Karen Agnes Liske

On January 8, 2022, with family by her side, Karen (Enger) Liske, 82, went home to be with the Lord after suffering a major stroke five days earlier. Karen was born February 7, 1939, in Leer, Michigan, to Carl & Isabel Enger. The year of her graduation from Alpena High School, she married Ferris Liske on July 27, 1957. Karen kept a welcoming and organized home while they raised four children throughout Ferris’ college and seminary years. She helped him with editing and typing all his papers, often teasing that she helped earn his degree. Karen had the gift of hospitality and constantly opened their home to family, friends, parishioners, missionaries, guest speakers, first-time visitors to their church, and more. She was an excellent pastor’s wife for 34 years, teaching Sunday School, leading women’s ministries, playing the organ, singing in the choir, typing the bulletin, directing Christmas programs & VBS, and much more. For many years, she hosted a Christmas Open House at the parsonage for all the people in their church, serving cookies, coffee, tea, and punch. She enjoyed the many hours making and baking tens of dozens of cookies consisting of 15-20 different varieties each year. After they left the pastorate, they served at Japan Mission in 3-month increments. They made 20 trips over 19 years, where Karen worked in the office, baked for the missionaries, organized whatever needed it, helped with missionary families, plus prepared and hosted meals for the whole mission (including Thanksgiving). Karen loved to rearrange and decorate her house for holidays or just for fun. Due to that love, she earned a Certificate of Interior Design through a correspondence course. She had a good sense of humor and was a fun-loving, sometimes practical joker (e.g., she would put a fake ice cube with a fly in it in someone’s glass). She enjoyed crafting, flower arranging, baking cookies for family & friends, playing the organ (she was self-taught after 3 lessons), visiting with family & friends, and in the past few years, coloring. She shared her beautifully-colored pages with family, friends, and neighbors. She was generous and loved to bless others, as she felt she was very blessed by God. She was loved by many. A missionary friend said, “Karen was an amazing, absolutely wonderful woman of God! I was extremely privileged to get to know her. Karen’s love, care, and servant heart will always be amongst the most treasured memories of my time in Japan.” Others said of her: “Karen was a very special lady who touched so many while she graced this earth.” “She was a beautiful lady, heart and soul.” “I loved Karen. She taught me so many important things.” Karen loved deeply and was deeply loved. She will be greatly missed. Karen was preceded in death by her parents (Carl & Isabel Enger) & parents-in-law (Otto & Sarah Liske); sisters & brothers-in-law: Kathren Enger, Margaret (& Al) Thomson, Donna (& Bill) Childs; and grandson Ross Bruns. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Ferris Liske; children: Deborah (Marc) Chitwood of Lebanon, Ohio, Karl (Christy) Liske of Celina, Ohio, Mary (Dan) Bruns of Pensacola, Florida, & David (Angie) Liske of Colorado Springs, Colorado; grandchildren: Mary (Cody) Jackson, Mitchell (Ashlie) Bruns, Aaron Chitwood, Megan Liske, & Eric Liske; great-grandchildren: Noah Jackson, Nolan Bruns, & Elliot Jackson (born 3 days after her passing). Karen is also survived by many nieces & nephews and dear friends of many years, especially Pam Chivington, whom she talked with weekly. Karen was a much-loved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend. She will be greatly missed by all. As Karen requested, in place of a public funeral, the immediate family will gather later this year to celebrate her life as they remember her. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Karen’s memory to Gideons International @ gideons.org, Japan Mission @ japanmission.org, or treating your loved ones to pizza or a meal. She would like that.

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Karen Agnes Liske

February 7, 1939 - January 8, 2022