Karen May Wright, 82

Mrs. Karen May Wright, 82, quietly passed away the morning of June 2, 2018.

She was the daughter of Frank E. May and Dorthe Walkup May, born in Havre on Nov. 24, 1935. Karen attended school and graduated from Havre High in 1954. She went on to marry her husband Richard Lee Wright on Nov. 19, 1955.

Karen and Dick welcomed their first child, Bill, in 1957 and followed by their second child, Frank, in 1961.

The family moved to Whitefish in 1976 and started the business Wright’s Furniture. The family grew and prospered. Frank married his wife Pamela Repnak in 1982 and they welcomed their first child, and Karen’s first grandchild, Kyle, in 1986 followed by Amy in 1989.

In 1985 Karen was diagnosed with a very advanced stage of cervical cancer. Her doctors at Swedish Hospital in Seattle gave her massive amounts of radiation and said that if by some miracle she lived through the summer, she would suffer a lifelong bout with digestive problems.

Karen always loved spending time with her grandchildren, but also loved and was quite adept at playing cards — so much so that once she won the Whitefish City Poker Tourn-ament. She also loved to golf and once scored a hole-in-one, in 1995.

Her doctors proved to be right. She battled with the debilitating after effects of her cancer treatment through the years. She became almost house bound from this and her activities were limited to taking care of her family and solving puzzles.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her sister, Susan May Morris, formerly of Kalispell; and her brother, Bucky May, formerly of Whitefish.

She is survived by her husband Dick, her sons Bill and Frank, her grandchildren Kyle and Amy, and her great-grandchildren Brooklyn, Alexander and Amelia.

There will be a graveside service at 3 p.m., Friday, June 8, at the Whitefish Cemetery, with a gathering at the family home to follow. Austin Funeral & Cremation Services of Whitefish is caring for the family.