Karen Mullings Stabeno Obituary
Karen Mullings Stabeno passed away peacefully in her sleep in her own home surrounded by her family shortly after midnight Tuesday, June 27th, 2017. Blessed with good health her entire life, she was diagnosed with cancer on June 13th and Jesus took her home two weeks later. Her passing was virtually pain-free. She was sad to leave us all so soon but very excited about being present with the Lord.
Karen was born May 9th, 1945, the day after the Allies declared victory in Europe in WW II. Her parents were Maurice and Katey Mullings, both extraordinary people, especially her mother. Her sister, Peggy Mullings Ruff, was born five years later. Karen grew up in Garland, TX and graduated from Garland High School. She met her husband, Don, in Study Hall her Junior year in high school. They were married on August 6th, 1965. Karen graduated with a degree in English from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1966 and completed a Master’s Degree at Santa Clara University in California in 1971. Karen and Don moved to San Jose, CA in 1968 but returned to the Dallas area in 1971. She taught at Garland High School and Union School in San Jose, but later took a “twenty-year sabbatical” to raise her children. It was time well spent. In 1995 she re-entered the workforce as a professor at DeVry in Irving, TX. Karen loved her years as a teacher and was a wonderful model to her students at all levels she taught. (I must confess that she and her sister were never gracious about grammatical errors and I pray I am making no mistakes in composing her obituary.)
Karen gave birth to her first child, Amy Kathleen Stabeno Houghtaling, on December 19th, 1975. Her son, Andrew Lee Stabeno, was born on January 16th, 1980. She loved her children unconditionally with a joy and passion that never waned.
Karen grew up in church her whole life but truly came to know the Lord on a Sunday morning after hearing Angel Martinez, an evangelist, clearly share the story of the Gospel at Orchard Hills Baptist Church in 1971. Karen and Don were active members of Forest Meadow Baptist Church and Scofield Memorial Church in Dallas. As they transitioned to living full time at their Lake House at Texoma, they became more and more active at Georgetown Baptist Church in Pottsboro. Karen taught children’s church for her children at Forest Meadow Baptist Church and even volunteered at Georgetown Baptist Church the Tuesday of their Vacation Bible School, three weeks before she died. A true lover of the stories of God, she read my brother and me missionary stories growing up. Although this was probably not her intention, God used these stories to spark a passion in us for the Gospel that has led us both overseas to share His Story.
Being a Campfire girl as a child in a group led by her mother, Karen also led Campfire groups for her daughter, Amy. She was a second mother to several of her children’s friends growing up, and loved them all well.
Karen’s son, Andrew, was married to Carrie Conner on December 18th, 2004. They have five children, Nathaniel, Jacob, Abigail, Ezra, and Eden. Karen’s daughter Amy (finally!) married Michael Houghtaling on August 10th, 2014.
Karen is preceded in death by her parents and grandparents. She leaves behind her husband, Henry Don Stabeno; her daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Michael Houghtaling; her son and daughter-in-law, Andrew and Carrie Stabeno; her five grandchildren, Nathaniel, Jacob, Abigail, Ezra, and Eden; her sister and brother-in-law, Mike and Peggy Ruff, her niece, Lacey Ruff Zuhoski, and a host of friends and family who will miss her greatly.
Viewing will be held Friday, June 30th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Georgetown Baptist Church in Pottsboro, TX. Funeral will be Saturday, July 1st at 2:00 p.m. also at Georgetown Baptist Church. Reverend Bobby Hancock will officiate. Burial will be at Georgetown Cemetery following the service. Memorials in Karen’s honor can be given to the Karen Stabeno Memorial Fund, Georgetown Baptist Church (207 Georgetown Rd, Pottsboro, TX 75076), or flowers can be sent to the church.
Arrangements are under the direction of Johnson-Moore Funeral Home.
