Karen Joyce Lytton (2018)

LYTTON, VANSCOY

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:02:58

Kale Funeral Home
Osceola, Iowa
June 2018

Karen Joyce Lytton was born April 28, 1938 in Osceola, Iowa at the “Osceola Hospital” Of Dr. Sells (1903-1944) which was located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the present day Clarke County DHS (Department of Human Services building) formerly Osceola Drug Store.

Her parents were Harold and Aletha (VanScoy) Lytton. She passed away June 15, 2018 at the Winterset North Care Center at eighty years of age.

Karen grew up in Truro, Iowa where she attended school and graduated from Truro High School in 1956. She participated in band playing the clarinet, glee club, softball, and basketball. Following graduation she played softball in summer leagues with her good friend Garna Rebik. Karen was the catcher for the team.

During her High School years, Karen also worked for Dufur Woods at the Truro Telephone Company.
Tragedy struck the Lytton family the summer before Karen graduated. Her dad, Harold passed away as a result of a massive heart attack while they were vacationing and fishing in Minnesota. Following graduation, Karen and her mother lived in Des Moines in the winter with a few years working at Woolworth’s in their food department.

In 1964, they purchased the café in Truro and operated Lytton Café. In later years, the café closed, but became the Truro Meal Site with Aletha cooking and serving the meals. Both the café and the meal site were the social gathering places for many folks in Truro. They were “the place” to go for good food and fellowship…AND somewhere to catch the latest news!

Karen worked for the City of Truro as Clerk for several years. In 1971, she purchased Lytton Gift and Variety from Ralph and Mary Alice Hutchison. The Variety store was also a place to go for a snack, a variety of purchases, and to sit and visit.

During the 1970’s, Karen commuted to Des Moines where she worked for Crescent Chevrolet In the bookkeeping department. Following the death of her aunt Gertrude Lytton, Karen stayed with Crystal and Dennis after school, fixed supper, and helped care for the home. Karen had a neck surgery with a bone fuse from her hip to her neck and then had to give up her job in Des Moines.

Karen joined the Truro First Responders in 1981 and continued as a faithful member for several years.

For many years Karen delivered the daily Des Moines Register to residents in Truro 24/7---getting up at the crack of dawn to provide this service. She would always ask where they wanted their paper and would faithfully put it in that place.

During the 1980’s-1990’s she was a Special Ed driver for the I-35 school system. She drove the students to Winterset and they enjoyed their many conversations and friendships while traveling. 1990-1999 she worked for Winterset Care Center South in the dietary and laundry departments. Karen could always joke with the patients and help make their day go better.

Karen was always ready to lend a helping hand to family and friends…offering to take them places, shop for them, sitting and visiting. Karen loved to visit and always enjoyed a good joke.

Karen enjoyed all kinds of craftwork, jigsaw puzzles, watching I-35 sport events of her cousins and friends. She and her mother were avid cat owners and had many cats through the years keeping them well fed and cared for like a family member.

Due to her declining health she became a resident of the Winterset North Care Center. She enjoyed her craft work for the staff and patients.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by a few of her Lytton and VanScoy cousins and a host of friends.

Burial in the Ebenezer cemetery.

Link to Gravestone Photo
 

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