Karen Kay Gatz, 84, of Yukon, Oklahoma, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday morning, January 22nd, 2025, at her home.
Karen was born on February 17th, 1940, in Fairview, Oklahoma. Karen was one of four daughters born to Johnny William and Ruth Leola (Riley) Martin. Her life always revolved around family and she spent her entire life living and raising her family in Oklahoma.
Karen attended Ruby’s Country School through 2nd grade and then attended Cleo Springs beginning in 3rd grade, until she graduated in 1958. She was baptized at the Fairview First Christian Church in 1957.
Karen loved playing basketball, but unfortunately knee surgeries her junior and senior year ended her high school basketball career. Needing an outlet after no longer being able to play basketball, Karen taught herself to play the piano. She learned by playing hymns and every night she would play hymns on the piano while her daddy sang along with her.
In 1958 she attended Northwestern College in Alva, where she met the love of her life, Fred Gatz. Fred transferred to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK to continue his education after he had attended Northwestern for two years and Karen had attended one year. She did not want to remain at college while Fred was attending OSU, so she returned home. She spent her time babysitting the children of family friends and doing various odd jobs. Fred would come home almost every other weekend to see his love, Karen.
After dating for almost 4 years, Fred and Karen married in Goltry, OK on February 17th, 1961. This also happened to be Karen’s birthday.
Fred and Karen shared their first home as newlyweds together in the barracks in Stillwater, OK while he finished college. Karen babysat during this time. After Fred graduated, they lived in Oklahoma City for a summer. They then moved to Dallas, TX for Fred’s work and also started a family. After living in Dallas until 1965 they moved back to Karen’s family home in Cleo Springs, OK, where they both helped Karen’s dad on the farm. They then built their first house in Yukon in Ranchwood North Edition and rented a house in Bethany, OK while it was being completed. During this time they also began searching for land to buy and build a home. In 1969, Fred and Karen looked at the land where they currently live and bought it on the spot. They have remained there to this day, having raised three children and would have celebrated 65 years of marriage February 2025.
During their moving adventures, Karen and Fred also opened and ran a Hobby Shop for a short time, having fun discovering what treasures they would find when opening trailer loads of items purchased sight unseen to sell in the shop.
Karen loved animals and had many pets. She had all kinds of pets from parakeets she taught to talk in no time, to a baby skunk who fortunately didn’t stick around for much time. She once said she had 77 dogs as pets.
She had many pets growing up, and continued this with Fred when married. Together they had chickens, pigeons, doves, sheep, goats, mules, horses from miniature to Belgians, and a pet cow who lived in the back yard of the house named Mary Lou. They also had a pet raccoon named Cheerio who lived in the first house on their current land. If there was one thing that Karen would want to be remembered for, it would be how she cared for all animals and people in her life. She faithfully cared for every one of them. If Karen had an ill animal she would do everything possible to bring it back to full health. Karen was a true caretaker. Besides caring for every pet she ever had, she often took care of her grandchildren when they were very young, while their parents worked. So unselfish in her caretaking she didn’t even question having her parents move in with them when they could no longer care for themselves. In 1997 Johnny and Ruth moved into Karen and Fred’s current home and remained there until they both passed away. She cared for them every day with no complaining. Johnny passed in 1998 and Ruth remained in their home being cared for by Karen for 16 more years until she passed in 2014.
Karen also always loved a good garage sale and always found great bargains. She would take Ruth with her when she was still able and tell her to buy anything she wanted.
Sports was something Karen continued to love all of her life. She loved watching all types of sporting events, especially basketball. Karen always knew when the next Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball game was on, and ready to watch and discuss it with you the next day.
Karen will be deeply missed by her family and friends. She is survived by her son, John Gatz of Oklahoma City; daughter, Julie Marley and husband Craig of Piedmont; son, Gary Gatz and wife Glenda of Piedmont; sister, Janice Martin of Midwest City and sister, LaJonna Johnson and husband Charles of Edmond. She is also remembered by her grandchildren, Jerrod Gatz and wife Jamie; Jonathan Gatz and wife Autumn; Blake Marley and Debbie Armstrong; Barry Marley and wife Kayla; Chandler Gatz; Cheldon Gatz; and great-grandchildren, Jaxson, Josephine, and Juliana Gatz and Jamison & Scarlett Marley; as well as many nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and many lifelong friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Fred Gatz; parents, Johnny and Ruth Martin; and sister, Connie Rhodes.
The Memorial Service for Karen will take place at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at Buchanan Funeral Service, 8712 N Council Rd. Oklahoma City, OK 73132. Her viewing will be on Wednesday, prior to the service from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
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