Karen Pabst

Karen Rae Pabst, 86, of Missoula, Montana, passed away on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at Hope Hospice Center of natural causes. Her beautiful soul soared into a vibrant sunset, across the veil, home.

Karen was born on March 21, 1940 in Jamestown, North Dakota to E. Lucille and S. Lloyd Watne. She grew up in Flasher, North Dakota where her dad was the school superintendent and her mom was a teacher. As the eldest of four, she quickly learned the responsibilities of helping care for her three younger siblings. Karen recalled her upbringing in the small town as an overall sweet experience, where everyone knew one another and gathered at the community center for dances, weddings, roller skating, and other fun activities.

Following her freshman year of high school, Karen moved to Tioga, North Dakota when her parents accepted new positions there. She actively participated in joining school clubs, cheerleading, performing as a majorette, and playing the trumpet, before graduating valedictorian of the Tioga High School Class of 1958. In the fall of that same year, influenced by her dad, she started college at his alma mater, Jamestown College, and later transferred to Minot State Teachers College, finishing her Bachelor of Science in Education in 1962.

She was always an adventurer, taking her first teaching jobs in Connecticut and Oregon and leading her students on creekside and seashore trips to make learning fun. Karen returned to Minot and was teaching health and physical education at Erik Ramstad Junior High when she and a fellow teacher embarked on a three-month tour through Europe during the summer of 1964, visiting England, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Monaco, Italy, and Greece. In between staying with the parents of friends in England, and relatives in Norway, they jumped from one hostel to the next. What an amazing way to learn how to navigate and meet other travelers from around the world.

This continued to be a pivotal year for Karen. One night, while out dancing, she met her future husband (he was a great dancer). In May 1965, she married Donald H. Pabst in Minot, North Dakota, and also became a stepmother to Don’s children, Tod and Tami. So off she went on a completely new adventure. Early on, the couple moved around following Don’s geology work, living in trailers at oil rigs or local motels in Wyoming, then back to Minot. After Don’s job took them to Denver, Colorado - where their children, Shawn ad Staci, were born - a reassignment soon led the family to Billings, Montana.

As a mother, Karen was very keen on making sure her children had creative outlets. Whether through gardening, bins of art supplies always on hand, or fun ideas for any occasion, she encouraged her kids to delve in, learn, and express themselves. Karen was always present for school events, and there every step of the way for not only her kids, but many of Shawn and Staci’s friends who looked up to her as a caring “adopted” mom.

When their kids both decided to attend college in Washington, Karen and Don also moved there to give it a try and were soon recruited as parent representatives for the school, assisting new students and their parents in getting acquainted with the campus. They enjoyed living and exploring around Puget Sound, but after experiencing 50-year floods, they were off to Texas to dry off. This is where Karen unexpectedly set the wheels in motion for the whole family to be waltzing across Texas by signing up her son to sing with a band for a business networking project, which led to four years of the honky-tonk and dancehall circuit. Of course, Karen and Don were the designated dancers to get the audience out on the floor.

Karen was a kind but insistent force: always reading, learning, trying something new, and asking “why.” She enjoyed singing, dancing, crafting, swimming, walking, teaching clean food preparation classes, using computers, traveling, and volunteering. She loved designing spaces to be more functional, teaching herself how to create home layouts, and working with family and friends on their remodel and home designs. Karen was also the family historian, remembering stories of her relatives in great detail, and she was often called upon to share them. Becoming a grandmother was a truly joyful experience for her, and she relished the times she was asked to babysit or just get to be around, once again bringing with her the learning, fun and laughter for the next generation.

Karen always knew she was on a spiritual journey, having grown up in a church community, participating in weekend retreats as an adult, and helping as a lay leader in adult and teen retreats. Ever-curious, she read and researched the background of different religions and faiths. One of her guiding principles was to be mindful about healing the past and embracing the present with unconditional love. She would drop everything to help someone in need. Karen’s great smile and slate-blue eyes drew many in as she extended her heart and love to family, friends, and those whose paths she crossed.

Karen and Don shared 57 years together. Following his passing in 2022, she embarked on the final and most challenging part of her spiritual quest, navigating the uncharted territory of Lewy Body Dementia.

She will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, Staci Pabst; her son, Shawn Pabst (Kirsten); grandson, Finn Pabst; stepdaughter, Tami Johnson (Jim); stepson, Tod Pabst; her sister, Patricia Hambric; her cousin, Mildred Lembke; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, step-grandchildren, and step-great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd and Lucille (Porter) Watne; her husband, Don; her sister, Kathy Wetherbee; and her brother, Kim Watne.

Her ashes shall be returned to the earth - dancing in the gentle breeze over a field of wildflowers.

In lieu of flowers, please go hug someone you love, and be kind to all. Let us gather together with a true sense of gratitude and healing, as we are here to give one another a helping hand in traveling through this shared journey of life and learning. Blessings and many thanks to everyone who truly connected with Karen’s amazing spirit.