Deena Karspeck

Deena Karspeck

Nov 28, 1957 — Aug 11, 2026

Burlington, Colorado

On Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1957. Deena Iola Karspeck was born at the Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital in Burlington, Colorado. Her parents were Bobby (Bob) George Craig and Dolores (Dee) Craig (Moreland). Deena was the only child in the family, but she was surrounded by many cousins who were just like brothers and sisters.

At an early age, Deena loved her ponies, football, and dogs, but most of all she disliked the frilly dresses her mother made her wear. When she was 10, they lived Northeast of town; her dad passed away from a massive heart attack. Deena and her mother had to make major changes in their lives. They had to move to town. Dee was always a housewife and had to take a job as a secretary. Deena became a “Latch Key Kid” with a lot of household responsibility. She became mature very quickly at a young age. Her dad had taught Deena to drive, and Dee did not know how. At the age of 10, believe it or not, she taught her mother to drive, which was always a family joke!

Deena went to Burlington Schools and graduated with the class of 1976. Deena played the trumpet in the band and was one of the best. She was in the pep club, drama club, and played some of the leading roles in the school plays. She took classes at the hospital and became a certified nurse’s aide. At graduation, Deena was awarded the “Long Award”, which is given to the most typical girl in her senior class.

Deena started dating Roger at the start of her junior year. They became engaged on Christmas Eve of her senior year. They got married on June 12, 1976. She and Roger farmed and ranched Northeast of Burlington. Deena drove a “mean” farm truck, and nobody would challenge her for her share of the road. She could drive the tractors straighter than anybody before GPS came into use. She loved the cows; Deena was helping feed, calving, and taking care of them in the blizzards or knee-deep in the muck. The years they artificial inseminated the cows, she would be out before daylight, heat detecting the cows. That was one of her favorite things to do with the cows.

Deena’s strong faith in God was undeniable. She was baptized as an infant in McDonald, Kansas, and later became a member of the First Christian Church in Burlington. After Roger & Deena were married, she became a member of First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Deena was always there helping with the dinners and other events at the church.

Dorothy Stubbs was in charge of the funeral meals, and she asked the young Deena to take on that responsibility. With a lot of help from many of the ladies, she has taken on that job since 1979. Now, Dorothy’s menu was always Homemade Chicken and Noodles with dinner rolls. But Deena quickly changed the menu to ham, as she knew nothing about making homemade chicken and noodles.

When the new church was being built, she was on the building committee. She chaired the committees on the stained-glass windows, the pews, and the church sign out front. She spent countless hours planning the construction of the new church. She also served as church council president and was a youth group sponsor.

Deena was a caregiver. When any family member was sick or needed care, she was there. Deena’s mother lived with them for over 20 years. As she and Roger could not have any children of their own, she was the mother to 3 foster children, from young teenagers to when each of them got married. She loved them more than her own.

Roger and Deena started and operated the Lazy K Coach Company for 22 years. Deena never even traveled much, and laughing, she didn’t have a clue in the start planning the trips that were all-inclusive. She set up all hotels, venues they went to, and all the meals, of which everything had to be timed out perfectly. She and Kari did it well. You didn’t want to be around if a hotel or restaurant messed up, like losing luggage or taking too long to get the food out.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Bob & Dee, father and mother-in-law, Harold & Mary, sister-in-law, Kathy Scott, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She is survived by her husband of 50 years, son Jerry (Lisa) White, granddaughter Kari (Kaleb) Gilley, and two special great-grandchildren, Amelia (AJ) and Jacob Gilley; brothers-in-law, Steven (JoAnn) Karspeck and Bill (Jeanne) Scott; and many special nieces and nephews, cousins, and dear friends. 

Memorial contributions may be made out to the Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital or to First St. Paul's Lutheran Church and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.

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