Karen Ann Crook

Karen Ann (Blair) Crook of Moses Lake, Wash., age 84, died Sept. 16, 2025, peacefully at home with her family by her side. Karen was born September 1941 to Virgil and Belle Blair in Longview, Wash. Karen had one sister, Barbara Easley, who preceded her in death.  

She graduated from R.A. Long High School in Longview, Wash. in 1959. She was involved in the 4-H club and entered her animals into local fairs. She won the state Cherry Pie Contest in 1959. The prize was a trip to Hawaii. She attended Lower Columbia Jr. College, graduating in 1961 as a Home Extension Contractor.  

Karen married Clayton Dick Crook in March of 1962. They raised two daughters, Cindy Carmel Crook and Kelly Ann Crook.  

Karen moved to Bellingham, Wash., with her husband attending Western Washington State College, now Western Washington University. Karen joined the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority in 1962 and was an active member until her death. Karen was a homemaker and a busy mother to her newborn daughter, Cindy.  

In 1965, Karen and family moved to Seattle, Wash. Karen was a homemaker, canning everything in her garden and a busy mother to her second newborn, Kelly Ann. While in Seattle, Karen started making and bottling her own wine, from cranberry to dandelion wine. She remained very active with Beta Sigma Phi, participating in socials and fundraisers.  

In 1971, Karen and family moved to Eastern Washington to Sunnyside. Karen worked at Totem Sale Department store (old version Walmart, sold everything) as the buyer for toys and housewares. Karen was busy canning, not just from her garden, but from the farmers in the area. She canned everything from pickled asparagus to concord grapes for juice. Karen worked on the City of Sunnyside float each year that traveled around the state. She worked with her husband on the Sunnyside Sunshine Days Parade. The couple hosted hunters from the West Coast of Washington for hunting season. Camping with her family in the summer at Scooteney Reservoir on the weekends.  

In 1978, Karen moved to Kennewick, Wash., with Clay and the girls. She worked on remodeling their house's basement and worked at Washington Hardware store in Pasco, Wash. She remained very active in Beta Sigma Phi, hosting meetings and serving as chairperson for the yearly dances.  

In 1981, Karen and Clay transferred to the city that they wanted to retire in, Moses Lake. Moving into a vacant house on the lake with no yard and covered in Mt. Saint Helens ash, she had her work cut out for her setting up the home for her family, Clay and the girls. She joined the Moses Lake Car club in 1981 with her husband, traveling around the country to car shows with the many cars they owned. Karen was president of the car club a couple of years and organized many of the poker runs for the Car Club. She worked at Dell's Art and Crafts for years until it closed. She became a judge at the Grant Country fair in the Crafting Building. She worked the food booths for the Rotary and Beta Sigma Phi and took tickets at the front gate of the fair. She worked at Pay N Pack Hardware store for five years until she retired. In her retirement, she enjoyed bowling, Bunko and going out to Big Bend Community College for college basketball games.  

In 2006, Karen and Clay traveled Route 66 in their 1966 Marlin car, traveling the total 2,448 miles. It took them three months to travel the whole route, stopping at car shows along the way.   

Karen joins her husband, Clay Crook, who passed in March of 2024.  

Karen is survived by her daughters, Kelly Crook and Cindy Manderfeld, son-in-law Robert Manderfeld and Charity Volquardson of Moses Lake. Grandson Eric Volquardson, great-granddaughter Araceli Amezcua and great-grandson Jak Suarez, all of San Diego, Calif.  

Please express your thoughts and memories for the family at https://bit.ly/CACROOK. Arrangements are under the care of Kayser's Chapel of Memories.