Karen Ackerman Christopher

M. October 19, 1954 - Bud Christopher - Harbert, Michigan - Harbert Church - Reverend Nelson (Divorced May 18, 1978)

Karen was born to Lillian Alexandria Larsen and Roy Gilbert Ackerman at 2:50 pm on April 13, 1939, in St. Joseph Sanitarium, St. Joseph, Michigan. She weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. and was 21.5" long. She was named (middle name) after Grandpa & Grandma's best friend Dale "Duke" Hall who drowned the year before Mom was born. Her middle name is spelled "Dale" on her birth certificate, but sometimes it is spelled "Dayle" on other records. Lillian and Gib lived in Harbert, Michigan, on what is today Johnson Road next to Nana (Rose Larsen). Mom had red hair as a baby that turned blonde as a young child and eventually brown as she aged (see image below for baby hair). This pattern is quite common for Scandinavian children. All of us had blonde hair at one point in our childhood, some more than others. Grandma Ackerman described Mom's eyes as blue in the baby book, but Mom always said she had hazel eyes.

Mom's cousin Joy lived with Mom, Patty, Grandpa and Grandma for several months while Aunt Sal was sick in late-1951 and part of 1952. Mom, Patty and Joy became quite close, they had already been pretty close because they saw so much of each other when Mom was a child and the Scovern's lived next door for a few years, and in St. Joseph and New Buffalo until they moved to Texas. Mom's other childhood friends included Anita Erickson and Elaine Wallenberg. Mom states that Anita was her best friend from age 7-13 in her Reflections book. Elaine was more Patty's friend, but Mom and Elaine were in band together, and Elaine, Anita, Patty and Mom were all friends. Of course, Mom writes, and we all know, that Mom's one lifelong best friend was Aunt Patty. They were as close as sisters could be from Mom's birth, as Grandma writes in Mom's baby book, right up until Mom's death.

On August 28, 1944, Grandpa surprised Mom and Aunt Patty with a buff colored cocker spaniel he had bought from a guy he was working for at the time for $35, which was a lot of money back then - check out the receipt Grandpa got for the dog here. They called him Rusty, he was a hunting dog but was wounded in one eye during a hunting accident, that is why Mr. Arnold was selling him. Mom writes about Rusty in her Reflections book: "My father surprised us with him [when he was five-years-old]. He lived until he was eleven and it broke my heart when he died. I loved that dog so much! He was a very friendly dog and he was like a member of the family. I used to talk to Rusty when I was sad. He was a very affectionate dog and he loved to be hugged and petted..."

Mom writes in her Reflections book below "When I was little and in grade school we were very comfortable financially. Later we were struggling. We didn’t have a phone for instance." Grandpa Ackerman was an electrician and had to move where the work was and was quite transient for several years beginning in 1951. He bought a 35' trailer, and they traveled throughout Florida as he moved from job to job. Certainly, not the Joad family, but still it was hard on Mom and Aunt Patty. They would just get settled in somewhere and make friends and they had to move again. Mom and Patty became especially close because of all this moving around.

An example of one year: In 1952-53, Grandpa sold their house, bought the trailer and they moved to Florida. They moved around for a few stops in Florida then off to Dallas for another job for Grandpa. Mom and her family lived with the Scoverns for a couple months while Grandpa worked, and her and Aunt Patty went to school in Dallas. Grandpa decided he wanted to move to San Diego, so he pulled Mom and Aunt Patty out of school and they drove West to California. No more than a couple days after they arrived in San Diego, Grandpa decided he didn't care for that city and they packed up and drove back East to Corpus Christi, Texas. As soon as Grandpa's job was done in Corpus Christi, a few weeks, then it was off to Del Ray Beach in Florida. Mom said they didn't stop in Dallas on the trip to Del Ray Beach because Grandma Ackerman was so embarrassed that they seemed like "vagabonds."

Mom, Patty and Grandma moved back to Harbert in 1953. Mom was happy to be back in Harbert, but life was pretty tough because Grandpa Ackerman was still away from home working in Florida, Texas and Indiana during this time period. Mom writes about not having a phone and struggling financially when they moved back to Harbert. She missed her dad and even tried to get Aunt Patty to beg him to come back to Michigan, according to Aunt Patty.

Mom's education started at the Harbert School just up the road from their house across U.S. 12 at that time, today we call it Red Arrow Highway. Mom loved school - see her report cards below under the documents' list. The Harbert School was a two-room schoolhouse divided between the lower grades (K-3) and the upper elementary grades (4-6). Mom loved her teachers but mentions Mr. Lutkas, a 7th grade teacher, as her favorite K-10 public school teacher. She makes many mentions of her Sunday school teacher Mrs. Shermack having an influence on her in her Reflections book.

Mom was given a choice which junior high school to attend, New Troy Junior/Senior HS or New Buffalo Junior/Senior HS. Aunt Patty had gone to New Buffalo but didn't care for it and when Mom chose New Troy Junior High School Aunt Patty transferred to New Troy HS. Mom went out for the New Troy High School Marching Band and was proud to be a twirler (majorette). She makes mention of marching in the Blossom Parade in 1954. Mom was in the Future Homemakers Club (see 2nd slideshow below for photos of Mom in yearbook for both activities).

The 1950 Census has Mom living in Harbert next to Nana (see census below). For some reason, Mom, Patty, Grandpa, Grandma and Nana are not listed in the 1940 census even though they lived next to each other on Johnson Road in Harbert. I have searched all around Harbert, and even in Florida, and cannot find them. It is possible they were in Florida when the census taker came by and he/she never returned to count them?

Mom dropped out of high school her sophomore year to marry Dad. They met when mom went on her first date with Bob Branson. She writes about an older friend of Bob's driving her and Bob to the bowling alley when she was 14 years old. She identifies the older friend as "Bud," or Dad, in her Reflections book. She started to date Dad while Grandpa Ackerman was gone in Texas. She was a romantic and thought there was only one man for you in your whole life and Dad was her 'true love.' Mom would have preferred to wait to get married, but Dad pressured her, even threatening to join the Navy. Grandpa and Grandma Ackerman gave permission, however, only 16-year-olds could get married in Michigan at that time, even with permission from their parents. Mom lied on her marriage application listing her age as 16. Mom and Dad were married on October 29, 1954. Dad had a friend film the wedding and that is why we still have the 8 mm film from the wedding and reception (see Home Movies/8 mm film page).

Mom and Dad lived in the Cottage in Bethany Beach after they were married until that summer when the Christophers (Warren and Herb) rented it out for the summer as they always did. They moved to the small "house" on Grandpa and Grandma Christopher's farm. (see the Siblings Page and Slideshow 1 - The Sawyer Years) Mom writes in her Reflections book that she always wanted to work with juveniles who were struggling, even when she was a child, she knew this was her passion. She put those dreams on hold and became a full-time mother. She gave birth to five kids in a little over six years. She loved children and told me she wanted nine, but Dad wanted to limit the size of the family and they stopped at five.

Mom was a devout Christian with an unwavering belief in God and Jesus Christ as Our Savior. She attended Harbert Community Church as a child and was married in the Church. Mom went to Sunday School there, and was given a "promotion" to the "Young Peoples' Department" on September 23, 1953 (see certificate below). She was baptized at St. Joseph Baptist Church when she was 16 years old in 1955. She had joined Sawyer Highlands Baptist Church along with Dad in 1955, but the baptism took place in St. Joseph. See the article about them joining Sawyer Highlands Baptist Church below.

Mom and Dad moved the family to St. Joseph in February 1964. When Robin started school, in the fall of 1967, Mom became a school bus driver for St. Joseph Public Schools. She loved driving bus and made many great friends working for St. Joe. She became the bus driver representative fairly early on and represented the drivers' union until she had to quit due to health issues in May 1975. See photos below in the Slideshow. Mom often would take us kids on long trips she made if the club or school program allowed her to. I remember two such trips I went on: a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and when she picked up the band students from their Europe trip from the airport in Detroit in July 1972 (see newspaper article below). The group who drove the buses to Detroit volunteered their time for free and were pretty much Mom's best friends from driving: Ruth Hill, Betty Deday, Helen Schlitter and Cam Styburski. Her other good friends were Millie Paleshe, Lavone Miston and Mary Anne Rudell. Mom had many of them up to Allegan a couple of times toward the end of her life (see photo in Slideshow below).

To get a good feeling of what Mom's life was like in the 1960s, please take a minute and read the letter Mom wrote to Aunt Patty on July 1st, 1966 - see the special link below or click here. She writes about us kids, of course, her weight loss club - TOPS, Dad's work, Warren's illness, buying an air conditioner, bar-b-queing, the weather, helping Wally with the Cottage and other things. Well worth the read, Mom was such a good writer. Of course, reading Mom's Reflections From a Mother's Heart below is an absolute must read to appreciate mom and get a full picture of her entire life up until 2001 when she wrote it.

Mom and Dad split up over a few year period between 1972-75, with Dad coming back just a couple of times to live with us until he left for good @1975. This left us in significant poverty and Mom heartbroken. She writes about this being her most challenging time in her adult life. Having to go to the Department of Social Services to apply for Food Stamps and AFDC was particularly hard for Mom. She lost her new Impala and the couch we had bought to repossession. Eventually, she lost the house we lived in - see the 1010 Broad Street Page for more on that. Mom and the boys moved to Benton Manor at 189 Madeline Street in Benton Harbor in September of 1977. Through it all Mom persevered and always gave us, and herself, hope. It was Mom's devout faith, sense of humor and her unrelenting optimism that kept her and the family going. We had rough times for sure, but I speak for all of us children when I say we couldn't have had a more loving and supportive mother to help us to survive that very difficult time.

Mom went back to school in 1968 to work on her GED. She took classes at night at Benton Harbor High School. She passed her GED with flying colors - see the full report below - she scored in the 98-99% national ranking for her ability to read and comprehend materials. In 1975, she enrolled at Lake Michigan College and earned her associates degree in May 1977, at the same time Bernie graduated from LMC (see the newspaper article about them below). Mom was very proud of her Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Lake Michigan College. When asked about her favorite teachers in her Reflections book, she lists three college instructors: Ralph Datema, Les Knickerbocker and Ralph Smietanka as being inspirational, encouraging and enjoyable.

Mom worked as volunteer intern at the LINK crisis intervention center for troubled youth in St. Joseph, eventually being hired as a full-time counselor ( see W2 from LINK - 1979). Mom worked at the LINK for three years before landing a job as a juvenile detention worker/counselor, and arts and crafts director for both the Berrien County Juvenile Detention Center and its counterpart in Allegan.

Mom moved in with Grandma Ackerman in late-August 1979 and lived with her until 1980 when she moved to Lydia's on Glenlord Road just West of I-94 in St. Joseph. It was a one-room apartment with a community bathroom. Big Jim had given her the AMC Gremlin we see in the photos of Gib's Sawyer House. Mom moved to North Shore Drive in Benton Harbor next to Dayle in the spring of 1982 until the fall when she moved to Berrien Springs to be closer to her work at the Berrien County Juvenile Center. She lived in a cabin right off of old U.S. 31, the owner had converted a motel into cabins.

Mom made four trips to visit Aunt Patty in Buffalo (Orchard Park) riding the train. Three times she went with Grandma Ackerman. They would arrive at the Buffalo train station at 4 a.m. and Ted and Patty would have to pick them up. Mom loved those trips because she liked to travel and spend time with her best friend/sister and her family. They took side trips to Niagara Falls and out in the country in Western New York.

In 1985, Mom bought her first new car on her own, a light blue Chevy Lumina. She was so proud to have that car. I remember I went with her to pick it out and buy it at the Chevy Dealer in Benton Harbor. Mom and Grandma took a road trip that summer to Philadelphia to visit Aunt Patty and Uncle Ted. They had a chance to go to Valley Forge and visit other places around Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

Mom decided to change jobs, and she became a detention worker/counselor at the Allegan County Juvenile Detention Center in 1985. Once again, Mom made many friends on staff and served the youth with compassion, love and encouragement. She first lived in an apartment on Cutler Avenue in Allegan in a converted Victorian house. We had a few reunions there and one at the park down the street. Mom moved Grandma Ackerman into River's Run Apartments in 1990, and a few years later when there was a fire at her Cutler apartment building, she moved to River's Run also.

Mom was forced to quit her job at the Allegan County Juvenile Center and went on Social Security Disability toward the end of her life as she struggled with severe arthritis, dizziness, and heart issues. She died in her sleep on June 10, 2007. Aunt Patty and Uncle Ted found her in her bed that morning. She was cremated and buried in Grandma Ackerman's grave at Riverside Cemetery in Three Oaks, Michigan. Grandma had also been cremated and so there was room. See the gravestone below, and death certificate under documents.

Mom had many interests and hobbies over the years. She was an avid Chicago Cubs fan from her childhood when her and Aunt Patty would lay on the living room rug and listen to the Cubs on WGN radio, and eventually television. Her and Dad were also big Chicago Blackhawks fans in the late-1950s and early-1960s. I remember falling asleep on the floor trying to stay awake to watch the games on TV as a young child. Mom was a Bulls fan for a few years in the 1970s, she loved Norm Van Leer, so much so that when he was traded to Milwaukee in 1977 she would listen to the Bucks games on a Milwaukee radio station up in her bedroom at Benton Manor.

Mom loved to read and was constantly reading and learning. She loved politics and was proud that at any time she could name all 100 U.S. Senators and the states they represented. As she writes in her Reflections, she was also proud to be a Democrat (she voted for John F. Kennedy in her first election). She strongly believed in unions, as evidenced by her experience as the bus drivers' representative. Mom always had compassion and love for those less fortunate in our society supporting Civil Rights, anti-poverty programs, education, criminal justice reform and many other policies that would help the poor and end discrimination. She believed in citizenship and always stayed informed on the issues of the day.

Mom loved to collect bears. Aunt Patty got her started with Paddington Bear, and also helped Mom transition into collecting dolls. She had scores of dolls, see the photo below in the Slideshow for just some of her collection. Many of her dolls came from Aunt Patty, who was always so generous with Mom. Later in life, Mom became a big opera fan and listened to it almost every day, or watched it on TV. Her favorite singer was Luciano Pavarotti.

Above everything else, Mom absolutely loved her family and her faith (see the Bible quotes she selected as her favorites below). It meant everything to her. She faced many challenges in life but never gave up or lost her faith or belief in love and goodness. Mom cherished family reunions and gatherings with her children. She was always so happy and delighted to see us and spend time sharing and learning about our lives. She welcomed all the in-laws into the family as her own. She always had time for her children and grandchildren. She could name all their birthdates, spouses, children... I have countless pictures she took of her grandchildren visiting her in Allegan, I am hoping to put a grandchildren page together soon.

Mom was very proud of her children and grandchildren. She gave unconditional love like no other. She was so thoughtful and caring that she wrote a letter to each of us listing special memories she had for each of us. Those letters were given to each of us upon her passing. I know I speak for every one of us when I say we couldn't have been more lucky than to have Mom in our lives. We are grateful every day that we were blessed with the most special loving mother God could ever grant anyone.

"Remember When?" - October 19, 1995, in Allegan. Mom planned and prepared for this gathering for months. This is just one of the many invations she made.

Mom' Bible (Given to her April 13, 1992 by Patty and Ted Branson) Favorite Quotes/Verses: 2 Corinthians 9:6-9, 8:9; Exodus 23:6; I Samuel 2:8; Job 5:16, 29:16; Psalms 50:17, 69:33; Proverbs 13:7, 22:22; Philippians 4:13; Isiah 3:15; Matthew 5:3, 26:11; Mark 10:21, 12:42; Luke 4:18, 19:8; I Corinthians 13:3; James 2:5.

Mom's Baby Book only had a few pages entered by Grandma Ackerman, quite common after first child. the fourth image below is describing her teeth coming in. The fifth image is quite interesting in that it describes Mom's energy and love of Nana and Patty (and Patty's toys) even at six months. The last image is Mom's baby hair. Click on the images to enlarge.

This is a transcribed copy of her exact words to dozens of questions she answered between 2001 and 2006 in this book given to her by Aunt Patty in May 2001. Mom wrote this specifically for us to read (23 pages in PDF format - when you open it you can save it by clicking the download arrow or choose to print it). Click on the book cover to read the entries as transcribed (I couldn't scan the actual book so I retyped it word for word - I know! two days, but worth it). I did scan two different entries for you to see Mom's handwriting and the two entries she made that are pretty meaningful - click on the pages below to see an enlarged view. Or, Here to read the entire book.

Click arrow for next or previous photo; or thumbnail below

Note: as of now I can't put two slideshows with thumbnails on the same page - so there are no thumbnails for this slideshow, but there are new photos that were not posted with the original slideshow above. I will list dates that photos are added above so you can hopefully know if you've seen the new photos. Also, the update list on the main page is a great place to find which pages have new photos, documents, bios... for all ancestors and other pages.