January 9, 2020 – West Bend, WI – Karen Held (nee Greenwald),68, of West Bend, formerly of Sheboygan Falls passed into eternal life peacefully with her family by her side on Sunday, January 5, 2020. She was born November 8, 1951 in Sheboygan to Kenneth and Gladys (nee Lindemann) Greenwald.
On August 8, 1971 she was united in marriage to Donald A. Held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sheboygan Falls.
Karen graduated from Sheboygan North High School with the class of 1969 and earned her degree at Silver Lake College. She worked various positions at St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan for over 40 years, retiring in 2016. Karen was very active as a volunteer for the Sheboygan Theater Company for many years. She enjoyed quilting and was proud of the quilts she made for her family and friends.
She was a former director of the St. Nicholas Hospital Credit Union in Sheboygan and Glacier Hills Credit Union in West Bend. At Holy Angels Church she was active in the HA Mission Circle.
Family was the central focus for Karen. She could often be found supporting her children and grandkids at their sporting events, recitals, concerts and volunteering at their schools.
Karen is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, Don, 3 children: Robert (Stephanie) Held of Sheboygan, Gary (Tricia) Held of West Bend and Julie (Karen) Phillips of Sheboygan Falls and 6 grandchildren: Joseph, Michael, Ryan, Ellie, Abby and Bryce. She is further survived by her brother Kevin (Mary) Greenwald of Sheboygan, her sister Kris Hendrickson of Sheboygan Falls, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Tom (Sandy) Held of Sheboygan, Marlene (Gary) Weckwerth of Keshena and Linda (Gene) Schlink of Bluffton, SC, her dear friend Karen Herman and nieces, nephews other relatives and friends and her furry companion, Bubbles.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Gladys Greenwald and her brother-in-law Perry Held.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, January 10, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. at Holy Angels Catholic Church, 138 N. 8th Avenue, West Bend, with Rev. John Radetski presiding. Burial will take place in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Sheboygan Falls. The family will greet visitors on Friday, at the church from 4:30 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. In lieu of flowers memorials to Holy Angels School are appreciated.
We would like to extend a special and heartfelt Thank You to the staff at the Kraemer Cancer Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Horizon Home and Hospice for their compassionate and loving care. We would also like to thank the ladies of the Holy Angels Mission Circle for their friendship and support.
The Schmidt Funeral Home in West Bend is serving the family.
