Karen K. Hempel, 81, of Quimby, Iowa, passed away Friday, March 10, 2023 at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Graveside memorial services will be held at a later date at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee, Iowa. The Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa is handling the arrangements. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com Karen was born on December 2, 1941 at Cleghorn, Iowa to Edwin & Gertrude (Retzer) Springer. She graduated from Cleghorn High School in 1959. She was married to Dwayne Hempel on September 18, 1963 at Pierson, Iowa. Karen had worked at Krause Veterinary in Cherokee, Iowa and also for Sonka & Hiller Veterinary and later on for Valley Vet Center until she retired. She was a member of the Quimby Baptist Church. Karen enjoyed snowmobiling, Sprint Car races, reading novels, playing cards, going to the Clay County Fair, and spending time with her family. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Dwayne in 2019, a daughter Pamela Hempel in 1993, two brothers Edwin and Elton Springer, and a brother-in-law Homer Childs. She is survived by two children: Paul Hempel of Quimby, Iowa; Alex Hempel (Sadie Brown) of Urbandale, Iowa; a brother Larry (Bev) Springer of Fellsmere, Florida, and a sister Joyce Childs of Snohomish, Washington; also many nieces and nephews.
