Karen Rhae Brown

Karen Rhae Brown, 64, of Paola, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at Miami County Medical Center, Paola. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at Dengel & Son Mortuary-Crematory, 305 N. Pearl St., Paola, KS, 66071. Karen was born Sunday, September 29, 1957, in Wichita, Kansas, the daughter of Leo Pius and Shirley (Cooper) Selenke. She grew up in Winfield and graduated from Winfield High School in 1975. She received her bachelor's degree in teaching from Emporia State University in 1979 and her Master's degree from Pittsburg State University in 1992. Karen was united in marriage to Kevin Brown on June 14, 1980, in Winfield, Kansas. They made their home in Paola and became the parents of two children, Kim and Kyle. She was a teacher at Paola High School in the Special Education department for 20 years. She then taught at Osawatomie High School as a special education teacher for 10 years before retiring in 2016. Karen enjoyed quilting, cooking, baking, and traveling. She was a member of the Miami County Extenstion Master Food Program. She was also a member of the Miami County Quilt Guild. She was preceded in death by her father Leo Selenke, her brother Mike Selenke, and her father-in-law Kenneth Brown. Survivors include her husband Kevin of the home; daughter Kimberly Rhae Brown of Alameta, CA; son Kyle Lee Brown of Paola; her mother Shirley Selenke of Paola; mother-in-law Vida Brown-Adamek (Ken) of Wichita; two sisters Kathy Bryant of Wichita and Vickie (Paul) Bechtel of Osawatomie; one brother Bruce (Elaine) Selenke of Oxford, KS; sisters-in-law Kathy (Jon) Starks of Salina, Krista (David) Drake of Derby, KS; brother-in-law Kirk (Carolyn) Brown of Emporia; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. The family suggests memorial contributions to Master Food Volunteer through Kansas State Extension Office which can be sent c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary-Crematory, 305 North Pearl Street, Paola, KS 66071. Family and friends are encouraged to post their condolences and memories on Karen’s Tribute Wall.