Karmen K. McPherran

Karmen Kay McPherren (Mathews), 62, of Clear Lake, died Saturday, April 16, 2016, at the Oakwood Care Center.

A closed service will be held near Thornton, Iowa on Saturday, April 23.  A celebration of life gathering will follow from 5-8 p.m., in the Veranda Room, at the Best Western, in Clear Lake.  All that knew and loved Karmen are encouraged to attend.

Karmen was born on Jan. 8, 1954, to Rosemary and Don Mathews, in Thornton.  Before settling in Clear Lake, Karmen lived a multifaceted life that ranged from a stop in California, to mother and homemaker in Belmond, Iowa. As a young mother she was very involved with the church and regularly sang in the choir. She also worked as an office assistant in Garner, Iowa, at PSI, in Belmond, Iowa, started a massage therapy practice in Hampton, Iowa, and managed entertainment bookings for the former Backstreet Blues Club, in Clear Lake.

She is survived by children, Kellie Wallace and Matt Bauer, in Brownsburg, Ind. and Adelphi, Md.; grandchildren, Brittany Vrchoticky and Casey Santee, in Charles City, Iowa and Topeka, Kan.; great-grandchildren, Benjamin Willis and Aaliyah Hibner, in Charles City; siblings, Jolene Huinker and Kirk Mathews, in Anamosa and Hampton; and long-time companion, John McLoughlin, in Ft. Dodge, Iowa.