Karen Zahnow
Karen Zahnow, 71, of Gary, S.D., passed away at her home on Lake Cochrane on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Canby, Minn. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel, in Canby, with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Visitation will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be held at a later date at Grandview Cemetery in Gary, S.D. Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel, in Canby has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Karen Marie Zahnow was born to Edward and Elizabeth (Bregel) Schwiderski on May 17, 1955, in Olivia, Minn. She was welcomed home by her older brothers and sister, Chuck, Bob, Mary, Mark and Richard. She would later help welcome Sara, Tom and Jim. Karen was baptized and confirmed into the Christian faith at St. John’s Catholic Church in Hector, Minn.
After graduating from Hector High School, Karen moved to Canby with a friend and started working at Senior Haven Nursing Home. Here she met Douglas Hansen. They were united in marriage on May 10, 1975. Out of this marriage, they were blessed with two children, Eric and Tara. During this time, she worked at Bud’s Rec as a waitress.
Because of life changes, Karen started bartending and managing Murphy’s Bar in Canby. Here she met Michael Zahnow and were later married on Sept. 24, 1988, and added three bonus children to her life: Dwight, James and Kristeena.
After leaving bartending, Karen worked at Schott’s Corporation for many years. Here she made many life-long friends and memories. In 2012, she received her CNA and helped care for her friend Maggie.
Karen always enjoyed people and making them laugh or pulling a prank on them. You never knew what ideas she was going to come up with or what words were going to come out of her mouth. But one thing was guaranteed, you were going to have a good time. Karen treasured her grandbabies and any time she got to spend with them. She would also often bring home the “not so perfect” dog and convince Mike to keep it by naming it after one of his family members.
Grateful for having shared Karen’s life is her husband, Mike; children: Eric Hansen (Kari Norton), Tara Pederson (Scott), Dwight Zahnow (Adrienne), James Zahnow (Tracy), and Kristeena Natte (Chris); grandkids: Bryce, RyAnn and Bryant Hansen, Regan Hansen, Aidan and Cole Pederson, Kaitlin and Adelie Zahnow, Gavin and Logan Zahnow, Samantha Zahnow, Calley, Dalton, and Abygail Petersen, Will, Gena, and Samantha Natte; great-grandchildren: Gracelyn and Whaylon Petersen and Jasiah Natte; siblings: Mary Baumgarten, Mark Schwiderski (Jill), Sara Schliesing, Thomas Schwiderski, James Schwiderski, in-laws, Ginger Kathak (Joe), Gloria Roggenbuck, Richard Zahnow; and many nieces, nephews and dear friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Elizabeth Schwiderski; infant brother, Christopher; brothers: Charles, Robert and Richard; Mike’s parents, Rudy and Margaret Zahnow; sister-in-law, Jody Zahnow; brother-in-law, Allen Roggenbuck; and nephews: Bobby and Joe Mark Kanthak.