Naples, FL - KAREN JACOBSEN, nee Stempel, passed away into the loving arms of her Lord on June 23, 2026, in Miami, Florida. Karen is survived by her husband of nearly 40 years, John Jacobsen, in Naples, Florida; daughter Kylie Jacobsen and husband Nick Bianchina, in Denver, Colorado; daughter Shelby Jacobsen, in Chicago, Illinois; and sister Jan Wood and husband Philip Wood in Shawnee, Kansas. She is preceded in death by her parents Marvin and Lucille Stempel.

Karen was born on October 19, 1961, in Shawnee, Kansas. She grew up riding horses and especially loved her childhood horse, Gypsy. She discovered her talent as a mezzo-soprano vocalist in her high school years, which led her to the Kansas State Vocal contest in 1980. Her passion for traditional church music and worship led her to study music at Bethel University in St Paul, Minnesota in 1980. There she met her husband John, and they came to discover a similar passion for music. They married on December 20, 1986.

After graduating from college in May 1984, Karen became a music director in churches throughout the Minneapolis/St Paul area. In one of these churches, she formed a contemporary group called the Lighthouse, through which she reached out into the community with the group singing songs and sharing meditations she and John had written. Her musical impact continued into the 1990s, when she arranged and sang on songs on two albums in 1993 and 1998, respectively. Karen lived out her passion when she and John eventually recorded an album of their own in 2002 and subsequently played concerts throughout the United States. Through this, she was able to visit 49 states and loved travelling the country.

Karen had two daughters in the 1990s and was a devoted and loving parent. Karen never missed a dance or figure skating event and imparted her love of cooking and gardening to her daughters. Karen was an incredibly selfless person and consistently showed up in both her daughters' lives and those around her.

In their later years, Karen and John found their way to Pine City, Minnesota, where they built solid roots that would endure for the rest of Karen's life. Karen developed a love for gardening and would share her harvest with loved ones and community members. In 2020, John and Karen relocated to South Florida, where Karen built an outstanding career as a residential and commercial estimator. She worked for some of the top attorneys and public adjusters across Florida.

Karen will be deeply missed by the many people her life impacted. A memorial service will be held on July 17, 2026 at the Rush City Community Center, located at 720 W 14th St, Rush City, MN 55069, with visitation at 10:30 am followed by a memorial service at 11:30 am, and a luncheon to follow.