Obituary of Karen Elaine Cigrand

MONTICELLO, IOWA

     Karen E. Cigrand, 84, died Thursday, April 18, 2024, at Living Center West, Cedar Rapids of congestive heart failure.

   Visitation will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at Kramer Funeral Home in Monticello. Funeral service will commence at 12 p.m.

     Inurnment will be held at Oakwood Cemetery at a later date.

    Karen Elaine Harms was born March 15, 1940, at Monticello, Iowa, the daughter of Emil and Maxine, Orr Harms. She graduated from Monticello Community Schools with the class of 1958.  

    Karen married Richard Cigrand, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Monticello on May 14, 1959. The couple made their home in Monticello. Once her children were all in school, Karen entered the workforce. She worked at Monty Produce for many years and then in the bakery/deli department at Bud’s Super Valu and later Family Foods. She most recently worked as a teller at Citizens State Bank in Monticello where she retired from.

    In retirement, she and Dick enjoyed traveling, especially to Ohio to visit daughter, Angie, and family. Karen also enjoyed many trips with her sisters. Another pastime in retirement was attending cat shows. Karen and Dick owned many beloved cats over the years, and they discovered one, a Scottish fold, at a cat show. Karen enjoyed crafting. She crocheted many afghans and doilies, knitted lots of dish cloths, hand painted ceramics, and hand sewed Christmas stockings for each of her children and grandchildren.

    Karen’s greatest joy was spending time with her family.

    Surviving are her four children: Tracy (Jill) Cigrand of Monticello, Angela (Ryan) Emmert Bellbrook, Ohio, Brian (Wendi) Cigrand of Mt. Vernon and Mark (Dawnette) Cigrand of Cochrane, Wis.; grandchildren: Nick (Trinity) Cigrand, Genevieve Cigrand, Shelby Emmert, Lauren Emmert, Cat (Chloe) Cevan, Shelby Cigrand, Allison Cigrand, Logan (Stephanie Gail) Cigrand, Jordyn (Seth) Schlotterbeck, Dillon (Marlon Gonzalez) Jamison, and Cody Jamison; 10 great-grandchildren; a sister, Marilyn (Andy) Carter of Marion; and many nieces and nephews.

    She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Richard; infant son, Jeffrey; infant granddaughter, Casey Emmert; sisters: Donna Summers and Janice Breiholtz; and special aunt, Minnie Harms.

In lieu flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Kramer Funeral Home in Monticello is assisting the family and information is available at www.kramerfuneral.com.  Memorials may be sent to the family, (in care of Kramer Funeral Home) 700 East Oak St., PO Box 791, Monticello, IA 52310-0791.