Karen Rose Marsh

Karen Rose (Watson) Marsh, 86, most recently of Borrego Springs, California, previously of Colton, Oregon, passed away unexpectedly on September 14, 2025, in Brawley, California.  

 

 

Graveside service:

Smyrna Cemetery

31119 State Hwy 170, Canby, Oregon

Saturday, October 4, 2025, 9 am  

 

 

Memorial service and lunch reception:

First Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Oregon City

1321 Linn Ave, Oregon City, Oregon

Saturday, October 4, 2025, 11 am  

 

 

Karen was born October 9, 1938, in Salem, Oregon. As a self-proclaimed Navy brat, she found herself being uprooted regularly, living in Panama prior to WWII, and fleeing to the safety of her grandparents’ family farm in Missouri, after Pearl Harbor. Her early years were spent living on both coasts, and many places in between. She attended over eight different schools by the time her family left the Navy life and moved back to Oregon, where she graduated from Colton High School. She went on to attend Western Oregon University, in Monmouth, Oregon, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Education, and soon after received a Master’s degree in Christian Education from Western Seminary, in Portland, Oregon. After college, she served on staff at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Portland State University. She married Lawrence “Larry” Marsh on June 4, 1966.  

 

 

Karen loved teaching and volunteering as a Sunday School teacher at her local church. She was an avid gardener, quilter, and reader, easily reading 2-3 murder mysteries (her favorite genre!) a week. She loved collecting antiques and partnered with friends to create Hudson House Antique Gallery, in The Dalles, Oregon, which she operated with her friends for many years. Karen found peace and joy each new morning - getting up early to watch the sunrise, studying scripture, and feeding the many song birds and roadrunners that visited her yard.  

 

 

Karen is preceded in death by her granddaughter, Karen Lourdes Marsh, and her parents Walter “Ray” and Ruby Watson.  

 

 

Karen is survived by her spouse, Larry Marsh, of Borrego Springs, California, her children Dwight Marsh, and his wife Rica Marsh, of Madison, Alabama, Cindy Johnson, and her husband Patrick Johnson, of Newberg, Oregon, Carrie Marsh and her husband, James Loscocco, of Holliston, Massachusetts, siblings Thomas Watson, and his wife Sharon Watson, of Farmington, Utah, Gail Anne Watson-Fulsaas, and her husband, Martin Fulsaas, of Kalispell, Montana, and Janice Sanders of Kalispell, Montana, and her grandchildren, Violet Johnson, Lilly Johnson, Patrick Loscocco, Matthew Loscocco, and Eleanor Loscocco.  

 

 

The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the healthcare professionals at the Pioneers Memorial Hospital, in Brawley, California.  

 

 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

Young Life, Canby, Oregon 

https://canby.younglife.org  

 

 

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship 

https://intervarsity.org/