Karen
Karen Lea Black
Karen Lea Black, 78, of Amarillo, Texas passed away on August 28, 2023.
Graveside services will be at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, September 2, 2023, at Memorial Park Cemetery in Vega. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, Amarillo.
Karen was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 7, 1944, to Mary Helen and Jesse Butler “JB” Moore. Louisiana always held a special place in Karen’s heart, and she enjoyed the culture, cuisine and visiting her many aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents who lived there. As a child, the family moved to Magnolia, Arkansas where she attended school and eventually college at Southern State College, now Southern Arkansas University. In 1962, Karen was crowned Miss SSC and went on to compete in the Miss Arkansas Pageant.
She received her bachelor’s degree in Education from SAU and worked as a teacher throughout southwest Arkansas for many years. She truly had a passion for teaching, and loved encouraging young people to pursue their passions and dreams. She instilled in her students and her three children a love for learning and an appreciation for literature and fine art. She was also passionate about travel, gardening, her many beloved four-legged companions, music, old movies, genealogy, reading, and college football – specifically the Arkansas Razorbacks.
She continued her education, earning two Masters degrees and became certified as a principal and superintendent. She worked for many years as the principal at Vega Elementary School and later as Assistant Superintendent at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch.
Karen was also an accomplished artist who worked in a variety of different mediums. She had her work accepted into the Texas Watercolor Society Annual Juried Exhibition, owned Wind River Gallery in the Galleries at Sunset Center, and sold works to private collectors throughout her life. She also published a photo essay book about historic Old Washington, Arkansas.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Black and survived by her daughter, Adrienne Hurtt (David) of Amarillo, TX, Chad Morris (Monica) of Hope, AR and Karey Black (Dayna) of Dickson, TN, and four grandchildren Abigail Hurtt, McKinley Black, Parker Freeman and Collin Morris.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift to the
Alzheimer’s Association
to further research in finding a cure.
Graveside services will be at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, September 2, 2023, at Memorial Park Cemetery in Vega. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, Amarillo.
Karen was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 7, 1944, to Mary Helen and Jesse Butler “JB” Moore. Louisiana always held a special place in Karen’s heart, and she enjoyed the culture, cuisine and visiting her many aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents who lived there. As a child, the family moved to Magnolia, Arkansas where she attended school and eventually college at Southern State College, now Southern Arkansas University. In 1962, Karen was crowned Miss SSC and went on to compete in the Miss Arkansas Pageant.
She received her bachelor’s degree in Education from SAU and worked as a teacher throughout southwest Arkansas for many years. She truly had a passion for teaching, and loved encouraging young people to pursue their passions and dreams. She instilled in her students and her three children a love for learning and an appreciation for literature and fine art. She was also passionate about travel, gardening, her many beloved four-legged companions, music, old movies, genealogy, reading, and college football – specifically the Arkansas Razorbacks.
She continued her education, earning two Masters degrees and became certified as a principal and superintendent. She worked for many years as the principal at Vega Elementary School and later as Assistant Superintendent at Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch.
Karen was also an accomplished artist who worked in a variety of different mediums. She had her work accepted into the Texas Watercolor Society Annual Juried Exhibition, owned Wind River Gallery in the Galleries at Sunset Center, and sold works to private collectors throughout her life. She also published a photo essay book about historic Old Washington, Arkansas.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Black and survived by her daughter, Adrienne Hurtt (David) of Amarillo, TX, Chad Morris (Monica) of Hope, AR and Karey Black (Dayna) of Dickson, TN, and four grandchildren Abigail Hurtt, McKinley Black, Parker Freeman and Collin Morris.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift to the
Alzheimer’s Association
to further research in finding a cure.
To send flowers to the family in memory of Karen Lea Black, please visit our flower store.
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