Submitted by: Dan Rich
July 6, 1944 - June 28, 2008
South Bend Tribune 7/1/2008
SOUTH BEND - Karen Fay Coplen, 63, of South Bend, IN,
passed away at 6:40 p.m. Saturday, June 28, 2008, in Hospice
House, from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, most commonly known as
ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease. Karen was diagnosed with ALS 17
months ago. She was born on July 6, 1944, in South Bend, to Bill
and Stella (Arendt) Kaniewski, and was a lifelong
resident. She retired in March 2007 from The Troyer Group, where
she was employed for 23 years.
On July 9, 1977, in South Bend, as Karen Fay
Kaniewski, she married Michael L. Coplen, who survives. Also
surviving are her children, Stephanie (Shaun) Daugherty
and Todd Piech, both of South Bend, IN; three
grandchildren, Alex, Ian and Bridget Daugherty; her mother,
Stella Kaniewski of South Bend, IN; and her sister, Sandra
(Frank) Martinez of South Bend, IN.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 3, 2008, in the Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N.
Bendix Drive. Friends may call from noon until 2:00 p.m. on
Thursday in the funeral home. Karen was a 1961 graduate of
Washington High School. She loved being a grandmother. She was a
member of Bowlers Country Club and enjoyed tennis, golfing,
bowling, traveling and gardening. Memorial contributions may be
made to the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 111
Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637.