Karen Yvette (Hardee) Warren

Karen Hardee Warren, was called home by her Lord she loved Monday, July 25, in Clinton, NC. She was joyfully welcomed by her beloved Mom, Rose Marie Geddie Hardee and brother, Michael Phillip Hardee.

Karen’s life and legacy will live on through her adoring husband of 34 years and childhood sweetheart, Joey Warren and their two children, Allyson Marie Warren (Harrison) of Clinton and Joel Phillip Warren (Amy) of Hampstead. For the last three years, Karen was able to experience the indescribable gift of becoming Nana to Lucy and Reid. She is also survived by her father, James Phillip Hardee and sister, Beth Hardee Howland, both of Hampstead, father-in-law, Bobby West Warren, of Clinton. She adored her nephews Andrew Michael Hardee and Jonathan Caleb Howland and nieces, Ashley Elizabeth Hardee, Jena Warren Justice and Brooke Warren Foley. She was loved by many additional dear family and friends as she considered them her greatest blessing in life and there was nothing on Earth she loved more.

Born on July 2, 1965, in Wilmington, NC, Karen was the daughter of Phil and Marie Hardee and would become big sister to Michael and Beth.

Karen graduated from Topsail High School and decided to pursue her nursing degree at James Sprunt Community College in Kenansville, NC. After several years spent swooning over Joey at the racetrack, he finally made it official when they were married in March of 1988. Karen moved to Clinton, NC and began working at Kids Only Preschool and met what would become dear lifelong friends, Cindy McLamb and Lynn Webster. Once completing nursing school, Karen started her nursing career at Sampson Regional Medical Center. While this career choice was most fitting for Karen, it was short-lived as she found the title of Mommy to be her new favorite name in 1992, and truly began her life of devotion to her husband, Joey and children, Allyson and Joel.

Karen’s greatest role was wife and Mom. She spent her lifetime raising and caring for her beautiful family and instilling in them a strong faith and family values that will continue to live on through them forever.

She was fiercely devoted to her faith serving her home church, Rowan Baptist Church, in many ways over many years always willing to do whatever was needed for her church family and community. Over the years she held titles of WMU Director, VBS Director, Youth Leader and Missions Team Leader for many church mission trips. She had recently begun Cooking for Christ, a group of special ladies dedicated to providing monthly homemade meals to Rowan’s sick, elderly and others that may be in need in the community. She volunteered as a Girl Scout Troop leader from 1998 to 2010. Karen was office manager at her husband’s family business for many years. She loved visiting her parents and family at Topsail Beach and found another reason to have many more visits to Hampstead when her son’s family moved to the area a couple of years ago. While shopping may not have always been as enjoyable to her as it was Allyson, she loved nothing more than spending Mother-Daughter outings with her and her mother to Wilmington over the weekends. She spent many days caring for Marie, making sure she made it to doctor’s appointments and always adding a hair appointment to their day when able. Karen loved going to the races with her family, always being Joel and Joey’s loudest fan in the cheering section. She was looking forward to travelling to new events they had not yet been to as her and Joey grew older.

Karen has been an invaluable friend to many over the course of her lifetime. She was a sweet, kind caring Christian lady to everyone she met and never ever knew a stranger. Her family is overwhelmed at the kindness they have received and hold it as the dearest blessing that all who met her as a friend will forever know that same kindness she gave to them as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and aunt. 

A worship service in honor of her life and resurrection will be held Thursday, July 28, 2022, at 11:00 AM at Rowan Baptist Church, 701 Rowan Road Clinton, NC 28328, with her best buddy, Pastor Clay Carter officiating. The family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall after the service, with burial immediately following at Mount Gilead Baptist Church.

While her family will miss her their real-life Angel on Earth, we are comforted by the hope and promise of heaven through Jesus that she is no longer in pain and her body is completely healed, and that we will one day be reunited with her again.

The family would appreciate the sharing of memories, and requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Rowan Baptist Church’s Missions Fund.

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