Due to her daddy’s military background, Karen’s family lived in many places. One of her favorite locations was Puerto Rico, where she recently traveled with her children and grandchildren, sharing sentimental memories in the places they occurred, while forming new memories that will be cherished for years to come.
After making their home in Prescott in 1976, Karen graduated high school in 1982. Her education continued at Henderson State University where she earned degrees in chemistry and education and pursued additional degree requirements in math. Her educational career as an instructor spanned over 36 years where she taught, influenced, and inspired hundreds of students at both the high school and collegiate levels in a variety of math and science courses. Karen worked diligently to maintain her standard of teaching and was Nationally Board Certified, an achievement her family was very proud of. “Miss Steed” loved to teach and is fondly remembered for her ‘special teaching approaches’ that included erasers, pens, and such. She was divinely gifted with the ability to share her saving faith in Jesus Christ within the public classroom without disobeying regulations and is accredited with inspiring former students that are now public educators to be bold in letting their light for Jesus shine, too.
However, Karen’s heart was for children of all ages and she thoroughly enjoyed directing the children’s ministry of Central Baptist Church for close to 20 years. She looked forward to sharing her heart for Jesus in Sunday school, Children’s Church, Wednesday night activities such as AWANA and BRIDGE, and especially Vacation Bible School where she actively participated in making memorable experiences, centered on Christ, for children and volunteers, alike. Karen was the primary speaker at two women’s conferences hosted by the women of Central. She also looked forward to leading Monday Night Bible Study and using her exceptional hospitality skills to meet the needs of families experiencing births, surgeries, and the loss of loved ones. She was an active volunteer in The Call of Hempstead and Nevada Counties and was diligent in educating about the need for foster families in our area, focusing especially on the Christ-follower’s responsibility to care for both orphans and widows (James 1:27). In recent years, Karen looked over the landscaping at Central and expressed much joy over tending to the beauty of God’s creation.
Karen married Tim Steed on August 12, 1988 and was abundantly blessed with her daughter Cassi in 1995 and son Chance in 1998. The Lord saw it fit to give her another daughter, Flourish, who unofficially joined her family in 2023 and officially two years later.
She recently retired from teaching with the intention of being a full-time “Lita”, short for abuelita, which means ‘grandmother’ in Spanish – a language that Karen had been studying biweekly with a tutor for three years. As with all other aspects of her life, her goal was to learn Spanish in order to teach her grandbabies and be able to communicate the love of Christ to Spanish-speakers, both domestically and internationally. She spent all of her free time with Sloane, born May of 2025, and Maverick, born in January of this year. Karen was excited about the impending birth of her third grandchild, Scarlett, in September, and was prayerful that the Lord would graciously add more to that number in the coming years.
She is preceded in death by her father, Woody Woodring.
She is survived by her mother, Elizabeth Burnham, brother, Gary Woodring (Cathy McGuire), sister Debbie Crowder (David), sister Becky Trevillion (Benny), husband Tim Steed, daughter Cassi Maxwell (Dillon), son Chance Steed (Hannah McLelland), daughter Flourish Ola, granddaughter Sloane Steed, grandson Maverick Maxwell, and a host of nieces, nephews, and extended family.
Karen’s generosity to open her home, both to family and friends, speaks to her and her husband’s willingness to use their time, talents, and resources to meet the needs of those around them as the Lord made them known. Her obedience to Christ and her daily practice of self-sacrificing for the benefit of those around her is an inheritance that she left for all those who were privileged to know her. Karen set an example for what it means to take up your cross and follow Christ, never compromising obedience for her own comfort or convenience. Those that loved her have an overwhelming peace during this difficult time knowing that she entered the presence of Jesus to, “well done, good and faithful servant”.
In lieu of flowers, the Steed family asks that memorial donations be made in honor of Karen to The Call of Hempstead and Nevada Counties or Central Baptist Church’s Children’s Ministry.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday August 3, 2026, at Central Baptist Church. Visitation will be one hour prior until service starts. Burial will follow at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Brazzel-Cornish, The Funeral Home of Prescott, Ben Brazzel, Director. Online Condolences www.brazzelfuneralhomes.com