Karma Leona Papenfuss Cook

Karma Leona Papenfuss Cook was born Dec. 2, 1922 in Corinne, Utah to Curt and Catherine Papenfuss. She died April 9 in Missoula at the age of 88.

Karma spent her early years in Corinne, McGill, Nev. and St. Ignatius. Her family moved to St. Ignatius in 1935 where her dad ran a lumber mill and later a general hardware store. She graduated from St. Ignatius High School in 1940, after which she attended Missoula Business College training to work as a bank teller. She later worked as a bank teller and processed loans in Missoula, Ronan, St. Ignatius, and Lewistown, as well as Springfield, Ore.

When Karma was a senior in high school she started dating her lifelong companion, Robert (Bob) Cook. Bob and Karma were married Jan. 1, 1943 in St. Ignatius. Her first child, Candace, was born Nov. 2, 1943. When Candace was about five months old, she and Karma rode the bus to San Antonio, Texas to put Bob’s graduation wings on his Army Air Corps uniform.

A short time later they bought a Ford and started the long trip back to Montana at a maximum enforced speed limit of 35 mph. It wasn’t long before Bob had to join his flight squadron in New Guinea. He returned to St. Ignatius in 1946, after which the family moved to Missoula while Bob learned the dry cleaning business.

Bob and Karma returned to St. Ignatius to start their new business. In 1950, Jon was born, followed by Kathi in 1952 and Richard in 1955. Bob was in the Montana National Guard in Townsend, Montana. In 1958 he was in an airplane accident and broke his back.

The dry cleaning business had slowed down and Bob was no longer able to do heavy work, so he went back to school at the University of Montana to become a teacher. During his studies Karma supported the family. After Bob graduated, the family moved to Lewistown. In 1968, the family moved to Springfield, Ore. where they stayed until 1982. That year, they returned to the house that Bob had built in St. Ignatius in 1951, where she lived until the time of her death.

During the Springfield years, Bob and Karma took up square and round dancing, which became a very significant part of their lives. They danced nearly everywhere they went, from Fairbanks, Alaska to New Zealand. She and Bob visited all 50 states and 15 foreign countries. They also enjoyed camping, hiking, and visiting national parks and their children and grandchildren.

Karma was known for her knitted afghans, given to each grandchild when they graduated from high school, and knitted kitchen towels shared with family and friends each Christmas.

She loved reading, crossword puzzles, cross-stitching, sewing, flower gardening, Bridge and Pinochle. She was a long-term member of American Legion Auxiliary, St. Ignatius Senior Citizens and Good Sam Club.

Karma was preceded in death by her parents, Curt and Kate Papenfuss, brothers John and Robert Papenfuss (in infancy), her sister Elaine Jaten, and brother Kenneth Papenfuss. She is survived by her husband Bob, brothers Bruce Papenfuss (Barbara) and Joe Papenfuss, daughter Candace Drader (Doug), son Jon Cook (Sandra), daughter Kathi Allen (Dave), and son Richard Cook (Jae Young), 20 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. Karma was a wonderful person who will be greatly missed by those who loved her. She was always attentive to the needs of others and spoke kindly to all.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 13, at 1 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. Ignatius where she was a lifelong member. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the charity of your choice.

A special thank you is extended to the sisters of the Relief Society, who are a great source of comfort and beautiful examples of loving service.