Karen E. Nick

Karen Nick, 67 of Devils Lake ND passed away at her home on Sunday morning, May 30, 2021.

Karen Elizabeth, daughter of Jack and Bernadine (Haley) Egerer was born on January 3, 1954 at Norfolk, Virginia. Shortly after, her family moved to St Louis, MO where she was raised. She graduated from Hazelwood Central High School in Hazelwood MO with the class of 1972.  She spent several years in St. Louis working as a waitress at an Italian Restaurant and being the loving and proud mother of her daughter Michele Elizabeth.

Eventually, Karen went to work as a Police Dispatcher in Berkley MO and this is where she would meet her beloved David Nick who was working as a Police Officer in that precinct.  Karen and Dave were united in marriage at Holy Ghost Catholic Church on May 24, 1980 in Berkley. 

They established their home in O’Fallon, MO and Karen worked for the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department.  In 1989 they moved to Sycamore IL and they were blessed to add another daughter to the family, Katey Mary. While living in Sycamore, Karen worked at the County Health Department.

In 1996, the family moved to Devils Lake ND and they would call it home for the many years to come. Karen embraced the community, the church and the workforce.  Every job she had was a testament to her caring nature, her kindness and her love of people.  She worked as a Para at St. Joseph School for many years, later as a Teller at Gate City Bank and after several years retired in 2019 from Altru Clinic where she was a patient advocate in Family Practice, and insisted on holding new born babies while their mothers checked out from their doctor appointments.

Karen’s faith, her strength, and her love were on display in every activity, every organization and every conversation.  She was instrumental in the establishment of the Homeless Shelter in Devils Lake, she was a Girl Scout Leader and established a Care and Concern Committee in the community.  She was an active member of St. Joseph Church, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Altar Society, Grief Share, served as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, Sacristan and Eucharistic Adorer.  She participated in many Bible studies and volunteered wherever she was needed.  Even though not a member of Kiwinas, she gave of her time and talent to every Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day meal served. 

She felt so truly blessed to participate in a Mission Trip to Chimbote, Peru in 2008, a visit to Rome and Venice, Italy, along with a pilgrimage to Israel and the Holy Land in 2017. She also loved her many cruises to the Caribbean Islands. Give her a beach and the ocean and she was in heaven!

And it is hard to believe, but Karen’s day wasn’t complete without taking on some kind of craft project, including quilting, and cross stitching intricate baby announcements and making Christmas stockings for everyone.  Many, many of her beautiful quilts were donated to worthy causes as a raffle item, or just to make someone’s day brighter.  

Everything about Karen was service to others, serving and trusting in her Lord and Savior and loving with all of her heart her precious husband, daughters, grandchildren, other dear family and those truly special friends.

Karen is survived by her husband Dave; daughters Michele Walton and her sons Jacob (Kimberly) Johnson and their son Liam and one daughter on the way all of Omaha NE and Brian Johnson of Des Moines IA, Katey (Drew) Moch and daughters Austyn and Aubrey from Bismarck ND; siblings Sharon Miller, Deborah Brown-Peck and Joseph Egerer all of St. Charles MO and Barbara (Dan) Rygelski of Wright City MO; in-laws John (Patricia) Nick, Fort Collins CO, Charles (Nancy) Nick, Onalaska WI, Peter (Sue) Nick, Goodyear AZ and Judy (Doug) Ayer, Merrill WI; many nieces, nephews and cousins. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Bernadine Egerer, in-laws Irvin and Mary Nick, brothers-in-law Robert Miller, Robbie Brown, Greg Peck, sister-in-law Mary Lynn “Molly” Hesprich, niece Amber Rygelski, good friend Ruth Fletschock, and many aunts and uncles.

Casket Bearers will be Jacob Johnson, Brian Johnson, Drew Moch, David Bailey, Jason Bailey and Elliot Rongen.  Reading the Scriptures will be Linda Culmer and LuAnn Krein. Bearers of the Eucharistic Gifts will be Barb, Dan and Sarah Rygelski and Jennifer Dawson. Music will be provided by Patty Cote, Lynne Webster, Tom Burckhard and Marla Luehring.

Mass of Christian Burial for Karen will be held on Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake with the Very Reverend C.F. Wilhelm celebrating the Mass. Visitation will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Monday, June 7th from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. The Rosary will be led by the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and Reverend Mr. Ken Severinson will lead the Scripture Service.  Visitation on Tuesday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral Mass.  The funeral Mass will be live-streamed via Facebook.com/stjosephchurchdvl.