Sharon Kay (Studer) Karr
Sharon Kay Karr, age 80, passed away at Holiday Resort in Emporia, Kansas, on July 19, 2018. Sharon Kay Karr was born in Beloit, Kansas, the daughter of William and Fern (Johnson) Studer on January 27, 1938.
She grew up on a farm near Beloit and attended a one-room school, later graduating from Beloit High School. She attended College of Emporia and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Kansas State University in 1959.
She married Gerald “Jerry” Karr on October 18, 1959 in Manhattan, Kansas. They then moved to Belleville, Illinois, where she taught 4th grade. Sharon and Jerry later moved to Carbondale, Illinois to start graduate school together, and she continued teaching elementary school. She completed her Master’s and Doctorate Degrees in Counseling and Educational Psychology at Southern Illinois University.
She and her family moved to Sierra Leone, West Africa in 1967, where her husband worked for the University of Illinois. While in Sierra Leone, she conducted field research for her doctoral program. Upon returning to Illinois in 1970, Sharon enrolled in further studies at the University of Illinois and worked in the field of educational psychology.
In 1972, she moved with her family to Wilmington, Ohio, where she served as a school psychologist in rural southern Ohio.
In 1976, Sharon accepted a position in the Department of Psychology at Emporia State University, so the family moved to Emporia, Kansas. Over her 28 years at ESU, Sharon coordinated the training of school psychologists throughout the state of Kansas. She also served as past President of the Kansas Association of School Psychologists (KASP).
After retirement from ESU, Sharon served as the KASP representative to the Kansas Legislature. She was a member of the Americus Methodist Church and served as a lay leader for the Flint Hills District of Methodist Churches. She served on the Lyon Country Extension Council, representing 4-H programs, and also served as a 4-H Project Cooking Leader for the Frost and Sunflower 4-H Clubs. Sharon received a presidential appointment to serve on Kansas’ Farm Service Agency (FSA) appeal board, representing southeast Kansas, for over 7 years.
In addition to her academic career, she devoted herself to serving her family including maintaining business records for the active family farm. She loved gardening, cooking, and music. Sharon was active in politics, serving as a precinct committee woman for Fremont Township. She also ran for state legislative office.
She is survived by her husband, Jerry Karr; her son, Kevin Karr (Sandy) of Emporia and her daughter, Kelly Getty (Chris) of Abilene, Kansas; her two sisters, Shirley (Robie) Wichers of Beloit, Kansas and Janet Studer of Central Point, Oregon; and nine grandchildren, Olin (Michaela), Krisanne, Randal, Alisha, Kailey, Paige, and Joe Karr of Emporia and Kaylin and Justin Getty of Abilene, Kansas.
She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Fern Studer.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at First United Methodist Church, Emporia. Interment will follow in Rosean Cemetery, north of Emporia. Visitation will be held from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home in Emporia.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sharon Karr Scholarship designated in care of the Emporia State University Foundation, Hand In Hand Hospice of Emporia, or Americus Methodist Church. Contributions may be sent to Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, PO Box 175, Emporia, Kansas 66801. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Sharon Kay Karr, please visit our flower store.
Sharon Kay Karr, age 80, passed away at Holiday Resort in Emporia, Kansas, on July 19, 2018. Sharon Kay Karr was born in Beloit, Kansas, the daughter of William and Fern (Johnson) Studer on January 27, 1938.
She grew up on a farm near Beloit and attended a one-room school, later graduating from Beloit High School. She attended College of Emporia and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Kansas State University in 1959.
She married Gerald “Jerry” Karr on October 18, 1959 in Manhattan, Kansas. They then moved to Belleville, Illinois, where she taught 4th grade. Sharon and Jerry later moved to Carbondale, Illinois to start graduate school together, and she continued teaching elementary school. She completed her Master’s and Doctorate Degrees in Counseling and Educational Psychology at Southern Illinois University.
She and her family moved to Sierra Leone, West Africa in 1967, where her husband worked for the University of Illinois. While in Sierra Leone, she conducted field research for her doctoral program. Upon returning to Illinois in 1970, Sharon enrolled in further studies at the University of Illinois and worked in the field of educational psychology.
In 1972, she moved with her family to Wilmington, Ohio, where she served as a school psychologist in rural southern Ohio.
In 1976, Sharon accepted a position in the Department of Psychology at Emporia State University, so the family moved to Emporia, Kansas. Over her 28 years at ESU, Sharon coordinated the training of school psychologists throughout the state of Kansas. She also served as past President of the Kansas Association of School Psychologists (KASP).
After retirement from ESU, Sharon served as the KASP representative to the Kansas Legislature. She was a member of the Americus Methodist Church and served as a lay leader for the Flint Hills District of Methodist Churches. She served on the Lyon Country Extension Council, representing 4-H programs, and also served as a 4-H Project Cooking Leader for the Frost and Sunflower 4-H Clubs. Sharon received a presidential appointment to serve on Kansas’ Farm Service Agency (FSA) appeal board, representing southeast Kansas, for over 7 years.
In addition to her academic career, she devoted herself to serving her family including maintaining business records for the active family farm. She loved gardening, cooking, and music. Sharon was active in politics, serving as a precinct committee woman for Fremont Township. She also ran for state legislative office.
She is survived by her husband, Jerry Karr; her son, Kevin Karr (Sandy) of Emporia and her daughter, Kelly Getty (Chris) of Abilene, Kansas; her two sisters, Shirley (Robie) Wichers of Beloit, Kansas and Janet Studer of Central Point, Oregon; and nine grandchildren, Olin (Michaela), Krisanne, Randal, Alisha, Kailey, Paige, and Joe Karr of Emporia and Kaylin and Justin Getty of Abilene, Kansas.
She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Fern Studer.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at First United Methodist Church, Emporia. Interment will follow in Rosean Cemetery, north of Emporia. Visitation will be held from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home in Emporia.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sharon Karr Scholarship designated in care of the Emporia State University Foundation, Hand In Hand Hospice of Emporia, or Americus Methodist Church. Contributions may be sent to Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, PO Box 175, Emporia, Kansas 66801. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Sharon Kay Karr, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation
Roberts-Blue-Barnett
Funeral Service
First United Methodist Church
Guestbook
Visits: 0
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors