Mass of Christian burial for Karen Baalson, 63 of New London, Minnesota, will be 11 a.m. on Saturday morning, January 16, 2016, at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church in Spicer, Minnesota.
Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be at the church from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, January 15, 2016, and at the church from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. the day of the service. A Rosary will be prayed at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday.
Funeral arrangements are with the Johnson Funeral Home in New London.
Karen A. Baalson passed away on Thursday, January 7, 2016 at St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Karen Arlene (Grunig) Baalson was born on January 2, 1953 in Springfield, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Leonard and Gertrude (Goblirsch) Grunig. She grew up in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, graduating from Mountain Lake High School in 1971. She attended Willmar Area Vo-Tech for photography and later attended Ridgewater College for accounting. While there, she met Mark Bengtson and they married in 1972. They were blessed with six children and later divorced.
On June 14, 2003, she married Peter Baalson. They made their home in New London on Norway Lake. Karen worked many types of jobs throughout her adult life before following her dream of owning Inspirations Angels & Ivy.
Karen was a member of Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church in Spicer. She served on the church music committee and prayers of the faithful committee. She sang in the church choir and was a Eucharistic minister. She was a member of the New London Merchants Association.
Karen enjoyed traveling, hiking, and being outside but most of all she enjoyed being with family.
She is survived by her husband, Peter Baalson; children, Brent (Stacey), Matthew (Jenny), Crystal, Andrea, David (Sarah) and Amber; two step-children, Michael and Jeron; five grandchildren; 1 1/2 great-grandchildren; siblings, Clara Burnham, Diane (Richard) Kunz, Arthur Grunig, Gerald (Rose) Grunig, Alyce (Paul) Mahoney, Dale Grunig and Jane (Brian) Sterenberg and many nieces and nephews.
Karen was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents.