Karen Fancher

Karen was born in Tonasket, Wash., on Father’s Day, June 17, 1945, to Frank and Helen Zolgar, joining sisters Patty and Merrie.

Her tough personality was honed in the Okanogan when she was bumped out of a moving Jeep as a baby by her sisters.  She was raised on the family farm in Ellisford and attended school in Tonasket.  She followed the love of her life to Pullman to attend Washingon State University (go Cougs!).  On Sept. 5, 1964, she married Bob Fancher in Tonasket.  They lived the ranching life and lived in several locations around Okanogan County. In 1966, she began her first and most loved career of motherhood with the birth of son Mark.  In 1969, the family was completed with the birth of Shelley.  As ranching operations expanded, the family moved to Quincy in 1971 to manage new feedlot facilities. It was there that Karen began her bookkeeping career, working for Ker Farms and LeMaster and Daniels accounting firm.  Bob became involved in Farm and Ranch real estate sales and in 1978 the family moved to Moses Lake. Together, they purchased Fred R Doney Ranch Broker. They worked side by side and soon changed the name to Ranch and Home Real Estate. In those days, Karen accomplished all of the bookkeeping, auditing, banking and secretarial functions singlehandedly. They continued to expand and diversify the successful company into what is presently known as Coldwell Banker Tomlinson Ranch and Home. She retired from her position as CFO of the company in August of 2008.

The family enjoyed many wonderful years in Quincy, Moses Lake and the Columbia Basin, where Karen was a well loved fixture in the community. She was always very active in the organizations and service clubs she became involved in. She held many offices in the Ladies Division of the Moses Lake Golf Club, was “Girl of the Year” for the Quincy Beta Sigma Phi, served on the Board of Directors for United Way, was a very active delegate for the Republican Caucus during the election of President Ronald Reagan and was an avid bridge player and golfer.

She found her true source of joy in her grandchildren, Markie, Kenzie, and Ellie Fancher and Rob Mac and Maddie Champagne.  She had a sign in her kitchen that really captured her feeling, “We may not be rich and famous, but we have priceless grandchildren.”  She loved to travel and recently returned from a wonderful vacation in Italy.  She lived by the motto “Live, Love and Laugh” and passed that down as a self-professed family motto. Karen truly exuded an “honest dignity” and her friendship was enjoyed by many.

She is survived by her husband Bob, at the home in Moses Lake; mother Helen Zolgar of Omak, Wash.; sisters Patty (Guy) Fisher of Oroville, Wash.; Merrie (Clair) Fisher of Tonasket, Wash.; son Mark and wife Cindy; their children Marquel, MacKenzie, and Elizabeth, all of Moses Lake; daughter Shelley Champagne and husband Ed of Spokane; their children Robert and Madelyn, numerous nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be at First Presbyterian Church in Moses Lake at 1142 West Ivy Ave., at 11 a.m. on Thursday. Arrangements are in care of Kayser’s Chapel & Crematory, Moses Lake.

Please sign the guestbook or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 1337, Moses Lake, WA 98837 or Central Basin Home Health and Hospice 311 W. Third Ave., Moses Lake, WA  98837.