September 28th, 1951 - December 29th, 2021
Karen Cora (Gebhardt) Ferrara died peacefully in her daughter's home on December 29, 2021 at age 70. Karen was born on September 28, 1951 in Weehawken, New Jersey and grew up in West New York and Rutherford, NJ. While raising her four young children on her own, she obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Rutgers University in 1982. She then worked for IBM, first in Tucson, and then transferred with her children to Boulder in 1985. Karen designed and built a home in Boulder on 15th St, near the Iris fields where she lived until moving to Fort Collins in 2001. She then moved to Woodrow, Colorado in 2005, though frequently spent time in Dacona and Boulder with her grandchildren.
Karen was a strong woman, who loved and protected her children and grandchildren, and sacrificed to give them a better future. She was a devoted and loving grandmother and spent a lot of happy time time with her grandchildren. She took them on trips, camping, horseback riding, rafting, amusement parks, swimming, and many other places. She also enjoyed reading, writing, and traveling.
Karen is preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Mildred (Heidt) Gebhardt. She will be deeply missed by her four children (Melissa (Tom) Haapala, Katherine Ferrara, James Ferrara, and Jennifer Martinez), her nine grandchildren (Madeline, Andrew, Julian, Joseph, Dominic, William, Alana, Kiara, and Zaria), and her three sisters (Janice, Mary Ann, and Laurie) and their families.
A Vigil will take place at Greenwood & Myers Mortuary in Boulder at 6:30 pm on January 6th, 2022 and a funeral Mass will be held at Sacred Heart of Jesus on January 7th at 2 pm.
Contributions can be made to Trail Winds Hospice, 75 Manhattan Drive #1, Boulder, CO 80303.
