Karen Ann Key

Karen Ann Key, 88, of Red Wing, died June 28,2026 at Elysian Fields of Red Wing. She was born June 21, 1938, in Red Wing, to Leonard and Verna (Lager) Ottem. She was a 1956 graduate of Red Wing Central High School where she was the senior class women’s all star athlete. On April 2, 1960, she was united in marriage to James Key at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. She worked at the Red Wing Shoe Company from 1958 to 1961, Northern States Power from 1962 to 1964 and then stayed home to raise three kids. In 1974 she went back to work as a travel agent and enjoyed several trips to Norway, China, Las Vegas, Sweden, and Hawaii. She loved playing bridge, golf, flowers, and bird watching. Her favorite memories were of boating on the Mississippi with family and friends. She also loved wild flowers and in fact, helped numerous students on their wild flower book for science class. Karen and Jim spent 25 years in Florida over the Minnesota winters and especially enjoyed traveling around the United States collecting Red Wing Pottery. She was a member of the Red Wing Collectors Society and attended and worked the annual convention for multiple years. She is survived by her husband, James Douglas Key; son, John (Kim) Key; daughters, Lori (Ralph) Rosemore and Amy (Oran) Nehls; grandchildren, Justin (Marie) Key and Jason (Kayla) Key, Cassie (Sam) Connell, Elizabeth Rosemore, and Rachel (Trent) Schubring, Jennifer (Anya) Jeninga-Nehls, and David (Emilee) Nehls; five great-grandchildren Clara and Arlo Connell, Greta and August Schubring, and Oliver Key; brother, Larry Ottem and sister, Mary Springer. She is preceded in death by her parents Leonard and Verna Ottem and brother Frederich Ottem.

Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Monday, July 13 at United Lutheran Church with Reverend Justin Boeding officiating. Burial will take place at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service Monday at the church.

The family would like to thank St. Mary’s Hospital, St. Croix Hospice, and Elysian Fields of Red Wing for the exceptional and tender care our mother received following her stroke. Memorials are preferred to Noontime Kiwana’s Flower Basket Fund.  Flower Basket Donation Link