Karen Beck, age 81 of Grinnell, died on Sunday, January 3, 2020 at St. Francis Manor in Grinnell. A public visitation will be held from 2:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. A face mask will be required for those attending the visitation. The family will not be present at the visitation. A private family funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, January 8, 2021 at the Smith Funeral Home with Rev. Daniel Rinehart, pastor of the St. John's Lutheran Church in Grinnell, officiating. Karen's service will be live streamed on the Smith Funeral Home Facebook page beginning at 10:45 am. Interment will be at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. Memorials may be designated to St. John's Lutheran Church and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with Karen's family online at www.smithfh.com. Karen Lee Cooper was born the daughter of Everett and Betty (Smith) Cooper on March 12, 1939 in Grinnell, Iowa. She was raised on the family farm near Newburg, Iowa and she graduated from Newburg High School with the class of 1957. Karen was united in marriage to Richard William "Whitey" Beck on July 6, 1958 in Newburg, Iowa. The couple farmed in the Chester Township north of Grinnell for 51 years and moved to Grinnell in 2009. Karen was a homemaker and later worked as a claims adjuster for Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance for over 20 years. She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Grinnell, the Chester Friendly Club, Farm Bureau, and the Sonora Grange. Karen's greatest treasure was her family. She dearly loved her grandchildren and cherished the time spent with them. She loved life on the farm and spent countless hours tending to her garden and flowers. Her enjoyments were making crafts, playing cards with neighbors, and going out for dinner. She will be remembered for her kindness, for being a great friend and neighbor, and for the strong love of her family. Karen is survived by three sons, Leon (Donna) Beck of Grinnell, Roger (Sue) Beck of Manchester, and Daryl (Kelly) Beck of Grinnell; nine grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Sandy Cooper of Grinnell. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 52 years, Richard "Whitey" Beck in 2010; and a brother, Larry Cooper.