Karen Deal
Karen Deal

Obituary of Karen Jensen Deal

Karen Jensen Deal, of Charlotte, joined her beloved husband, Henry, and parents, Thelma and Svend Jensen, in eternal rest Monday, January 29, 2018. Born in Brooklyn, NY, on June 5, 1934, Karen then spent her earliest years in Denmark, her father's home, immigrating back to the U.S. ahead of the German invasion during WWII. She was graduated at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn at 16, then attended Women's College in Greensboro (now UNC-G). In college, she studied abroad at Oslo, Norway. Fluent in several languages, she began her first career as a stewardess at Eastern Airlines, based in Charlotte. On one of her flights, she met a businessman who spilled coffee on her. To make up, he asked her on a date to a Carolina football game. Three months later, in December 1959, Karen and Henry Deal, a C.P.A., were married. In the next decade they added five sons to their tax returns. As an only child herself, Karen had much to learn to adapt to a household with six males. She took solace in the family pets—always female dogs (and one baby squirrel), often strays or castaways, who found refuge under her roof. Besides or in concert with rearing her sons, Mrs. Deal taught 1st and 2nd Grade Sunday School at Westminster Presbyterian Church, where she also served as Den Leader to Cub Scout Pack 44. If you played on a Charlotte Junior Soccer team in the 1970's, Mrs. Deal handled your application as a Founding Board Member for that organization. Also in the 70's, Mrs. Deal spearheaded a program of six-week mini-courses for students at Eastover Elementary School, which sought out community members to teach wood-working, pottery, needlework, and other crafts. Mrs. Deal herself taught Danish culture and cuisine. She also served more than five years as Treasurer on the Board of Latta Plantation. When her sons entered high school, Karen became an energetic supporter of the West Charlotte Lions—her second "WC." In the late seventies and early eighties, she served as Athletic Boosters' Club President. Karen embraced West Charlotte's diversity. She opened her home to many and many accepted her hospitality, including for a year Danish exchange student Janne Sorensen. At dinner, there were often 8, 9, 10, or more people at table. She always welcomed more right up until the time she moved out of her home in Myers Park in 2016. At home, Karen nurtured a joy of gardening. Her compassion for all Creation extended to plants, especially "volunteers." Whatever sprang up in her yard she felt obliged to tend, and so no plant was ill-treated by her hand. In recent years, she devoted her spiritual energy to singing in the Church choir. Mrs. Deal is survived by her sons, Pel (Henry, Jr.), Norman, Frank, and his wife Peaches, all of Charlotte; Kris and his wife Susan, of Culpeper, VA; and Svend, of Tuxedo, NC. Mrs. Deal's cherished grandchildren include Robert, Maren and Mary Carver Deal; Hope and Emma Nicholson; and Connor, John, and Jim Deal. In addition to these, Mrs. Deal leaves many special friends for whom she was a second mother. The family thanks especially the staff at The Summit Place in Charlotte for providing compassionate care for Karen over the past two years. In lieu of flowers, it was Karen's wish that donations be made to the Westminster Presbyterian Church Choir. A service and celebration of life is planned at the Church for February 17, 2018 at 11 a.m.
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Celebration of Life

FEB 17. 11:00 AM Westminster Presbyterian Church 101 Colville Road Charlotte, NC, US
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