Karen Joy Jarnagin

Karen Joy Jarnagin, age 74, passed away on December 13th, 2024 following a long battle with kidney disease.

Born May 1st, 1950, in Brainerd, Minnesota, she was the daughter of the late Ronald Murray Gibson and Edna Rose Gibson (York.) 

Karen was a proud veteran of the US Navy, having served 4 years in the Vietnam Era (1974-1978.). 

Karen worked for many years with GTE in California before moving to Grand Junction in 1997. Here, she worked for 16 years with the Grand Junction Regional Center and loved her Regional Center family. She made many lifelong friends there. 

Things that Karen thoroughly enjoyed included swimming, bowling, playing cribbage, and dancing to that good old Rock’n’roll. She loved to listen and watch the ocean waves while digging her toes into the sand. She enjoyed watching football and TV series’, especially NCIS. Her ultimate favorite activity was spending time with her family and friends. She adored animals, and was particularly fond of cats. 

Karen was a kind and loving soul who always put others before herself. She helped anyone that she could in any way that she could. She was a free spirt and loved immensely with every part of her being. 

Karen was preceded in death by her husband, Sammy Ralph Jarnagin, both of her parents, and her step-mother Muriel. 

Karen is survived by her daughter: Samantha Jarnagin, brother: Ron Gibson, sister-in-law: Barbara Reed, nieces: Amy (Robert Sr.) Young, and Kerry (Christopher) Bentler, nephew: Michael (Nancy) Stahl, great nieces: Alexandria Bentler, Cheyenne Bentler, Trinity Bentler, and Keyonna Young, great nephews: Brett Young, Ryan Stahl, Robert Young, and Cade Young, great-great niece: Journey Bentler, and great-great nephew: Elliott Bentler. 

Memorial services will be January 25th, 2024, at 1pm at Brown’s Cremation and Funeral Service (904 N. 7th Street, Grand Junction.) The rifle salute will be January 27th, 2024, at 10am at the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery (2830 Riverside Pkwy, Grand Junction.)