Karen Kae (Borden) Shockley
May 31, 1941 - March 18, 2025
Update as of 3/28/2025 New York's Celebration of Life has a date, time, and location. More information on the Celebrating Karen page.
Wife ... Mother ... Friend ... Neighbor ... Volunteer ... Karen
On March 18, 2025 on Long Island in New York, Karen Shockley passed peacefully with her loving family. Born in Brainerd, MN on May 31st, 1941, Karen is survived by her son Jared Shockley, her daughter Janae Ciszek, Janae’s family - husband Mike, son Braden, and daughter Kailey, and a large extended family of beloved nieces & nephews. Preceding Karen were her husband, Fred Shockley, her parents, Alyce & Orville Borden, and siblings, Dick Borden and LaRae Hoskins.
Along with family members, Karen had many close friends over the years, some passing before her and some surviving her. While not related, the Johnson-Smith’s are like family to the Shockley's. We give thanks to Ray & Carol; Jennifer & Bryan; Jay; Wendy, Shane and her son Zac; Nancy & Dan with their children Shawn & Veronica, Isabella, Patrick, and Brigette for being family. We also thank and miss Jim and Rita who passed before Karen.
After growing up in Garrison, MN and moving to St. Cloud, MN to start her career, Karen found her way out west to Seattle, WA working at Boeing Aircraft, where she met her future husband, Fred. Upon getting married and starting their family, Karen volunteered countless hours with Children’s Hospital in Seattle and the local PTA for her children’s schools. At the same time, the Shockley house was where fun was had, as the laughter of both her children’s friends and her friends and neighbors filled her home. Karen & Fred hosted Bunco Night, Seafair Hydroplane parties, and neighborhood dinners and parties were standard fare for the Shockley house in Renton, WA.
While her children were in college & high school, Karen attended Bellevue Community College and got her Accounting degree in 1990. She joined BCC in their Finance Department upon her graduation, working there until 1997. Upon her retirement from BCC, she moved with her husband to Stevensville, MT and built their retirement home.
While living in Montana, she worked with a local yarn store and knitting group, the Bitterroot Knotty Knitters and enjoyed quilting with a local quilting group. She introduced her local friends to the game of Bunco and spent time volunteering at the Marcus Daly Mansion in Hamilton, MT. Several years after the passing of her husband, driven by desire to be closer to her grandchildren, she moved to Northport, NY in 2016. Karen spent the rest of her years there enjoying her family and supporting her grandchildren in all of their sports and activities - especially the Northport Marching Band.
Karen had requested that there be no funeral services upon her passing. Instead, the family will host Celebrations of Life to remember her. Currently, a celebration is planned in Seattle for April 17th, 2025 and in New York for May 31st, 2025. A third celebration is planned for Montana but no date has been selected at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her name with the Marcus Daly Mansion in Hamilton, MT or Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle, WA.