soon married and started a new Lutheran congregation in Nevada where Dan was a pastor and Karen was a high school English teacher. Here they delighted in the birth of their son, Erik. Soon after, they received a call to minister in Guyana, South America.

Their term began just as the country gained independence. For 3 years while Dan pastored a 1000-person congregation, Karen led its youth and women's groups, taught Sunday School and gave birth to beloved Rolf.

Dan received a call to teach at the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute in Alberta. They invested 5 life-giving years there bathed in Scripture and nourishing fellowship. An added joy was the arrival of their daughter, Beth. Dan was invited to teach at the Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle and the family moved to Washington in 1977. There, in addition to helping found Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church, Karen was the Sunday School Superintendent to a staff of 65 teachers, and served on the Instructional Materials Selection Committee for the Issaquah school district. In the gracious and hospitable tradition of her Kopperud mother, Karen always had an open door, with the family dinner table becoming a vibrant place of discussions for international students, family and friends.

Dan and Karen were called to be missionaries in Singapore in 1987. There, they delighted in 15 years of fruitful ministry. While Dan was a seminary professor, Karen led 5 different weekly women's Bible studies—two Japanese, one Korean, one Singaporean and one American while also tutoring numerous students in English. In addition, Karen designed and taught the two-year confirmation curriculum at the local Lutheran church.

They retired to the Seattle area where Karen revitalized the ministry to seniors in their church and taught an adult Bible class. She was honored to be elected to serve on the governing board of World Mission Prayer League for 11 years.

In 2016, Dan and Karen moved to Windsor Park in Illinois to be near their 3 youngest grandchildren. Karen took joy in her new community, leading Bible studies and investing deeply in her Windsor friends and church. She immersed herself in loving her grandchildren with constant laughter and encouragement. She selflessly served Dan during his health challenges and trusted in God's faithfulness every day.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 57 years, Rev. Dr. Daniel Bloomquist; her children Erik Bloomquist, Rolf (Pamella) Bloomquist, & Elizabeth (Michael) Urton; her grandchildren: Bjorn, Britta, & Annika Bloomquist and Sophia, Andrew, & Matthias Urton. Also survived by her sisters Joanne (the late Gerald) Cornelius & Dorothy (Thomas) Muscalino; her sisters-in-law Rhoda (the late Thomas) McLaughlin & Miriam (Otis) Kline; and nieces Kathy, Jenny, Michelle, Katie and Kristi; nephews Randy and Jonathan.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Private interment will be held at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois. A memorial service will be held at Glen Ellyn Evangelical Covenant Church, 277 Hawthorne Blvd, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137, on July 2, 2022 at 11:00 am. The service will be livestreamed on the church's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpI1-Md0wd8KhZ-PXpcaNcw?view_as=subscriber . Luncheon for all to follow in the Church Fellowship Hall.

Memorial gifts may be directed to World Mission Prayer League, 232 Clifton Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403.

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com . For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.