DANVILLE – Karen L. (Lepley) Martin passed away Saturday, Sept. 3, 2021, at home surrounded by family after a two-year battle with cancer.
Karen was born December 1, 1949, the third child, and first daughter, to Melvin Dale Lepley and Mabel Irene (Kidwell) Lepley. They attended the Brinkhaven Church of Christ and in May 1969, three sisters and a cousin were baptized by Reverend Lawrence Hayes.
She graduated from Danville High School in 1967 and enjoyed the Class of ‘67 outings and had attended their golf outing this past July. In 1968, Karen graduated from the Nationwide Beauty Academy. She worked in the Cosmetology field in Ohio and St. Louis, Missouri, and always maintained her license after all of these years. She worked for Mansfield Plumbing Products in the Plastics Division for 26 years, Millersburg Wal-Mart, and then for the Knox County Career Center in the maintenance department for 10 years before retiring in 2017.
Left to treasure her memory is her partner for the past 20 years, Gary Durbin, and his family. Her siblings, Melvin Daniel Lepley, Ron Lepley, Carolyn Addair, Diane Lepley, Susan Jones, and Gary Lepley. Her loving aunts and uncle, Margaret Kidwell Lepley and Fred and Marge Kidwell. The cousins' group who golfed, traveled and attended Ladies Night out and glamping outings, Mary Kidwell Ferenbaugh, Virginia Rocky, Tina and Pam Lepley; and her Lake Erie group from the pottery who are still going after 31 years. Karen was a wonderful aunt to her many nieces and nephews, attending sporting events, birthday parties, graduation and wedding ceremonies. She even chaperoned a Danville Band trip to New York City and helped with Girl Scout cookie booths for many years and would attend the cookie bake-offs to raise money for Girl Scouts. She traveled with the 1999 Girl Scout bus trip to Washington, D.C. Karen loved traveling. Especially her trips with Gary to Florida and Nashville.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by aunts and uncles, Ernie and Ruth Kidwell, Hazel (Kidwell) and Raymond Akins, Sanford and Cecil Lepley, and Joann Lepley Dininger. Grandparents Mort and Cecilia Lepley, and Charles Kidwell and Edith Parrish Orr. Cousins David and Kim Lepley, Sandy Kidwell Tucker, Tommy Akins, Marilyn Furley Little and Linda Furley Bauman.
Special thanks for their care of Karen go to Heartland Hospice nurse Elaine and her co-workers, and her niece, Kelly.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Karen may be made to the Danville High School Alumni Association or Athletic Boosters at 405 South Market St., Danville, OH 43014, or Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland,1700 Watermark Dr., Columbus, OH 43215.
A celebration of Karen’s life with family and friends is planned for Sunday, Sept. 26, at 2:30 p.m. at the Danville Church of Christ, 15961 Danville-Jelloway Road, Danville, OH 43014. Jason Hankinson will be officiating. The Fischer Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Condolences can be shared with the family at fischerfuneralhome.com.
