Karen Marie Brown, 86, of Defiance, passed away on Monday, April 20, 2020 at home surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Defiance on January 9, 1934 to Elizabeth and Donald Slough. She graduated from Defiance High School.

Karen was married to the love of her life, Robert, on September 27, 1952; they were married for 67 years, and together they raised seven sons.

Karen focused a large part  of her life raising her boys, but she also worked as the Food Service Supervisor at Ayersville Local Schools. She was the top spectator at the extracurricular  activities of her sons and their families. She enjoyed trips to the casino, eating out with friends, and the companionship of many dogs. Karen was  a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Defiance.

Karen's grandchildren were her heart and joy. There's no denying that they were the people she loved the most, and they knew that at Grandma's house, "rules" wouldn't get in the way of "fun". While she often had a large crew around her, she made sure each grandchild felt special. Karen is survived by her husband, Robert; sons Steve (Valerie) Brown, Jeff (Lisa) Brown of Defiance, Jerry (Karen) Brown, Bruce (Hayley) Brown of Angola, IN; Doug Brown of Indianapolis, IN; Mike Brown of San Diego, CA, and Ken (Laura) Brown of Wauseon, OH.

Grandchildren: Kyle (Angie), Matthew, Sarah, Tom (Mallory), Mark, Kurt, Darin, Kaylee, Corbin, Jake (Megan), Ty, Ashley, Alexa, Kenley, Landrey and Kara Brown; Leslie (Luke) Walz, Audra (James) Martin, Kelsey (Jonathan) Burke, and Kimber (Brady) Prater.

Great-Grandchildren: Isabella, Michael, and Caroline Walz, Ariel, Kobe, Julie and Adam Brown, Drew, Landon and Milo Burke; Andi and Nora Prater.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents, brother William Slough, and a granddaughter, Katlyn Brown.

A visitation for immediate family only will be held at Schaffer Funeral Home in Defiance. A graveside service will be held at 11:30 am on Saturday, April 25, 2020 at Riverside Cemetery, with Pastor Maurice Dunn officiating. Due to the current situation, the family has chosen the graveside service out of respect for those who desire to attend and observe social distancing. You can also view a memorial video of Karen here.  A celebration of Karen's life will also be held at a later date. Memorials are suggested to Trinity United Methodist Church, or to a charity of the donor's choice.