After several years of declining health, Karen Fourman completed her life's journey and began her new life at 1:00 a.m., Saturday, December 12, 2009, at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Karen was born February 25, 1947, in Lafayette, Indiana, to the late Robert and Ardith (Beckner) Norris. She married Tom Lynn Fourman, of Arcanum, Ohio, on July 6, 1968.
She is the mother of two daughters, Heather (Greg) Heiser of Arcanum, and Emily (Bill) Millmine of Delphos, Ohio. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Joe, Maggie, and Audrey Heiser, and Lucas Millmine. Karen is preceded in death by a sister, Brenda Ritzhaupt of New Jersey. She is survived by another sister, Marsha (Hersh) Chambers, of Arlington, Indiana. Surviving nieces are Britton Ritzhaupt and Adrienne Sumpter.
Karen is a graduate of Houser High School, Hope, Indiana. She met her future husband at Earlham College, graduating in 1969. After teaching in the Arcanum Elementary School for several years, Karen attended United Theological Seminary, in Dayton. There, she earned a Masters of Divinity degree in 1993. She was appointed to the High Street United Methodist Church, in Springfield, Ohio, where she served for three years. She then served as pastor of the Mt. Blanchard UMC, in Mt. Blanchard, Ohio, where she served until 2007. Karen was active in the Emmaus Communities of Springfield and Findlay, Ohio Everyone that has been touched by Karen's life will always remember her for her joy, her strength and spiritual beauty; and the many people she led to a close relationship with Jesus Christ.
Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. at Kreitzers' Funeral Home in Arcanum on Wednesday, December 16. A celebration of Karen's life will be held at Faith United Methodist Church in Arcanum, at 10:30 a.m., Dec. 17. The Revs. Tom Hite and Ken Woode will be officiating. Burial is in the Abbottsville Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made, in Karen's honor, to SAMARITANS INNS, INC., 2523 14th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009. Samaritan Inns is a ministry of The Church of the Savior to provide housing and drug recovery programs for the homeless of Washington, D.C.
