Obituary for Karen K. Higgins

Karen K. (Newton) Higgins, 81, of Cedar Rapids, died August 2, 2025,at Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha, passing peacefully after a long illness with pulmonary fibrosis. Friends and family are invited to a celebration of life on Sept. 13th from 2-4 PM at Groundswell, 201 3rd Ave SW, inside Matthew 25’s main event space.

Survivors include two daughters, Karrie Higgins and her husband Alan Murdock of Cedar Rapids; Denise (Jerry) Wedel of Marion; beloved stepson, Scott (Jodi) Higgins of Cedar Rapids; two brothers, twin Kenneth (Sandy) Newton of Michigan and George (Jennifer) Newton of Illinois; three grandchildren, Eli Wedel and partner Anne Seifert of Cedar Rapids, Sophia Wedel and partner Justin Tueke of Marion; Gabe Wedel of Marion; beloved step-granddaughter, Crystal Higgins of California; great granddaughter, Maisie and cherished step-great granddaughter, Emma; sisters-in-law, Marian Buhr of North Carolina and
Joneita Wagner of Monona; many nieces and nephews, including Bob Davis of Oregon, with whom she shared treasured memories; longtime friends from 7th Avenue, Pat Semelroth, Lillie Moore, Carol Thayer, and Karen Bradley; chosen sister Karen Beall of the E Avenue gang; best friend since middle school, Sharon Mccord; and dear friends Eleanor Thorpe, from her McKinley Middle School cafeteria days, and Bev Brooks.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ward and Anna (Schnarr) Newton; brother-in-law, Donald Davis; sister, Joann Davis; brother, Leslie Newton; husband, Clifford Higgins; niece, Marcia Davis; stepson, Gregory Higgins; and five beloved cats, Crystal Blue, Cha Cha, Nicolette, Spike, and Allie.

Karen was born February 9, 1944, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Ward and Anna (Schnarr) Newton. She graduated from Jefferson High School in 1962. On October 17, 1970, she married Clifford L. Higgins in Cedar Rapids.

Karen worked in the McKinley Middle School cafeteria for 30 years, retiring in 2010. Her job allowed her to devote summers to her daughters: roller skating at Super Skate, swimming at Noelridge pool, painting plaster figurines, creating elaborate latch hook & macrame projects, and sewing. In the 1990s, she volunteered at the only AIDS hospice in Iowa, founded by her niece Marcia. She was a member of Eastern Star for many years. Before becoming a mother, she worked her favorite job of all time, printing custom pencils at Souvenir Pencil Company in Cedar Rapids. Karen was a member of the Red Hat Ladies, active at the Freedom Foundation with Clifford, and loved sewing stuffed sheep, which she called babas. She was an avid crafter and even in her final days kept busy creating latch hook pillows and diamond dot pictures for Christmas presents. She was a lifelong Trekkie and the ultimate cat lady.

Her daughters share many fond memories of their mother baking & decorating elaborate cakes for their birthdays, sewing their dance costumes for recitals at Cherie’s Dance Studio, lining up rows of babas in the living room in a mass production line, and toting Lucky Charms cereal, Lifesavers, and Certs candies in her purse, often sneaking them out during church to keep one of them quiet. Even though everyone groaned when Karen made them pose with their birthday cake,
her annual “cake photos” will be missed.

The family wishes to thank Oldorf Hospice House and Hospice of Mercy; all of her wonderful nurses over the years; her primary care physician Dr. Karen Harmon at Mercy; and her pulmonary specialist, Dr. Nabeel Hamzeh at University of Iowa Healthcare for all of their efforts to ease Karen’s breathing, keep her as active and comfortable as possible, and finally, to ease her transition.