Karen Patterson

(From Derfelt Funeral Home)

Karen Kay Kellogg Patterson began her walk on God’s streets of gold on the evening of Sunday, November 8, 2020. Upon her arrival, she was so stunned by Heaven’s beauty that for the first time since her creation, she was silent.

Karen was born in Fredonia, Kansas on November 16, 1942. When she was 12 she moved to Baxter Springs, Kansas, where at age 15 she was honored with the title of Lions Club Queen. Her dad worked for the railroad and she had many fond memories of going with her mom and sister to watch him ride by on the train as they honked and waved or to take him supper in a nearby town when the train stopped on the way through. 

Her great aunt owned part of the fort in Ft. Scott, so she spent many eventful days and nights at the fort with her family. She worked as a carhop and soda jerk at C & S Drive-in with her sister, Ellen, while in high school. She completed school in Baxter Springs, graduating with the class of 1960. Immediately after high school she attended Miami Beauty School and graduated in August at the age of 17. She maintained her beautician license for the remainder of her life.

In 1962 Karen was working as a waitress at Blue Castle Restaurant in Baxter Springs when Lowell Kellogg, a handsome WWII veteran, came in for breakfast. Though he only left her a dime tip, she was immediately smitten, and so was he. They married three days later. Karen and Lowell shared eighteen years and together had three children; Joseph, Tim, and Julie.

In 1970 they moved to Columbus and Karen began working as a beautician in Lillian Russell’s salon. Her clientele grew extensively and in about three years she started her own business, the Triple K Beauty Salon, on the west side of the square. She shared a building for several years with Charlie Napier who operated his barber shop in the building front. She eventually hired two employees; Jesse Cox being one, who became a close friend and worked with her for over twenty years before moving from Columbus. Her business thrived with at least a hundred personal standing appointments each week.

Over the last ten years, she slowed her business down at The Main Attraction Titan Family HEADquarters, located behind her residence, and eventually worked only one day a week, enjoying the company of her “Friday Morning Ladies”; clients who became friends - who never wanted for laughter and lots of love. She became especially close to Erma Stover, who she greatly loved and admired. They had many Friday lunches at Pizza Hut with a crew who spoiled them rotten.

Karen loved socializing and her sense of humor and quick wit made for fun times with her clients and closest friends and family throughout the years. She and Mary Jo (Edwards) Temple were in cahoots on a few business ventures, many family antics, crazy adventures, and church projects over the last 50 years. They would visit for hours at the kitchen table, telling inside jokes and sharing life, never tiring of each other’s company. Don’t bother asking Mary Jo for stories, Karen swore her to secrecy years ago.

Karen loved writing short stories and dreamt of being a writer, was an exceptional cook, pretty good seamstress, and enjoyed singing. She was a kind and giving person and would insist on feeding anyone who entered her home. Karen established Trinity Outreach which helped feed, clothe, and shelter hundreds of people over the last ten years. She organized several benefits to raise money for medical expenses for those in need and would drive many miles to assist others. In the mid sixties she was honored with a banquet by the March of Dimes for the volunteer work she did in organizing a chapter in her town and raising the most money of any chapter that year. She never hesitated to help another person and would give her last dime to do so.

Karen found a love for Jesus and gave her life to him 47 years ago. She was active in church, singing specials, teaching Sunday school, leading youth, and holding board positions.

In 1980 she met and married Alvin H. G. Patterson, enlarging her family to include four more children, Shirley Betts, Alvin S. Patterson, Vivian Wheeler, and Kathy Dukes. Together she and Alvin opened The Full Gospel Lighthouse in Columbus and eventually pastored several churches throughout the area for the following 36 years. During this time, she became an ordained minister and co-founded AHGP Ministries (later named Full Gospel Minister’s Association) with Alvin and her daughter. Her church home was with Alvin at New Hope Assembly in Joplin, Mo.

Upon her arrival in heaven, Karen was met by many loved ones; her husband, her mother Ada Craig, Lowell, her parents Richard and Opal Lauck, her daughter Shirley Betts, her siblings Alan Craig and Ellen Lee, her niece Diana Lee Golden, and many former clients who’ve been waiting for a fun loving, extraordinary beautician to arrive.

Though she will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her, Karen has received her eternal reward, and we honor her memory by striving to be worthy of the same through following her example. We will forever be grateful for her presence in our lives and her spirit will live on in those she cherished on earth. Her children, seventeen grandchildren, twenty-two great grandchildren, her brother George Craig, along with nieces, nephews, family and friends to numerous to list but not forgotten will carry on her legacy and see her again in Heaven.

A memorial service with be held for her at 1:00 P.M. on her 78th birthday, November 16, 2020 at Derfelt’s Funeral Home, Columbus, Ks. Online condolence can be made at www.derfetlfuneralhomes.com.