Karen M. Jennison

Karen Jennison passed away at home August 10, 2020, in Greeley, CO. Karen Marie Jennison was born in Scott City KS on December 9, 1940, growing up with family in Healy, KS. Her father was president of three different banks, and served in the Kansas House of Representatives several years, once as Speaker of the House. Karen’s mother was educated and a teacher. Karen was always a strong believer in education. She became an avid reader early in life, and maintained this habit of education through diverse reading to the end of her life, with a personal library collection that proved its value to her. After receiving her bachelor’s degree at the University of Kansas, her master’s degree from the University of Washington, and her PhD from Washington State University, she became a professor of Sociology, for more than 40 years at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, with some time as chair as well as assistant dean of that department, achieving status as Professor Emeritus in 2015. Karen met her husband, Kenneth Albert Johnson, while at Pullman, WA, and they married in 1969. Karen and Ken as sociologists loved to engage in the activity of social research, resulting in their separately and together publishing and presenting numerous papers in the United States and abroad many years. Late in life together they so very much enjoyed travel all over the world for what could be gathered both in education and their pleasure. Following Karen’s discovery of ovarian cancer on her last trip together with Ken in 2016, Karen signed herself into the best health care possible. With Ken’s passing the following year, Karen became more socially involved in various support groups, with many befriending her along the way. She attended and was active at Foundations Church in Loveland. She gave both time and talent to the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra Guild and the Assistance League of Greeley, and was faithful to UNC’s Cancer Rehabilitation Institute. Karen became quite a philanthropist in her last years, giving her support especially to higher-level education and cancer research, including the UNC Foundation and the endowment of professorship at UC Health/Anschutz directed to the study of women’s cancer. Preceding Karen in death were her parents, Robert Herlan and Tillie Henrietta (Young) Jennison from Healy KS; brother Paul Schuyler Jennison of Concord CA; and husband Kenneth Albert Johnson of Greeley. Memories and tributes can also be shared through Adamson Life Celebration Home, at adamsoncares.com. Life Celebration Memorial will be held at 9:30 AM, Thursday, August 27 at Adamson Life Celebration Home, 2000 47th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado.