Karen Rodriguez, born on October 14, 1956, in Storm Lake, Iowa, and passed away on November 12, 2024, in Kennewick, WA. She is preceded in death by her parents, Ross and Ruth Riley, and her beloved husband, Rudy Rodriguez, with whom she shared 44 wonderful years of marriage until his passing in 2020.

Karen leaves behind her son, Russell Rodriguez, and his wife, Elizabeth, along with their children, Elijah and Vincent. She is also survived by her daughter, Jennifer Knudson, her husband, Erik, and their child, Casey. Karen also has three sisters, Rosalyn, Barbara, and Roberta who are mourning the loss of their baby sister.

Karen also had a special bond with her best friend, Karen Thompson, since start of high school and the two shared countless adventures that will be remembered fondly. Everyone knew if the Karen’s were together, it would be a fun time. Karen Thompson ended up marrying Brian, who was a very good friend of Rudy’s. The four of them would go to Vegas often, never missed boat races together, always attended a super bowl party at a local bar and never missed a chance to meet up for a drink.

Karen dedicated a significant part of her life to her work at Battelle, where she formed many lasting friendships. Co-workers of Karen could always find her by either her literal whistling while she worked or her infectious laugh that could be heard throughout the floor. Karen loved lunch dates with her work friends, and these continued even after her retirement.

Known as the life of the party, she had a vibrant personality that drew people in, and her favorite words would make you think she was a sailor. Her love for Las Vegas and traveling was matched only by her passion for following her grandkids in their sports and enjoying camping trips with Rudy in their trailer. They cherished their time together and loved spoiling their dog, Lady. She embraced life to the fullest and had a unique ability to make everyone feel welcome in her circle. Her spirit will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Karen’s family would like to thank Windsong at Southridge Memory Care for their wonderful care for the last 2 years but especially in her last few days. They will never know how much they meant to the family. They would also like to thank Tri-Cities Chaplaincy for their support and partnership in care during the last month.