Karen Steppe

On Tuesday, September 27th, 2022, Karen Lynn (Tweet) Steppe, loving wife and mother of two, passed away at age thirty-six, with friends and family by her side, after her battle with breast cancer.

A beautiful daughter and younger sister, Karen grew up in Illinois on a dairy farm learning and growing in ways that she would later instill upon and wish for her two children to have. She loved keeping up with and playing with her sisters (her dawgs), as well as many cousins and friends all over the farm all while learning the value of hard work and responsibility. An avid reader from an early age, Karen loved all kinds of books, as well as school and learning, all of which continued into adulthood as she participated in book clubs and bible studies, and attended conferences and seminars to further her knowledge. As a kid, Karen loved going camping or on mini vacations with her family, playing games, hiking, and watching good movies. Karen was active in extracurriculars as well with her leadership roles and participation in the FFA, 4-H, Math Club and NHS. Her childhood was full of fond memories and laughter that Karen often enjoyed reminiscing about.

Karen left quite an impact on people and the world. An avid lover of agriculture, Karen earned an associate of science degree from Joliet Junior College, and bachelor of science degree in Crop Sciences from the University of Illinois. Karen moved to Iowa in 2008, and spent fourteen years working in the crop sciences field, starting as a research assistant for Monsanto, then a quality and compliance manager and a field production manager for Bayer, and most recently as a grower relations manager for Beck’s Hybrids. Karen took great pride in her work, obtaining certification as a Iowa Certified Crop Advisor, and got to travel to and see great places in the world for her work. Her fellow employees would agree that she was hard-working, driven, organized, and a remarkable person to work with.

Two of Karen’s most notable roles and the ones she was most proud of were those of wife and mother. Karen met her husband Jordan in 2008, and the two were married on September 14, 2013. One quality that Karen and Jordan shared is their love of being with friends. Karen had an appreciation for farm life that fit perfectly with her and Jordan’s goals for life together. And the two of them were building their farm and family together with shared values, compromise, and hard work. Karen and Jordan have two wonderful children together, Henry Edward and Levi Andrew, and she is truly loved by all of “her boys.” Karen shined as a mother. Between her pride for her children and her dedication to making birthdays and holidays big and perfect, she did it all with such joy. She wanted the boys to do all kinds of things and have great experiences such as visiting parks and going hiking, making crafts and taking them to local events and fairs, traveling and camping with them, and even building a playset for them. A Mom for the books, Karen loved them fiercely.

Karen was best known for her generous spirit, love for adventures, quick-witted humor, love for baking for everyone, being a true redhead, and most of all her kind heart. Karen’s love for all of her closest friends was unmatched. No matter if they were from her childhood, her college years, friends from work, or her friends in adulthood, she was dedicated to staying connected and making time for each of them. Karen had all of her girls with her here in Iowa to be just like her second family and provide that escape that they all needed to have fun together, even if that meant just taking off on a road trip to go hiking at a State Park across the state. Karen loved to have a good time, and she would not only enjoy a good gathering, but bring a party to life with her presence. A lover of music, Karen could be seen at some of her favorite concerts, line dancing (Illinois style, Iowa never got it right) or busting a move with family, blasting her playlists in her pick-up truck, or singing songs with her boys. She was like no other, a true individual with a unique and special personality and a gorgeous smile. Karen found happiness in life with simple things, like her time in the garden at home, sitting around a bonfire with friends, taking walks around the farm with her boys, and riding in the side by side out into the pastures with Jordan and their dog Shiloh. Karen had a strong personal relationship with the Lord. She had a hunger to learn and apply it to her life and relationships. She indeed, let His light shine through her.

Karen will be missed by everyone she ever encountered in this life. She is preceded in death by her Grandparents Sherman and Joan Tweet. She is survived by her husband, Jordan Steppe, and their sons, Henry and Levi Steppe, her family dog Shiloh, her father Sherman (Carla) Tweet, her mother Barbara Tweet, her maternal grandparents Robert and Rochelle Fonck, her sisters Sarah (Jeff) Landers and Kelly (Jeremiah) Walton, and many other close family members.

Visitation will be held on Friday, September 30, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Eldora. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 1, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Eldora. Burial will follow at the Steamboat Rock Cemetery.