Barbara Karen Kusner Locke, 70, of Troy

Karen Locke passed away April 23, 2014 in Troy, due to cancer. Karen was born in Spokane, Wash., on Nov. 13, 1943 to Natalie and William (“Bill”) Kusner. Natalie and Bill moved from Chicago during the Depression to Savage Lake in Troy, where Bill ran Kusner Electric.

Karen attended Holy Names Academy in Spokane, Wash., graduated from Troy High School in 1961 and briefly attended a Catholic convent in Kansas City.

Thankfully for Karen’s husband and kids, she left the convent and instead studied English, piano and journalism at Eastern Washington State College, University of Montana, and University of Washington.

After college, she worked for Northwest Orient Airlines in Chicago, and then moved to Seattle in 1965 to work for Western Airlines where she was proud to have been promoted as the first woman reservation sales supervisor with the help of her union. She was stationed for a time in San Francisco, as well.

Karen met James Ronald Locke at a St. Patrick’s Day party in Seattle when he was attending medical school. They married in 1965 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Troy and started their family in Seattle shortly thereafter.

In 1972, Karen, Jim and kids, Kirsten, Kate, Billy, and Katchen moved to Eureka, where Jim found work as a physician’s assistant. Daughter, Killian, joined the family in 1973 and son, Joseph Ace, in 1977.

Karen helped start the town’s first kindergarten in the basement of her home in 1974, which she eventually converted into a retail variety store when the kindergarten moved to the local grade school. Karen took the Cellar Shop from the basement to Main Street, where she operated it until 1986. She and Jim started the Wild Rose Restaurant in 1982.  

Karen still found time to raise a large garden every year, make the best oatmeal cookies and fudge, and stay involved in Democratic politics.

In 1986, the family moved to the Kusner house on Savage Lake in Troy, where Jim worked at the Asarco mine and Karen enjoyed some time at home to focus on her kids. In 1997 Karen started her favorite enterprise of all, the Liquor Store in Libby, where she met many interesting characters and some of her best friends.

Karen was a woman of many talents and interests — pianist, business woman, altruist, painter, baker, knitter, Democrat, mom and wife. Karen’s greatest, joy, however, was spending time with her family on Savage Lake. Those who were close to Karen remember her as smart woman and friend who was willing to share knowledge and a helping hand. Her children will remember her as a loyal mother who was always very proud of the family she started and the generation that followed.

Karen is survived by her children Kirsten Locke of Superior, Kate Locke of Bozeman, Katchen Locke of Brooklyn, Killian Potter of Bozeman, Joseph Ace Locke of Missoula, and grandkids Mary Grace, John, Zane, Jace, Ann, Natalie, and Abby. She is preceded in death by her husband, Jim, their beloved son, William Kusner Locke, and her parents.

Funeral services were held at St. Joseph Parish in Libby on Tuesday, April 29.  Karen was laid to rest next to Jim, who she always called “my buddy,” at Milner Lake Cemetery in Troy.

In lieu of flowers, Karen wanted donations to be made to Kootenai Pets for Life in Libby.