Karen Ann Spory

Karen Ann Spory, age 67, resident of the Old North End, Colorado Springs, Colo., passed away Feb. 5, 2011, in Brownsville, Texas, from complications following a stroke at the family winter home earlier in the week. Cremation has taken place. Karen was born on April 13, 1943, in Long Beach, Calif., to the late Gabrielle and Wallace Benson. She spent her early child and teen years in Colorado Springs and graduated from the Cathedral School of St. Marys in Garden City, N.Y., in 1961, attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Phillips University in Enid, Okla., and completed the final work for her B.A. at California State, Dominguez Hills, in 1976. Karen married Ralph M. (Huck) Spory in 1962 after Huck's graduation from the United States Air Force Academy and combined her schooling and subsequent teaching career with Huck's Air Force tours around the world, and the raising of their three sons. She taught science, physical education and foreign languages at several schools in the U.S. and in Germany and spent her entire adult life as a loving wife, companion and mother. Prior to moving to Colorado in 1999, Karen had been a resident of Sherwood, Ark. She had many friends and golfing buddies in the area. She is survived by her husband; sons, David (Elena), Erick (Kathy) and Christopher (Lisa); along with grandsons, Austin, Matthew, Harrison, Maximus and Benjamin; and her faithful feline friend, Pepper. Karen enjoyed athletics of all kinds. She was an avid and talented golfer and scored holes-in-one on two occasions. She, Huck and family traveled extensively. In the process, Karen had the opportunity to reconnect with her German heritage during the time they lived in and near Frankfurt for three years. Her time spent in Europe appeared to resonate deeply with Karen and her extended family. She will be remembered for her intelligence, her competitive spirit, her generous friendship, caring nature and her love of and charity for animals as evidenced to a great extent by her service as a docent at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. Her final act of generosity was the donation of organs and tissues, thus prolonging life for many people she had never met. Karen was a member of First Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs. A memorial service will take place at the USAF Academy, beginning with a service at 10 a.m. on April 13, 2011, in the Cadet Chapel with a committal service following at the Academy Cemetery. A celebration of her life will take place at a reception in Doolittle Hall following the services. In lieu of floral tributes, donations to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Karen's name are suggested. This fund will be for the enhancement of the veterinary functions at the zoo. Please mail donations to Gladys Porter Zoo, The Karen Spory Memorial Fund, 500 Ringgold Street, Brownsville, Texas 78520. If further information is required, kindly e-mail huck@flash.net.