Karen A. (Lueck) (Brekke) Covington

Obituary

Karen Ann Covington was born on November 10, 1940, in Glencoe, Minnesota.  She was the daughter of Roy G. and Anna (Schade) Lueck. Karen was baptized January 12, 1941, by Rev. Alfred Streufert and was later confirmed in her faith on May 30, 1954, by the Rev. A. H. Fellwock, both at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe. She was a 1958 graduate of Glencoe High School. Later on, she continued her education through coursework at the University of Minnesota.      

On December 20, 1958,  Karen was united in marriage to Arlan P. Brekke at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe. This marriage was blessed with their children, Kari Ann and Todd Arlan, both born in Glencoe.

Karen’s employment included working at Hutchinson Technology Incorporated’s Treasury Department in Hutchinson, and serving as bailiff for the McLeod County Courthouse. She was known for having high morals, being loyal, caring and trustworthy.

She had a strong faith and was an active lifelong member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe. Through the years, she served in many roles including being a Bible School teacher, in the Ladies’ Aid Society, Missionary Society, Altar Guild, and President of the LWML.

Karen cared greatly for people, giving of herself generously to care for others’ needs. She loved to keep in touch with family and friends, who knew that she was always there for them. She deeply loved her children, Kari and Todd, and always kept them close to her heart. When they were still young children, she began introducing them to the performing arts, traveling, and other experiences to instill culture in their lives. The family shared in their enjoyment of these and other activities together on a regular basis. Karen enjoyed being a grandma to her grandchildren, loving to spend time with them, taking them on outings and vacations, and giving them special memories to embrace. She was a good, loyal, loving sister, who cared for her sister who was living in Glencoe and had a special place in her heart for all her sisters. Family was blessed to have her share her family memories and history, her knowledge, humor, talents, and skills with them.

She was very creative and talented. As an artist, she was invited to participate in the Uptown Art Fair in Minneapolis. Karen enjoyed painting and drawing landscapes, people, still life, and more, and sold her work. She had a great skill in making and decorating cakes for a variety of occasions, especially for family and friends. She enjoyed writing and had articles and stories that were published in magazines and newspapers. Most recently, Karen was using her artistic skills to create cards to uplift terminally ill children in hospitals.

Karen loved to travel, having been to Europe, Canada, Mexico, and throughout the United States. She had a great knack for finding interesting sights to see. She was an avid Elvis Presley fan, enjoyed reading, learning new things, and staying informed about local and world events.

Karen passed away on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital in Mankato, Minnesota, at the age of 81 years old. Blessed be her memory.

Karen is survived by her children, daughter Kari Ann (Brekke) Kube and her husband, David, of Norwood Young America, and son Todd Brekke of Spring Park; grandchildren, Heather Kube of Minneapolis, Nicole Kube of Hopkins, and Elyse Kube of Norwood Young America; sisters, Beverly Hanson and her husband, Harold, of Hutchinson, Sally Kloth and her husband, Richard, of Willmar, and Sue Lueck Carlson of Hopkins; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Karen is preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Anna (Schade) Lueck; brother Douglas Lueck; sister Rosalie Hemerick; and nephew Justin Kloth.