Karen Arlene Schultz Stevens, age 74, of Beatrice, loving wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away June 9, 2024, peacefully surrounded by family. She was born April 2, 1950, in Aurora, Nebraska to Leroy & Arlene (Koehn) Schultz and was the 2nd of 5 children from this union. She went to Beatrice High School and graduated in 1968. She married Gerald "Gary" Orth and they later divorced. They had one daughter, Tonya.  She married Gerald "Jerry" Stevens in 1978 and they had one daughter, Erin.

In September of 1975, she pursued her dream of becoming a nurse and graduated from LPN school. She worked as an LPN in long term care for 10 years. She then graduated from UNMC with her RN-ADN in 1986. She was a member of the Golden Key Society during that time. She continued her education and obtained her RN-BSN in 1989 where she was a member of Sigma Theta Tau at that time. She was a certified gerontological nurse. She obtained her RN-MSN from Nebraska Wesleyan in 2005. She worked at Good Samaritan Society for 19 years until 1990 where she began her teaching career at Southeast Community College-Beatrice, until she retired in 2015.

She touched many lives as a nurse and educator, recognizing the students she taught. She developed lifelong friendships with her co-workers Kris, Pat, Opal, and Rita.

She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Jerry; daughter, Erin (Joe) Mejia; Daughter, Tonya Orth and significant other, James; two granddaughters, Krisi and Sydney; siblings, Gary & Carla; one brother-in-law and three sisters-in-law, numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Leroy and Arlene, in-laws, Milt and Jeanie, one brother, Roger and one sister, Rita.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church with Pastor Kathee Forrest officiating. There will be a Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard Presentation at the service. The family does ask if you are a nurse and plan to attend the service to please bring a single white rose. A family prayer service will be held at 10:45 A.M. on Thursday at the church.  The body will lie in state from noon until 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. www.foxfuneralhome.net  Arrangements entrusted to Fox Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Beatrice.