Karen Lee (Dolbeare) Baird, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, 64, of New Richland lost her battle with cancer on Wednesday, June 24, 2015, at her home.

Karen was born Jan. 17, 1951 in Bottineau, North Dakota, to Lee and Crystal (Gibbs) Dolbeare. She was a 1969 graduate of Willow City High School. She attended North Dakota State Technical College in Wahpeton where she met Floyd Baird. They were married on June 26, 1971, and raised two children, Kyann Rebecca born in 1972 and Clint Wade born in 1974.

The family lived in East Grand Forks, North Dakota, and she was a homemaker until 1981. They then moved to the Black Hills of South Dakota, where they lived until 2002. Karen operated her own cleaning business and did much volunteering within the community. She especially enjoyed her work with the elderly. She officially retired when they moved to Minnesota in 2002. Karen enjoyed gardening, reading and sewing. She was a devoted, fun grandmother and her grandchildren were her greatest joy.

Karen is survived by her husband, Floyd L. Baird, of New Richland; two children, Kai Baird and Sam Sveeggen of Mound and Clint and Rebecca Baird of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; three grandchildren, Alyson, Lucas and Joni; mother, Crystal Dolbeare, of Willow City; mother-in-law, Jean Baird, of Moorhead; siblings Jim (Carmen) Dolbeare of Willow City, North Dakota, Craig (Penny) Dolbeare of Bottineau, Tammy (Jeff) Diebold of Willow City and Scott Dolbeare of Bottineau; 17 nieces and nephews and their children; along with numerous other extended family members and friends.

Karen was preceded in death by her father, Raymond Leroy Dolbeare; brother, Richard Dolbeare; father-in-law, Ralph Baird; and maternal and paternal grandparents.

A celebration of Karen’s life will be at 10 a.m. July 11 at First Lutheran Church in Willow City with graveside interment to follow. Cremation has been chosen as final disposition. In lieu of memorials, a college fund has been established for Karen’s grandchildren at Minnesota Lakes Bank, Karen Baird Memorial Fund, 2290 Commerce Boulevard, Mound, MN 55364. Dennis Funeral and Cremation Services in Waseca is handling arrangements.