Karen M. Laney

Karen Marie Laney, 69, of Clermont, joined her Lord and Savior on April 16, 2026. Karen was born on December 2, 1956, in Rochester, NY to the late Robert and Michelina Young. She was proud to be a second-generation Sicilian American. She graduated from Olympia High School in Rochester, New York.

In 1975, Karen followed a long line of family members and joined the United States Air Force, becoming the first woman in her family to serve. She completed basic training in Texas and was later stationed in California, where she served as an Equipment Technician in Communications. It was there that she met her then-husband, Rick. As they began their family, they moved to Fort Collins in 1980, where much of her extended family had settled.

In the summer of 1986, Karen moved to Clermont, Florida, where she spent the next 40 years as a wife, mother, and homemaker. She had a remarkable talent for home renovation, design, and building, and lovingly transformed her own home over the years. Karen also had a deep love for travel. Among her most cherished memories was a trip to France, the homeland of her father.

Above all else, Karen considered raising her three daughters to be her greatest achievement in life. She always knew that her greatest calling was to be a mother. She would have done anything for her children and grandchildren, whom she loved deeply. Karen was also known for her strong and unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. Her resilient Christian faith guided her throughout her life, and she now rests peacefully with Him once again.

Karen is survived by her three daughters: Alicia Ervin and husband Rubin, Jessica Granakos and husband Adam and Katherine Williams and husband Bryan as well as her 11 beloved grandchildren. She is also survived by two sisters, Sandra Farnsworth and Brenda Eastman, and her brother, Ronald Young and wife Janny. In addition to her parents, Karen was predeceased by her sister Kathleen Young.

A Celebration of Karen’s Life was held on April 20, 2026, on Lake Minneola, and she was laid to rest on Mother’s Day, May 10, 2026.