Karen D. Clifford

Karen Diane Clifford was born on December 22, 1942 in Wichita, Kansas to Norbert J.  and Blanche Lanore Atherton. Her father was a career high school teacher and her mother was primarily a homemaker. She had two younger brothers, Terry and Craig Atherton. She graduated from Wichita East High School, excelling in academics, and attended Emporia State Teachers College briefly before marrying Don Clifford in 1960.  Her first daughter, Vicki Lynette, was born in 1961 before her husband graduated from Kansas University in 1962. The young family moved to Southern California where their son, Michael Allen was born later that same year. Before Michael was a year old he began experiencing epileptic seizures and despite aggressive treatment he smothered in his bedding at age two and a half. Devastated by his death, the family moved back to the Midwest to be nearer their families. They landed in Bridgeton, Missouri in the St. Louis area where they put down roots and joined the historic Fee Fee Baptist Church. Karen was active in the music and education ministries in her church and in 1968 her second daughter, Rebecca Dawn was born. Karen suffered two miscarriages before her third daughter, Rachel Diane, was born in 1972.  At the age of three months, Rachel contracted spinal meningitis. She survived but was profoundly brain damaged, requiring constant attention before she succumbed at the age of three.

Having lost two children, Karen’s faith was tested but still strong and the couple decided to have one more child to fill the void created by the loss of Rachel. Beth Elaine was born in 1976, a beautiful blond-haired angel who more than filled the void with her mischievous antics, filling her mother’s heart with love; a heart which had been so broken by the loss of her other two children. Tragically, Beth developed epileptic seizures similar to her brother Mike’s.  At the age of five, she drowned in the bathtub during a seizure, leaving Karen as a confused heartbroken mother, having lost three precious children and two miscarriages. These tragedies would have destroyed many mothers as well as destroying their marriage, but Karen and Don’s love was strengthened as God worked in their marriage to lead them on to future ministries.

Sometime after Beth’s death, Karen studied and became a travel agent, contributing to several overseas mission trips to England, Scotland, Brazil and finally to Paraguay. Karen loved Hawaii and the couple visited every year for 30 years. As a result of the South America trips the couple met a young Paraguayan man who was studying for the ministry. They eventually sponsored him, allowing him to finish his religious training in the US. He now pastors an international church in Tampa, Florida.

Karen’s daughter, Becky, studied in England for a term where she met and fell in love with Paul Harcourt, an English seminarian. They married and have now lived and ministered in England for 25 years, having two children and leading nationwide Christian ministries. Her husband Paul also pastors a large church just outside London. Karen’s first daughter, Vicki, has stayed close and has been a constant source of strength for her parents.  She married Scott Knepper and lives in St. Ann where she works in a legal office. Scott works for Master Card as a Program Manager.

In 1998, Karen and Don moved to St. Charles, across the river from Bridgeton. They left the comfort and security of their home church, and worked for twelve years as church planters, helping to start Riverside Community Church, then later Lakeshore Community Church in St. Charles. Karen and Don collaborated on two books about their family’s experiences with the loss of their children and the spiritual lessons they learned. The books are titled “Grace Enough For Three” and “Heavenly Grief”. Both are available on Amazon.com.

The couple has spoken at several churches including the First Baptist Church of St. Charles where they joined in 2010. They joined the choir and accepted the leadership of a senior adult Bible Study class and have remained there to the present. In 2111 Karen began to show symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. The disease progressed resulting in her becoming bedridden in 2013. The disease continued to weaken her body, finally leading to her death on April 29, 2020.

Karen was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by six grandchildren: Kevin, Kathy, Kyle and Korey Knepper, children of Vicki and Scott. Also Joshua and Rachel Harcourt, children of Becky and Paul. They have seven great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made in Karen's name to either the FBC St. Charles Mission Fund or Fee Fee Baptist Church of Bridgeton, MO Memorial Fund.