Karen Eileen Gerlach, 76, of Anacortes, WA, passed peacefully to our Lord Jesus Christ on February 10, 2025.  She was at home surrounded by her husband, children, grandchildren and friends.  She was born in Tacoma, WA to Fred and Eurith Watters on October 31, 1948.

She was the fourth child born to Fred Presby and Eurith Rachel Watters, who then divorced when Karen was very young. Karen's early childhood was spent moving to various communities and eventually settled in Everett. She attended most of her school years in Everett, WA. In her teen years, her mom Eurith married Don Whitted.  Karen graduated from Cascade High School in Everett in 1966. After high school she had the opportunity to backpack with a friend through Europe, an accomplishment she was very proud of and spoke of often. Karen then graduated from Everett Community College with an Associates Degree in nursing in 1971. She served as a compassionate and loving nurse for 50 years.

Karen took a nursing job at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, WA in 1971. Through a mutual friend, she met her future husband Richard "Dick" Gerlach who was fresh out of the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and took a job there. They dated for a few months when Dick proposed to her and they attempted to elope to Coeur d'Alene, ID.  After experiencing car trouble they ended up returning to Mount Vernon without getting married. It was after that that Karen decided to go into VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) in the summer of 1972.  She served in Pine Bluff, Arkansas working in a food stamp program. This is likely where she developed her love for bluegrass music. After they both spent so much money on long distance phone calls they decided it was time for her to come home and get married. On November 25,1972 they had a beautiful wedding at the Episcolpal church in Everett and a reception at her brother Duayne's house.

In 1974 Karen was accepted into the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program and Dick was accepted into the Physician Assistant program at the University of Washington. Near the end of their training they moved to Sumas,WA in 1975 where they lived until 1978. Their daughter Megan and son Nolan were born while living in Sumas. They moved to Deer Park, WA  in 1978. Their daughter Erin was born while living in Deer Park. The family then settled in Anacortes in 1984 where she enjoyed living for the next 40 years. She worked in community clinics, Visiting Nurse for several years and then had her own nurse case management business for the last 10 years of her career.

Karen loved cooking, collecting cookbooks, crafting with her grandchildren, teaching Friendship class (Sunday school class for people with special needs), helping start Aktion club (a Kiwanis club for people with special needs), attending church, and watching her kids' (and grandkids') sports and activities and home grown plays and movies! She was a member of Anacortes Christian Church since 1985 where she served as a deaconess for many years. She was a member of the Anacortes Chapter of the Seattle Children's Hospital Guild and found great meaning in this work for several years.

Karen is survived by her husband of 52 years, Richard; daughter Megan (Tom) Davis; son Nolan (Alycia) Gerlach; daughter Erin (Karl) Wolfswinkel; grandchildren Kellen & Kayla Goldstein; Jackson & Kinley Gerlach; and Mara & Gavin Wolfswinkel. She is also survived by her siblings and their families; Duayne (Bonnie) Watters of Yucca Valley, CA; Marilyn (Russ) Anderson of Omak, WA; Jerry Watters of Bullhead City, AZ; and Janet Scott of Tumwater, WA.

In lieu of flowers please donate to Seattle Children's Hospital or Hospice of the Northwest.  A Memorial Service is being planned for March 22, 2025 at Anacortes Christian Church in Anacortes, WA.  To share memories of Karen, please visit: www.evanschapel.com/obituary/karen-gerlach