Karen Janette Moss was born to loving parents Clinton Moss, Jr., and Wanda Morris on September 23, 1970, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Being born into a youthful US Air Force family, it wasn’t long before Karen took flight and wound up in fascinating parts of the world. During her early years, she lived with her parents in Misawa, Japan, where the family blessed Karen with a brother, Kent VanWilliam Moss. In the mid-1970s, the family returned stateside to the USA, establishing a home in Key West, Florida. The family relocated to New Orleans, LA and Baltimore, MD, all as part of exciting military tours of duty.
During their early years in the 1980’s, Karen and Kent moved to Greece to be with their dad, where Karen learned conversational Greek. From there, they moved on to the United Kingdom, where she attended the Alconbury School in England, a noteworthy school operated by the US Department of Defense Education Activity. She flourished there, earning the most improved student award. It was at Alconbury that she acquired a taste for athletics, becoming a runner. Cultivating a lifelong characteristic of community service, Karen used her enthusiasm for running as an opportunity to help others by participating in charity runs. She also engaged in “Volksmarching,” a European sport consisting of community building through non-competitive fitness walking.
Returning to the USA as a teenager, Karen and Kent moved closer to her paternal grandparents Clinton Sr. and Mary Moss. It was there that she briefly attended Colorado Springs Junior High before returning to Tulsa, Oklahoma to be near her mom and maternal grandparents William and Lillian Morris. Karen graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in the late 1980’s, and directly thereafter, enrolled in Job Corps where she studied business. Following in the footsteps of her dad, Karen enlisted in the US Army in 1992. She was soon stationed in Germany, which she proudly spoke of often. She later relocated to Jackson, MS, and received the National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon before her honorable discharge in 1993. During her military service, Karen was briefly married to Duncan London in Fort Gordon, Georgia. Soon, she journeyed home to Tulsa to be near her mom, brother, maternal grandparents, and other relatives.
In Tulsa, Karen resumed her “Volksmarching” spirit with nature walks in parks with friends or family. Always the compassionate “big sister,” Karen stayed in contact with her wonderful little brother Kent even as he moved away to various parts of the country. But in Tulsa, Karen and her mom Wanda evolved from merely the parent-child relationship into a friend-friend relationship, spending Friday and Saturday nights together with movies and meals. Karen had a fondness for movies, particularly the Star Wars series. She liked family-oriented sitcoms all her life, and even into her mature years, she would sing the theme to “The Brady Bunch” television show to her mom, uncles, and cousins at a drop of a dime…and seemingly invented endless new lyrics for the theme song.
Karen’s love for music shone through as she would belt out lyrics of any genre, clapping along during road trips or evenings out with friends. Her favorite artist was Mariah Carey and if you didn’t agree, those were fighting words. That being said, worship music was what she favored most of all, passionate about her love for the Lord Jesus Christ and eager to share his unconditional love with all who crossed her path. Karen’s life was a clear image of the gospel message of compassion, empathy, forgiveness, and redemption. She most recently attended Anchor of Hope church in Tulsa and held previous membership at Victory Christian Center for over 17 years.
Tapping into the wide travels of her early years, she loved planning trips and took many with her cousin Alison to destinations including Miami, Los Angeles, Jamaica, and the UAE, making friends and leaving an unforgettable impression at each destination. In 2016, Karen graduated from Victory Bible College School of Ministry with an emphasis in mission work. She dreamed of spreading love abroad while seeing more of the world.
Karen spent all her adult life helping other people and thinking of others. She never forgot a birthday and enjoyed shopping for gifts to share with those she loved. Unlike everyone else in her dog-loving family, Karen somehow cultivated a passion for cats, and was a great caregiver for them despite having allergies herself. Loving and caring were the themes of her life. As her grandparents William and Lillian aged, she took delight in making sure that they were comfortable, safe, took their medications exactly on time, and always had a beautiful smiling face--her own--in front of them. She did the same for her great aunt Grace, whom she fondly clung to soon after returning to Tulsa. Karen never thought her difficulties were more important than other people’s. She put her own interests aside for others. If you want to know Karen, this could be her credo:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3)
Karen was sweet, and there just isn’t a much better way to say it. She set an example for all of us as the model of how anyone, regardless of their limitations, can and should be good listeners, giving people, patient people, cheerful people, and accepting of all people no matter how different they may be.
Karen, we love you, we miss you, and we look forward to the time when we see your smiling eyes, feel your big cushy bear hug, and hear that quick chuckle of yours again.
Karen Janette Moss transitioned into eternity on July 24, 2023. She’s survived by her maternal grandmother Mary Moss, dad Clinton Moss, Jr., mom Wanda Morris, brother Kent, uncles McKinley “Mac,” Randall, Gordon “Gordy,” Randolph (“Randy”), and Dwayne (“Duke”), as well as many, many other family members and friends whose lives were made better just because she walked the earth when they did.
Memorial Services for Ms. Karen Moss will be Monday July 31, 2023 at 12Noon inside Biglow's All Faiths Chapel.
Her Cremated Remains will be Interred at The National Cemetery in Fort Gibson on Monday July 31, 2023 at 2:30PM with Military Honors.
To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Karen Janette Moss, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
