Karin Elke Stogner
May 5, 1959 - May 18, 2024

Karin Elke Stogner passed away on May 18th, 2024, shortly after her 65th birthday. Born on May 5, 1959 to Georg and Waltraud Knaupp in Bad Nauheim, Germany, Karin spent her childhood and teenage years growing up working for her family’s roofing company, and held various professions throughout her 20s, such as a lifeguard and teacher.

In the late 1970s, she met Glenn “Teddy” Stogner, a member of the US Army stationed in Germany, and the two eventually fell in love and were married. After years of moving back and forth between the US and Germany, they settled in her husband’s hometown in North Carolina, where Karin struggled to adapt to a country where she did not speak the language well. During this period, Karin had four children, one of whom tragically passed away in 1988. Over time, they decided to leave North Carolina, and after trial and error, settled permanently in Eureka in 1990. During these early years of her life in the states, Karin worked as a social worker and as a food bank truck driver.

Upon arriving in Eureka, Karin and her husband spearheaded improvements in the “Housing Authority” apartment buildings, being responsible for initiatives such as a park being built for the residents in front of Waremart (now WinCo), putting up fences to protect residents’ privacy, making minor apartment upgrades, and personally delivering bread and food to residents who could not make it to the food bank themselves.

After losing the love of her life to a heart attack in 2003, Karin followed her passion and attended the North Coast Bible Institute to earn her pastoral certification and become a minister and pastor. During this time and after graduation, she co-led a program that helped women who were victims of domestic violence get back on their feet, as well as those in jail looking to better themselves. She also assisted with GriefShare at Faith Center Foursquare Church, a place where people who lost loved ones could get support. Most people came to know her as the Gentle German Giant, as she towered over many people at 6‘2” and had an infectious personality you couldn’t resist chatting with.

When the programs ended in the early 2010s, Karin became more focused on being a mother and grandmother, and spent most of her days relaxing at home, watching true crime shows, and playing her Facebook games.

Karin was preceded in death by her father, Georg; her husband, Glenn; and her son, Christopher. She is survived by her daughters, Kimberly and Stephanie; her son, Timothy; grandchildren, Jayden, Anabella, and Xavière; and chosen family, Jolene Rowen and Ethan Thompson. She was also survived by family in Germany, including her sister Astrid; her brother, Jörg; her estranged mother and brother, Waltraud and Hans-Gerd; and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life is not planned, but for any questions, feel free to contact her son Tim at Tim.G.Stogner@gmail.com. Karin’s life passion was helping the homeless and women who were victims of domestic violence, so to help carry on her memory, consider donating to organizations such as the Eureka Rescue Mission or Humboldt Domestic Violence Shelter.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Karin Stogner’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.