Karen Faye Niss

In loving memory of Karen Faye Niss, 84, of Cañon City, CO, who went joyfully to her lord and savior Jesus Christ, on September 17, 2024. 

Karen was born in Fairmont, MN but like she always said, “grew up in Colorado”. She courageously moved away from friends and family, to set out on her own to Denver in 1961. She knew Colorado would be her home the first time she visited after high school, and there’s no doubt Colorado was her true love. It was God’s beauty she could actually touch and witness daily. 

Her desire to help people lent itself well to the legal field, as her ability to spot details plus her knowledge of the law was exceptional. Karen worked as a legal secretary and assistant for 44 years and was proud of her career of working with some of the best lawyers in the state. She paved her way through life and was proud of being able to do it. Similar to the Rockies Mountains she admired, she was strong, tough, and full of gold at heart. Like the miners of old, she ran on ‘dig deep’ and ‘suck it up’ mode most of her days saying, “Life is difficult. When you recognize that life is difficult, life is no longer difficult.”, shared from her favorite author M Scott Peck, while cheering on the underdogs of life. Which she took very seriously, especially when it came to the Denver Broncos, for they were a part of this state like she was…against all odds, in the beginning, to prove worthy to be here in the end. 

Karen is preceded in death by her parents, Leonard and Ella Niss, siblings Truma Milford, Ruth Peterson, Loren Niss, Arla Childs, Babe Schmidt, Jerry Niss, and her dog, Hope. She is survived by her son Cam Benton, daughter and daughter-in-law Dené Benton and Kris Olson, her siblings Sherry Schmidt and Lenny Niss, along with three grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She will be missed and remembered by many. 

Karen asked that there not be a memorial service or donations made, but rather, use it to be kind to each other and help to care for each other. And by all means, enjoy a cup of coffee. May you all be the blessing she saw you as.

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