Karen A. Meinjohans

karen meinjohans

December 15, 1943 ~ September 22, 2015

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Karen (Benge) Meinjohans was born by the aid of a mid-wife just outside Columbus, Ohio on December 15th, 1943. At a young age her family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where she eventually met her husband, Reinhardt Meinjohans, after a long Harley ride through the Indy country side.

In 1960 Karen and Reinhardt moved to Immokalee, Florida. It was there they established their household and expanded the family with Danny, Jan, and Timmy. While residing in Florida Karen was the ultimate house wife, mother, and accomplished private pilot.

After the family stay in South Florida the family then relocated to Mooresville, Indiana in 1979. Karen worked for Federal Mogul for over 20 years as a machinist producing automotive products. Upon ending her time with Federal Mogul she took a position with United Airlines at the Indianapolis Airport as a Tool Crib Manager.

Completing her stay in Indiana, she decided to move to Pensacola, Florida in 2004. She bought her dream car (Red Jeep Wrangler), house, and her favorite buddy “Pooh”. It wasn’t long after she arrived that she had a new calling; to serve the area Military Veterans. Karen volunteered her time as a manager for the local AMVETS Post. She consistently ensured the morale and welfare of the local area veterans were of the utmost importance.

She was preceded in death by: mother, Zona Thomas and father, Leslie Benge; siblings, Joyce, Clarice, and Kathleen.

Karen is survived by son, Danny Meinjohans and Christy; daughter, Jan Rogers (Meinjohans) and Ty; son, Timmy Meinjohans and dog (Sydney), all who reside in Pensacola, Florida. She was the proud Grandmother of Ryan (Jake) Mackenzie and Heather of Plainfield and Kayla Mackenzie of Mooresville. Additional survivors include her siblings, Susie, Margie, and James Leslie (JL); favorite Brother-in-Law, WILD Bill (Willy) Reid, and their families.

A special thanks to all of the health care providers; YOU all have done a wonderful job providing Karen with her medical needs: Doug (HUMANA Health Care), she couldn’t have had the quality of life that she had without you!!! Dr. Williams (Sacred Heart Cardiovascular); Dr. Wagner (Pensacola Lung Group); Dr. Pace, MD. (Primary Care Provider, Lilian, Alabama).

Karen was a free spirit that loved life. Her spirit was so large that our Lord decided it could no longer be contained within her body. She walks by the Lord preparing ALL of our entry into the Heavenly Kingdom.

Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m., Wednesday, September 30, 2015, in the chapel at Carlisle- Branson Funeral Service & Crematory, Mooresville, with calling there from 3 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, September 29, 2015. Burial will follow in the Mooresville Cemetery. Visit www.CarlisleBranson.com to share a favorite or to sign the online guest registry.

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  6. Karen is a strong woman who could change anyone’s day in a positive way. People tend to ask, “What is the meaning of life?” and in my short twenty years I have learned a little to what life is meant to be. I have learned that it is not what you take from this world, but what you leave it. And Karen left a lot of wisdom and love in this world. Her always positive, loving and supporting lifestyle always made anyone felt better. A very fond memory I have of Karen is when I had the pleasure of seeing her. A line I remember so strongly is, “Oh my Lord look at these beautiful children!” and to her, everyone is beautiful. She is such a passionate woman with so much love to leave this world, which we can also learn from. So I say this to her as she flies high with the Lord, “Aunt Karen you will be missed, and you are loved, and during your flight with the Lord, please look over us with your wisdom.”

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  14. Happy Thanksgiving Mommy, I miss you, I LOVE you, I am so thankful you are my Mother and thankful for the time we had together. I LOVE YOU :heart_eyes::kissing_heart::bouquet::hibiscus::palm_tree:

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  18. It’s New Years Eve and I am filled with wonderful, funny memories of you. I miss you so MUCH, everyday is filled with tears from missing you and your spirit. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

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  19. Lol I remember aunt Karen loved ta have fun loved her sports car she could be mean but oh so loving and caring I love you aunt Karen and I will forever miss you love lori

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  20. You are an amazing human being, mother, and especially grandmother. I have so many memories! That black camero that you always drove. All the times sitting up late at night reading books filling the house with the smel of coffee. Making the best mashed potatoes when Jacob and I were sick. Watermelon seed fights. Your scary basement. I love how you never treated us any different and did so much for our family. I will miss you always and forever. Love you more than you know.

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  21. My favorite memories were when I was young and we would go to FL to visit for a couple weeks in the summer. I learned to swim in their pool, even with the frogs every where…lol Her taking us for a ride on her ridding mower, or for a ride in her plane. She always had an adventure for us! I love you Aunt Karen!

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  25. Karen’s cousins. Buzz Garrett, Rena Fay Van Landingham, Ivory Fischer, Norma Bryant, Ink Bundy, and Ada Morber. We wish we could be with you all during this time. Love You All.

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  27. She came to my house once with Joyce and Bill. They were going to the races. They spent the night with us. One of my sisters came and spent the night also. We stayed up most of the night and we all learned a lot LOL. She had a great sense of humor and we had a great time. I’m so sorry for your loss. Losing someone you love is never easy. God Bless you all Your cousin from Ga. Ink Bundy

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  30. Karen was a Wonderful person. Having worked at United with her, you had to love her laugh and smile. She even came to my son’s 1st birthday party. Some people are just special and your glad to have crossed paths. She was one of those people.

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  32. Some people take a lifetime to get to know, others you get to know the first time you meet them. For me and my family Karen falls in the later of the two. And, although we only had the privilege of knowing her for a short period of time, our memories of her will be forever cherished. Karen is now back home in the kingdom of God, but she will always be a part of those who knew her here on Earth. We will continue to share stories of her and enjoy some laughs at her expense and on occasion we will throw a shot of gin over our shoulders in recognition of her. I take great peace in knowing that her pain is gone and she is no longer bound by her Earthly constraints. We will miss her of course, but we will never forget her. God bless you Karen until we meet again. All our love, Jim, Linda, Jordan and Tanner

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  35. Oh where to start… Even though I don’t remember I know I was introduced to water in aunt Karen’s pool. My love for water and the beach was something we always shared. She always opened her home to everybody and LOVED to have her family surrounding her. Christmas at her house in Monrovia, festival parades… No matter what. Come time for prom she let Chad and I both take her Camaro. Chad had a fender bender I got pulled over. Spending time in South Carolina was great!! She even went on the fishing trip with us. If there’s one thing I’ll always remember it was her love and her laughter. She had a laugh that was infectious and always made you smile. I love Aunt Karen. And life will never be the same. Give everybody a BIG hug for me. I miss you all so much!!

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  36. Karen was a great friend from United Airlines. We worked in the tool cribs. She convinced me to go to Reno for Women in Airlines conference. She smuggled me into the dinner. I was just thinking about her. We pass her place in Monrovia almost every day. Our prayers go with you and your family. Karen will be missed.

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  40. Now that everything has transpired I can finally say what I have been holding on to. You were my biggest supporter through thick and thin. When I questioned myself and my path in life you were there to show me the way. For this I am eternally grateful, I hope to be half the man you expected me to become. I love you, I miss you, but this is not good bye. This is just see you later, and I will see you later. For now watch over us all like you always have. For you now are our guardian angel in spiritual form just as you were in this physical form. Fair winds and following seas, until we meet again.

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