Karen Sigler Phillips died in Grinnell, IA on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

She was born August 29, 1945 as her father, Robert Sigler, was serving in the Army during World War 2. Karen's mother, Jean Boots Sigler, was living temporarily in Pasadena, CA with her mother. At the end of the war the family of four, including Karen's brother Robert Jr. (Rob) moved to Pennsylvania, where Karen and Rob had their early childhood years. Karen's father moved around the country working for Chevrolet Motor Division, and Karen spent Jr. High years in the Denver, CO area, and High school years in Birmingham, MI. She attended Dickinson College, Carlisle PA and met Edward Phillips while singing in the many vocal music groups they both joined.

Ed was the love of her life. Their joyful singing has endured through the 57 years of marriage, and they sang in church choirs as well as singing many solos and duets together over those years, including every summer in the one room summer church in Eagles Mere, PA where they were married in 1968.

After several years of graduate school for both Ed and Karen, Ed found his professional Home in the Classics Department of Grinnell College in 1975. Karen first worked as a counselor at the former Poweshiek County Mental Health Center before finally becoming the elementary school counselor serving the three elementary schools in Grinnell. Her education students often called her "The I-Care Cat Lady" because of a cat puppet she often used when teaching in the classroom with students beginning in kindergarten. She held that position for 25 years until her retirement.

Karen grew to love Grinnell, but her favorite place on earth was in the mountains of Pennsylvania in the town of Laporte where her parents spent their honeymoon, vacationed each summer, and built a cabin on Lake Mokoma in 1969. Ed and Karen cherished that cabin and have missed the friends and family they knew there for so many years.

Karen is survived by her husband, Edward, her son, Timothy, her daughter in law, Katya, her granddaughter Michelle, two step-grandchildren, Sonya and Ivan Gutsalyuk, and two of her siblings, Jack Sigler (Merri Lee), and Mary Sigler Hullsiek (William). Ed and Karen's son, Wesley, died in 2016. Her brother Robert Sigler (Julie) died in 2024.

A memorial Service for Karen will take place at the first Presbyterian Church in Grinnell on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service beginning at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Mayflower Community Human Needs Fund or First Presbyterian Church in Grinnell. Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell, IA is handling arrangements.