Karri D. Korth, age 52, of Luverne, Minnesota, died peacefully surrounded by her family on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage.
Visitation will be Tuesday, Aug. 31, from 4 to 7 p.m. at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne. Mass of Christian burial will be Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 10:30 a.m. at the church. Burial will be Thursday, Sept. 2, at 2 p.m. at St. Kilian Cemetery in Wilmont, Minnesota.
Memorials may be directed to the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage or The Banquet in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Karri Dawn Korth was born on April 2, 1969, to Gary and Jean (Ossefoort) Staeffler at the Luverne Community Hospital in Luverne, Minnesota. She was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Hardwick, Minnesota, and confirmed her faith at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. She grew up in Luverne except for a short time when her family moved to Barnum, Iowa. In her childhood years, she enjoyed participating in Brownies and Girl Scouts, playing Barbies, softball and riding horse with her uncles.
She graduated from Luverne High School in 1987. She then attended Mankato State University in Mankato, Minnesota, for her freshman year of college. She transferred to Normandale Community College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she completed her generals and a two-year degree. She returned to southwest Minnesota and attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she graduated with a four-year medical technologist degree in 1992.
Karri continued to live in Luverne and worked at Pipestone County Medical Center, Luverne Community Hospital and Intervet in Worthington, Minnesota. She continued her career as a medical tech at Avera McKennan Hospital until her health forced her into early retirement.
Karri met the love of her life, Bill Korth, on Aug. 13, 1993, at country western dance lessons offered at the VFW in Luverne. According to Karri, “We danced and danced and we danced!” The couple was married at Blue Mound State Park on Aug. 29, 1998. They made their home in Luverne for 23 years.
Karri was very organized and detail-oriented and enjoyed putting those skills to use helping her husband with Korth Auction Services throughout the years. She enjoyed Creative Memory scrapbooking, gardening, canning, reading and completing puzzles. Helping Bill on the farm were special times, especially watching the gate for Bill so the cows wouldn’t get out. Big Black was a thorn in her side!
She loved to spoil her nieces and nephews and they loved their Aunt Karri.
She was a member of St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne where she was a member of the RCIA Team.
Karri will always remain in the hearts of her husband, Bill; parents, Gary and Jean Staeffler of Luverne; twin sister, Kammi (Bobby) Biber of Brandon, South Dakota; sister-in-law, Sheryl (Greg) Staeffler of Luverne; nieces and nephews, Samantha (Thomas) Lingen, Christopher Biber (fiancée Cameron Miller), Brianna Biber and Joshua Biber, Zack (Sydney) Staeffler, Katie (Charlie) Dilly and Emilie Staeffler; and other family and numerous friends.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Kelly Staeffler; grandparents, Louis and Ethel Ossefoort and Virgil and Marjorie Staeffler; uncle Larry Staeffler; aunt Sandra Vander Beek; and her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Desmond and Teresa Korth.
Arrangements are entrusted to the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. To view Karri’s life tribute video or sign an online registry, please visit www.hartquistfuneral.com
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