September 9, 2019 – West Bend, WI – Laurine “Lari” Mary Karow (nee Gehrs), 87, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 7, 2019 at the Lawlis Family Hospice in Mequon. Lari was born on March 25, 1932 in Milwaukee, WI to Warren and Anne (nee Aukofer) Gehrs.
Lari attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison and County Medical College where she graduated with her nursing degree. After obtaining her RN, she worked at St. Francis Hospital, Milwaukee as a dedicated neonatal nurse for 40 years. Lari was a communicant of St. Frances Cabrini for over 20 years. She was a girl scout leader, loved sewing, knitting, and reading, and was an avid baker. She was a loving and caring mother with a great wit who generously and creatively cared for her children and grandchildren. She will be greatly missed.
Lari is survived by her children, Erwin “Skip” (Colleen) Karow, Elizabeth “Liz” (Tom) Cardimona, Mary Kay (Brian) Seering, and Patricia “Pat” (Ben) Huffman; grandchildren, William “Brad” (Jill) Karow, Melanie (John) Robinson, Leah Cardimona, Dominique “Nikki” (fiancé Ryan) Cardimona, Theresa “Tess” and Christina “Tina” Seering, Megan and Jacob Huffman; great-granddaughter, Rebecca Laurine Robinson; sister, Barbara McRae, brother-in-law, Keith (Ellen) Karow, and sister-in-law Melanie Gehrs. She is further survived by other relatives and friends.
Lari is preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Erwin Karow, her parents, 3 sisters Kathryn Gehrs, Margaret (John) Hanley, Leah Gehrs and 2 brothers Warren (Carol) and Michael Gehrs.
Visitation will be Wednesday, September 11, 2019 from 5 p.m. until 6:45 p.m. at the Phillip Funeral Home Chapel (1420 W. Paradise Dr. West Bend, WI 53095) with a 7 p.m. Vigil Service. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 12, 2019 at St. Frances Cabrini, 1025 S. Seventh Ave. West Bend, WI 53095, with Rev. Stephen Buting presiding.
A special thank you to the ICU nurses and doctors of St. Joseph’s in West Bend, and the nurses and doctors of Lawlis Family Hospice in Mequon.
