Karen Ruth Jaeger

Karen Ruth (Mollet) Jaeger, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, teacher, musician, and friend, passed away on September 24, 2026, in Chandler, Arizona, at the age of 84.

Karen was born on December 28, 1941, in Yakima, Washington, to Glen and Ruth Mollet, and grew up primarily in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Though she was an only child, she enjoyed close relationships with cousins on both sides of her family, including Jean Pickens and Jan Vandervort. Karen graduated from St. Louis Park High School and went on to attend Bethel College and Mankato State, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education.

In 1960, Karen met Dean Albert Jaeger when mutual friends arranged a blind date. They were married in June 1962, beginning a life together marked by family, faith, music, hard work, and service to others. Their daughter, Carma, was born a couple of years later. Before settling in Faribault, Minnesota, Karen and Dean lived in the Spencer, Iowa, area, where they farmed with Dean’s family—a new experience for this city girl. They moved to Faribault in 1969, and their son, Trent, was born in 1973. In 1975, they moved to their home on Roberds Lake, where they raised their children and spent the next 25 years. After retiring, Karen and Dean moved to Chandler, Arizona, where Karen lived for the last 26 years of her life.

Karen taught choir and general music at Faribault Junior High in the Faribault Public Schools for more than 25 years. She shared her love of music not only with generations of students, but also through her church ministry. Her relationship with her Savior, Jesus Christ, was central to her life, and she used her gifts generously, playing piano and organ and singing for hundreds of services over the years. Later in life, she and Dean also gave their time to support outreach to the poor, driving donated goods and toys to ministries in northern Mexico.

Karen was smart, musical, well-organized, artistic, and hard-working. She balanced a full-time teaching career and caring for her family with grace, and she instilled in her children a lasting value for education and learning. Karen, herself, was a voracious reader. She was admired for her beautiful voice, musicianship, baking, and many creative talents, including sewing, knitting, and cross stitch. An accomplished seamstress, she made Carma’s wedding dress along with countless other creations, from baby clothes to window treatments. Drawing on her Swedish heritage, Karen was a gifted baker whose bars, cookies, and pies were loved by friends and family alike; she even catered the desserts for her granddaughter’s wedding. Christmas was an especially meaningful and joyful time in the Jaeger home.

Karen loved living on the lake and welcomed large gatherings of friends and family for time in the water, conversation, and fellowship. She loved spending time with her family playing games, cooking, and watching Minnesota sports, especially the Twins, Vikings, and Golden Gophers. She treasured time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, both near and far.

Karen is survived by her husband, Dean Albert Jaeger; her children, Carma Kym (Scott) Hall, née Jaeger, and Trent Crosby (Carrie) Jaeger; her grandchildren, Christopher Lee Hall (Stephanie Crock), Madeleine Rachael (Brad) Powers, née Hall, Michael Scott Henry Hall, Isabel Caroline Jaeger, Hanna Amiet Jaeger, and Lilly Grace Jaeger; and her great-grandchildren, Sophia Ruth Powers, Millie Grace Powers, and William Bryant Hall. She was preceded in death by her parents, Glen and Ruth Mollet.

Karen will be remembered as a talented woman who loved her family and loved God. She was generous with her time and talents, a reliable friend, and someone who was always ready to lend a hand.

A celebration of life service will be held on October 3, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Lakeshore Mortuary in Mesa, Arizona. Interment will take place at TriMello Cemetery in Royal, Iowa. Flowers may be sent to Lakeshore Mortuary or, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Karen’s name to Samaritan’s Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org) or a charity of your choice.