Karen was born to Roy Herbert Merrill and Floyle Palmer. Her family moved around a lot and she ended up graduating from Rio Grande High School in Albuquerque, NM. She then attended Ricks College in Rexburg, where she met the love of her life Gorden L. Hughes. Karen and Gorden were married August 28, 1964, in Idaho Falls LDS Temple. They raised theri 5 children in their homes in Utah, Washington and Idaho, but they spent most of their life together in Idaho falls and Shelley. Later in their life they moved to Ammon where Karen lived until her death. Karen worked for 14 years in the lunchroom as a cook for Dean Goodsell Elementary in Shelley where she was lovingly known as "cooker lady". She enjoyed crochet, scrapbooking, family history and going to Shelley High School ball games with her friends. Her favorite thing to do was spend time with her family. Karen was close to her siblings and spoke with them often. She loved to spend time with her children, she was very involved in their lives, school activities and their friends. Neighborhood children all called her Grandma because of her beautiful gray hair. She adored her grandchildren and loved to collect pictures of them and help take care of them. Every Sunday all of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren that could would come over for dinner, the house was always loud and FULL. Karen was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and held various callings. She loved studying and sharing her faith with others. Karen was preceded by her parents, Roy Herbert and Floyle Merrill, brother, Clifford Merrill and sister, Janis Hughes. Survived by her loving husband, Gorden L Hughes, two sons, Joel (Lisa) Hughes, Todd (Brandy) Hughes, three daughters, Pamela (Dustin) Hunter, Holly (David) Ward and Mindy Mckinlay, 19 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, sister, Jackie Leseberg and brother, Markus Merrill.