Karen Kelsey, age 78, of Alpena, passed away Sunday, June 7, 2026, at Avera Weskota Medical Center at Wessington Springs.

Her funeral service was held at 11:00 AM, Monday, June 15, at the Alpena Community Center. Watch her service at the tab below Karen's tribute video further down this page.

Visitation with family present was held from 3:00 to 5:00 PM, Sunday, June 14 at the Kuhler Funeral Home, with a prayer service and time of sharing at 5:00 PM, Sunday evening. Karen's prayer service was live-streamed.

Karen K. Wright was born in Redfield, SD, May 23, 1948, to Laurence and Arlene (Muellenberg) Wright. She attended all 12 years of school at the Redfield Public School system.

On May 27, 1967, she was united in marriage to D. Craig Hoffman. To this union four daughters were born.

In her early years while raising their own family, Karen did some in-home babysitting for a couple children while they lived in Aberdeen, SD. They also managed a rental apartment at the time. In 1976, they moved their family to Wessington Springs, SD where they were co-owners of the bowling alley.

Karen was employed by VanDyke Supply in Woonsocket, SD for many years. On July 21, 1988, she married Jeff Kelsey in Bond Falls, MI, and they moved from Wessington Springs to Alpena, SD later that year. In the early ‘90’s, she worked as a para in the special education department in the Alpena School and in her words, “she loved her job and even more so, the kids that she was helping”. In 1996, she became a licensed insurance agent and took courses to learn to prepare income taxes, in addition to the insurance business. From then until 2006, she worked full-time, side by side with Jeff in their business now known as Kelsey Service Agency, Inc.

In 2006, she was able to retire to become THE BEST full-time grandma, great-grandma “GiGi”, loving mother and wife, all while continuing to be the best cook, often making food for our large family gatherings. Her love and compassion for bonding a family that is now more than 50 people (we think😉), was second to none. There wasn’t a greeting or a departure of a family member without an opening and closing hug and kiss, and an “I love you” or an “I love you more” when the family member said they loved her back. And you better not try to sneak out without that hug, kiss and “love you” ……many tried, none succeeded.

She was a member of the United Parish of Alpena.

While the odds were somewhat stacked against her, in November 2020, she survived an aortic heart valve replacement and aortic aneurysm repair during the Covid 19 pandemic. She said Jeff “kept her in a bubble” for the month waiting for surgery and during recovery but once she was probably only 50% back to health, she was back to watching the grand- and great-grandkids again.

To say that she lived for family would be an understatement. From getting a stain out of clothing that their mom couldn’t do, to altering prom dresses, sports uniforms or tux pants, baking for or supporting grandkids fundraisers, running grandkids to doctors, dentists and ortho appointments, fetching schoolbooks or sports uniforms, and whatever else that was “forgotten” ……she did it all. She attended every sporting event that she could, never missed a spring or Christmas concert, baptism, confirmation or other church programs for the grand- and great-grandkids.

Karen is survived by her husband, Jeff of Alpena; four daughters, Dawn (Joe) Butterfield of Huron, Shawn (Dean) Ochsner of Alpena, Dayna (Travis) Hohn of Woonsocket and Tara (Matt) Moser of Alpena; her grandchildren and their families, Tarryn (Adam) Korkow and their children, Oakley and Audi, Tacy Butterfield (Russ), Terrek Butterfield, Taya Butterfield, Dylan Ochsner (Bailey) and their children Stokley and Degan, Landon (Cassidee) Ochsner and their children, Payton and Keegan, Kenna Ochsner (Hayden), Kamryn Ochsner (Gavon) and their child, Laekynn, Jevon (Allie) Hohn and their children, Portlynn and Waylon, Jaycee (Rocky) Berg and their children, Baylor, Bowyn and great-grandchild #10 on the way, Jayda Hohn, Briley Viktora, Kaylee Viktora, Kinlee Viktora, Teagen (Brooke) Moser, Ty (Cassidy) Moser and Hannah Moser; her bonus sister, Kim Wright; her brothers-in-law, Dina Shefner and Jim Kelsey; her sisters-in-law, Joyce Kirsch, Janet Pruitt and Diana Wright; many special nieces and nephews; and many special friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Laurence and Arlene Wright; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Warren and Ida Kelsey; her brothers; her brother-in-law; her sisters-in-law; special nephews, Steve Wright and Kenny Wright; her grandparents; and her aunt and uncles.