Karen Ruth Eakins

Karen Ruth Eakins, age 84, of Paxton, passed away, Monday, February 8,  2021, at Linden Court in North Platte.  

Karen was born November 23, 1936 at North Platte, NE to Bruce and Ruth (Turpie) Snyder.

Karen grew up on the ranch northwest of Paxton and lived almost her entire life in the house that her great grandfather built in 1908.  After graduating from Paxton High School in 1954 she attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln where she was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority and then spent the next 3 years at the University of Nebraska Omaha School of Nursing.  Her first nursing job was in Rapid City, SD and then transferred to work in a psychiatric hospital in Santa Monica, CA before moving back to Paxton to marry Don Eakins on December 29, 1960.  

Karen was a long time member of Trinity Lutheran Church where she held many offices in several women’s groups.  She loved to sing and was a long time member of their choir as well as the church organist for many, many years.  She played and sang for over 150 funerals during her time as a church member.  Her other passion was to lead the quilt making project at the church from 1971 until 2020.  She was fiercely proud of the over 100 quilts that were produced each and every year by the small group of women from the church and the community and took even more satisfaction in knowing how many people across the world that they helped in their time of need.  She also was a member of the North River extension club from 1961 until it was disbanded in the 1980’s.  In her “spare” time she was an avid reader and loved to be in her garden or outside doing some type of yard work.  

Karen is survived by; her husband Don Eakins, of Paxton, 4 sons; Todd and his wife Rosa, of Pittsburg, California; Blaine and his wife Tracey, of Omaha; Jason and his wife Malisa, of Denver, Colorado; Jarred and his wife Carol, of Paxton; two brothers; Bruce Snyder and his wife Roxie, of Paxton; Ken Snyder and his wife Chris, of Paxton; one sister Kathy (Snyder) McMillan and husband Steve, of Loveland, Colorado; 8 grandchildren; Taylor Eakins (Natalie), of Chicago, Illinois; Travis (Erica) Eakins, of Chicago, Illinois; Turner Eakins (Olivia Behle), of Phoenix, Arizona; Olivia and Georgia Eakins, of Denver Colorado; Adrian, Josh, and Joe Eakins, all of Paxton; 3 step-grandchildren; Joe, Manuel, and Nick Clift, all of Pittsburg, California; 2 great-grandchildren, Rocco and Blake Eakins, of Chicago, Illinois.  

Karen was preceded in death by her parents Bruce and Ruth Snyder of Paxton.  

A Private Family Memorial Service will be held on Friday, February 12, 2021 at the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Paxton with Pastor JA Welsh officiating.

A Private Family Committal of the cremains will take place at a later date. 

Online condolences may be given at www.drauckerfh.com by clicking the share a memory button. The service will be recorded and posted to the website after the service.

A memorial has been established in her memory. 

Draucker Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. 
 

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